Boston Flora

Tag: Mount Stewart

  • Tuesday, May 10, 5:00 am – Forgotten Women Gardeners – Edith Lady Londonderry, Online

    Neil Porteus and The Gardens Trust will discuss Circe’s Garden, Edith, Lady Londonderry’s Garden at Mount Stewart, on May 10 at 5 am (recording link sent following the talk, good for a week to view at your leisure.)

    Visionary garden designer, suffragist and society hostess, Edith Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Lady Londonderry, created one of the most original gardens of the 20th century at Mount Stewart, in County Down, Northern Ireland. After the First World War and in her 40s, Edith channeled her energies into the garden, filling it with rich symbolism inspired by her Celtic upbringing and Greek myths. She amassed an unrivalled collection of rare and tender plants, taking advantage of the mild climate of Strangford Lough and experimented with bold planting schemes. She even famously turned down Gertrude Jekyll’s proposals for the garden in favour of her own. The talk will have new research and information on what is one of the most enchanting gardens in the world.

    Neil Porteus has been a head gardener since 1990, he took a voluntary redundancy from the National Trust in December 2020 and works as a garden consultant in Ireland and Northern Ireland. He also propagates a lot of plants from home which are hard to come by now in the horticultural trade. Neil has a BSc Hons in Horticulture and an MA in Garden History.

    £5 – Register through Eventbrite by clicking HERE.

    EDITH, MARCHIONESS OF LONDONDERRY, by Philip de Laszlo (1869-1937), in Lady Londonderry’s Sitting Room at Mount Stewart House, Co. Down, Northern Ireland. (MST/P/2445)

  • On Line: Effects of Climate Change at Mount Stewart

    Overlooking Strangford Lough in County Down, Mount Stewart is affected by climate change in many ways 
    Rising sea levels threaten to damage wildlife-rich mudflats on the shores of the lough and destroy islands that provide habitats for seabirds and seals. The sea plantation, which protects the house and gardens against the damaging effects of storms and saltwater, is also being eroded.  Watch this YouTube five minute video produced by the National Trust to find out what the Trust is doing to make this precious landscape more resilient.  The link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1PavzuTuHY

  • Friday, August 20, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – A Conversation with Neil Porteous, Online

    Best-known for his extraordinary revitalization of the gardens at the National Trust’s Mount Stewart, County Down, North Ireland, Neil Porteous is a garden consultant much in demand elsewhere around Ireland. At present, he is restoring one of the country’s most important gardens created at the start of the last century: Annes Grove, County Cork.  In this August 20 Irish Georgian Society online talk, beginning at noon Eastern time, he will explore the site with historian and author Robert O’Byrne, explaining its significance and illustrate what he is doing to ensure the legacy of Annes Grove has a dynamic future. 
    Tickets: $20 + $2.85 fee Registration Required with IGS at eventbrite

    The Lecture is sponsored by Hindman. Hindman is recognized internationally as a leading fine art auction house. Hindman operates more salesrooms in the United States than any other firm and conducts over 100 auctions annually in categories such as fine jewelry, fine art, modern design, books and manuscripts, furniture, decorative arts, couture, Asian works of art, arts of the American West, and numismatics, as well as special focus subjects as the need arises. Please visit hindmanauctions.com for more information and the 2021 auction calendar.
    Register with IGS