Annesley Gardens project to hear from acclaimed head of top garden

Annesley Gardens project to hear from acclaimed head of top garden

25 April 2012

HOPES for the restoration of the Annesley Gardens in Castlewellan will be centre stage again this week.

One of the most respected gardeners in England, former Belfast man, Michael Walker, will give a talk in Castlewellan Castle at 7.30pm on Thursday on the success of the revival of the gardens at the Trentham Estate, in England.

Trentham won the 2010 European Gardens Heritage Network Award which has transformed the gardens into a major tourist attraction with three million visitors last year.

The talk has been arranged by former Castlewellan man, Simon Moore, a garden designer now based in Suffolk who was shocked by the poor condition of the historic Annesley Gardens when he returned home for a visit last year.

He has embarked on a crusade to transform the gardens, part of the hugely important arboretum at Castlewellan Forest Park which has suffered from budget cutbacks within the Forest Service.

“Is it possible the magnificent Annesley Gardens and arboretum can be revived in a similar way, albeit on a much smaller scale?” said Simon.

Michael and Simon will also be featuring on BBC Radio Ulster’s Gardener’s Corner this Saturday, April 28 at 8.30am. The programme is being recorded in Castlewellan this week.

Tickets for Michael Walker’s talk, payable at the door, are £10, with refreshments, of £8 for members of the Royal Horticultural Society or telephone 07769182940 to reserve a seat.