The RHSI has recently entered into a lease with the trustees of the Alfred Beit Foundation to take over the walled garden at Russborough House, near Blessington, County Wicklow.
A programme of restoration work will commence as soon as possible, to restore the garden and to lay out a variety of new areas, all to be completed in time to celebrate our 200th anniversary in 2016.
The aim is to run our new garden, to be known as RHSI Garden Russborough, on an entirely voluntary basis, to provide our members with the opportunity to learn while gardening in these wonderful surroundings and to pass on their experience and enthusiasm to newer gardening friends.
Our ‘mission statement’ for the garden is as follows:
The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland is an All Ireland horticultural organisation and gardening charity.
The RHSI aims to restore and develop the gardens at Russborough within their historical context in the estate, as part of an amenity of local, national and international importance.
Our mission is to demonstrate excellence in horticulture and to promote gardening. With this in mind, we aim to use the garden as an educational vehicle to develop and foster practical gardening skills and techniques, encouraging participation from a wide variety of groups and individuals.
The garden at Russborough will be a place where visitors can enjoy the garden in its own right, or as a place to work and learn as volunteers within a gardening community. The garden will include plants which have an Irish connection, or are particularly suited to Irish growing condition, and celebrate all that is best in Irish gardening heritage.
