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A GARDEN OF WONDER
The Walled Garden in the Early Days
The garden at Kylemore was created at the same time as the castle in the late 1800s. Mr Henry hired a talented
gardener called Mr Garnier to help him plan his garden, which was to be one of the most magnificent in all
of Ireland. Inside high brick walls were 21 heated glasshouses full of exotic plants from all over the world,
beautiful geometric- shaped flower beds, a house for the Head Gardener, a house for the ordinary gardeners,
and a huge area dedicated to fruit and vegetables for the castle.
The garden was a great wonder with many plants, trees and fruits rarely seen in Ireland before, along with
the most modern engineering techniques of the era used to provide the water and heat needed for the
magnificent glasshouses.
Inside the glasshouses were plants The Head Gardener’s house was To grow plants like this huge tree
from all over the world and located at the top of the garden fern, the glasshouses had to be
delicious fruit such as melons, figs, so he could look down over his kept very warm. Heated water was
and bananas. garden and keep an eye on the piped all around the houses to keep
workers. them warm and humid, just like in
a jungle or rainforest.
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