While visiting the Emerald Isle many overlook one of its most beautiful features - its marvelous gardens. Tully Castle in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland is a lovely example of a sixteenth century garden. This delightful spot can be reached by either boat from Lower Lough Erne or via car out of the city of Enniskillen, which also has an impressive castle of its own.Monastery gardens, where herbs were grown for medicinal use, are thought to have been the first gardens in Ireland. Herbs continued as part of the “kitchen gardens” at most medieval castles and Tully Castle garden is a good example.
A happy profusion of yellow, orange and blue flowers peek out from behind the woven wattle fencing in the forecourt of 15th century Castle. Great care has been taken on this historic site to plant only varieties from that era. Sarah, the castle guide, recites the flowers common names as we walk, “Blue cornflower, yellow pot marigolds, purple viola (or heart’s ease), lacy green southern wool, purple geranium, larkspur, blue forget-me-nots, roseroot, London pride and nigella.” The latter is a large blue flower with soft grey feathery leaves, locally known by the romantic name “love-ina-mist.”
In the centre of each flower bed is a classic rose bush. The historic varieties represented here are: Rosa mundi, a two tone pink rose dating back to the 12th century; a yellow Scottish rose; a white Jacobite rose; a Lancaster rose and Apothecary’s rose - a variety which pre dates 1300 A.D. and was used by herbalists to treat inflammation, stomachache, headache, toothache, insomnia and for “purification of the mind”.
In the sheltered South East corner by the castle wall the herb garden contains fennel, spearmint, watermint, rosemary, mugwort, menthol, feverfew, sweet cicerly, yellow welshpoppy, chives, variegated lemon balm and a bay tree. All were planted based on traces found by the archaeologists that restored the site. It is fun to wander slowly, and carefully, with your eyes closed inhaling the mingled scents and imagining what it was like back in the days the castle was occupied.
Tully is a plantation castle dating back to 1613 when the English crown seized Irish land in Ulster and granted it in large parcels to English and Scottish planters on the condition they build settlements and provide strongholds loyal to the king. A vast view of Lough Erne can be seen from its tower, and the patterns of the carefully reconstructed gardens are best viewed from here. To see it peacefully blooming in the sunshine you wouldn’t think it had been the site of a horrible massacre on Christmas day in 1641 when a band under Rory Maguire laid siege to the castle to reclaim his hereditary lands from the Humes.
At first we think the guide is joking when she tells us that a busy day in peak summer might mean only a dozen people visiting Tully Castle. In North America large tour groups would be lined up at the door to tour an historic site like this.
Touring Tip: The booklet entitled “Gardens and historic demesnes” is available from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. It lists not only 27 of the finest gardens, but also places to stay which have enchanting gardens. It also lists phone numbers for private gardens and national trust properties where tours can be pre-arranged.
Among those listed are the classical gardens at Castle Coole and the pretty gardens of Florence Court, both in the same general area as Tully Castle. Closer to Belfast, overlooking Strangford Lough, the magnificent and extensive gardens at Mount Stewart are well worth a visit, but that is another story.
Northern Ireland Tourist Board, 2 Bloor St. West, Suite 1501, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2 Telephone (416) 925-6368 Fax (416) 925-6033.
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