On Saturday the 20th of April 2024, twenty members and friends from Clare, Cork, and Tipperary, Dublin, Meath and Wexford were visited this stunning garden near Limerick.
Coolwater is an artistically designed garden on only half an acre and steps to the beat of a different drum. No lawns and borders to be found in this garden! Overlooked on either side by Skule Hill and Rockstown Castle, it has been designed for structure and shape year round. Most of the garden is wheelchair accessible with a ‘Health Board approved’ wheelchair ramp for access to the larger patio.
Clare and Kevin Begley welcomed us with a brief description of the front garden which was said to be cold with the no shelter from the prevailing south-westerly wind. The chat quickly changed to the amazing array of plants surrounding us. Either side of entrance were two handsome Drimys winterii full of creamy flowers.
Photo Credit: Áine Máire Ní Mhurchú
A large pond occupies the back garden and features a floating pagoda, as this was the only space for it. The pond is planted up with mainly natives including water lilies, Darmera peltata and yellow sedge – with carex as the only new introduction. The pond also contains a striking ‘wild woman’ sculpture assembled from engine parts.
Photo Credit: Edith Brosnan
Elsewhere in the garden various cacti and a huge Agave tequilana live happily in an open sided house, the roof just keeping off the rain. In another location a selection of Japanese maples was tucked in with some shelter from the cold wind and were looking happy with their spot.
Photo Credit: Áine Máire Ní Mhurchú
A dry river with an unusual sloping, curving pergola are recent additions to the garden. The dry river used to have water flowing between two ponds but as the pump used electricity, it was getting rather excessive. The ponds at either end of the now dry riverbed still exist and are now home to families of newts.
Photo Credit: Áine Máire Ní Mhurchú
Plants in containers are given the conditions they require – acid lovers with soil/compost less than ph 7; alkaline lovers with limey soil. Around the house there is a huge range of troughs. Difficult to describe adequately the range and styles of planting – crevice plantings with range of rocks to provide shade and cool root run; rock hugging plants almost smothering the more rounded rocks; natural tufa with tiny plants poked into the soft texture.
Most of us will grow some sempervivum, echeveria or saxifraga but here there were many different cultivars of each of these and so many more. Pulsatilla vulgaris, Soldanella villosa were some favourites seen.
The Alpine house was packed with more treasures with one side dedicated to calcifuge plants and the other for lime lovers. More troughs and pots line the wall providing shade for plants like Cassiope selaginoides and Ramonda nathaliae and some Lewisia species also looking very happy.
Back towards the front of house a very welcome cuppa and delicious cake was appreciated by all, with promises to visit this surprising garden again.
