Kells gardens: Kerry
When I started this blog it was my intention to cover a wide range of topics from handy hints and interesting plants to highlighting some of the wonders of this part of the world. This has included gardens and places to visit. Freed, at present, from editorial complications, such as having to say only positive things because I am being taken to gardens as a journalist, I tried to give a view of the places I have visited based on my experiences at the time. Being a horticulturist and professional gardener I have always made allowances for the season etc and if there were what I considered shortfalls when I visited I always added caveats. However, it seems that my reviews have not always been welcomed and I have been criticised.
This is not Tripadvisor nor do I want to offend anyone so, for now at least, I will no longer say anything about the gardens unless they are so good that I can find no fault with them. I will let the photos speak for themselves. And if you have the opportunity to visit the gardens you will be able to do so without me in any way influencing your view. Shame, but there you go.
So this post is about Kells Gardens on the Ring of Kerry. It is best known for its exceptionally mild climate and the astonishing tree ferns which must be the best in Northern Europe. New areas are being developed and most astonishing is the huge, recently planted Chilean wine palm.
I love botanical gardens. Do you think this is Mediterranean climate? I guess it is because of the palm trees.
I would not say that any part of Ireland had a Mediterranean climate. They are usually defined as having a mild, wet winter and hot, dry summer and not even the south east of Ireland, which is known as the sunny southeast and which has the coldest winters and driest summers could be described as Mediterranean. The whole of the British Isles is influenced by the Gulf Stream, a current of warm water that starts in the Gulf of Mexico and allows us to grow an unusually wide range of plants in a milder climate than should be possible at our latitude. The South west of the UK and Ireland are most affected by this and this particular garden and the whole of the south west area rarely get frosts – though they do get the full force of the Atlantic gales. Gardens where shelter from tough trees is provided can grow some really unusual plants. Ireland is particularly good for growing plants from New Zealand, like these tree ferns, and wetter areas of South America.