Blarney Castle Gardens, Through the Artist’s Eye’ 

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Blarney Castle Gardens, Through the Artist’s Eye‘ is a celebration of contemporary artists who will be exhibiting their works inspired by the gardens through the ages and the seasons.

 In 2023 and 2024, 22 artists visited and were inspired by Blarney Castle Gardens, and their works form the latest of a series of exhibitions, the brainchild of Seamus O’Brien, Head Gardener, National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh. Under the title ‘Through the Artist’s Eye’, exhibitions have previously been held at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin showcasing Kilmacurragh, Co. Wicklow; Tourin House and Gardens, Co. Waterford; Burtown House and Gardens, Co. Kildare; and Birr Castle Demesne, Co. Offaly.

The exhibition will open on Tuesday August 27th at 6pm. It will feature more than 30 works by renowned artists including Peter Curling, Lynn Stringer, Yanny Peters and our very own head gardener Adam Whitbourn.

The exhibition opens on August 27thand to the public on August28th until September 29th and will be open during Blarney Castle estate opening hours (www.blarneycastle.com).

Ann Kane Autumn Blackberry Leaf
Fionnuala broughan. In the Pinery. Pinus Montezumae
Lynn Stringer The Vietnamese Garden at Blarney Castle
Mary dillon Rhododendron Blarney Castle
Niamh Harding Miller Gunnera Manicata Giant Rhubarb
Nicola Morrin A Fragile Strength
Olwyn Burke Pterocarya fraxinifolia
Tara Lanigan O’Keeffe Great White Cherry
Yanny-Petters Prunus shirotae

AGM & Sceitse / Irish Botanical Sketchbooks

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Our Annual General Meeting will take place on Sunday 14th Pari, 1:30pm, National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin for Member & Friends.

Sceitse will be on display upstairs in the Visitors Centre, National Botanical Gardens, Glasnevin.

Saturday 13th April:
10:00am to 6pm
Sunday April 14th:
10:00am-1:00pm 3:00 pm-6:00pm
The exhibition will be closed to the public during the AGM

CRAINN NA HÉIREANN EXHIBITION

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This major project ‘Crainn na hÉireann – Ireland’s Native Trees’ was conceived two years ago with the title ‘Delighting in the Detail’. Choosing twenty-two of Ireland’s native trees, our artists were invited to illustrate Irish trees in the four seasons, enlarging the smallest details of their annual cycle. One of the skills of the botanical artist is the enlargement and detailed representation of botanical details which distinguish a particular species. This scientific detail requires an understanding of botany, close observation, reproduction to scale, and the ability to faithfully reproduce colour and texture. The challenge is to represent the botany accurately in a visually pleasing and informative composition. The almost seventy paintings in this exhibition are the culmination of months of labour and the unique perspective of each artist. From botanical plates to beautifully detailed tree portraits, the exhibition comprises a variety of styles, mediums, and approaches, all of which aim to bring attention to Ireland’s unique heritage of native species. The ISBA invites the viewer to immerse themselves in a new appreciation of the trees we know and love and which are intrinsic to our land and culture.

Deborah Lambkin – Holly
Sylvia Linehan – Crab Apple
Claudia McManus – Rowan
Eileen Fair – Ash
Olwyn Burke – Alder
Betty Christy – Hazel
Greta Pertl – Birch
Lynn Stringer – Aspen
Elaine Moore Mackey – Wych Elm
Betty Christy – Aspen
Mary Dillon – Crab Apple
Blath Ni Mhurchu – Alder
Noeleen Frain – Arbutus
Shevaun Doherty – Ash
Nayan Sandur – Prunus

RHSI Bellefield Snowdrop Weekends

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RHSI Bellefield Snowdrop Weekends

The RHSI are delighted that Angela Jupe’s garden, now RHSI Bellefield, will be open for visitors on two February weekends.

Friday 17th to Sunday 19th, 11am to 4pm.

Friday 24th to Sunday 26th, 11am to 4pm.

This event marks the start of a very exciting project for the RHSI as we take over as custodians of the gardens with Paul Smyth as Head Gardener. RHSI Bellefield will be a focus for Irish gardening and Irish gardeners, open for the public to enjoy and offering training and education to support the art and practice of horticulture.

For more information press the link below

bellefield snowdrop leaflet (1)

An Evening Celebration of Orchids in Botanical Art

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We’ll be hosting An Evening Celebration of Orchids in Botanical Art in association with the Dublin Orchid Fair at 6.30 pm Friday 20 April 2018, in the Visitor Centre of the National Botanic Gardens. The evening will feature a talk:

The RHS Orchid Committee and its artists: a history of the RHS orchid award paintings

A talk by Clare Hermans, Chairman of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Orchid Committee, author of many articles and co-author of Orchids of Madagascar and a research fellow of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. 

The talk was originally given at the World Orchid Conference held in Ecuador last November.

The talk will be followed by a wine reception and  a tour of:

Three Threads – of the orchid tapestry created by Frederick William Moore – an exhibition.

Organised by staff of the National Botanic Gardens, it features archival material from the Library at Glasnevin, orchid paintings by Deborah Lambkin (an ISBA member and official artist to the RHS’s Orchid Committee), and a collection of orchid portraits that celebrate Frederick Moore, painted by Margareta Pertl (also an ISBA member). The exhibition runs from Saturday 29 March to Wednesday 25 April.

Painting of orchid, Coelogyne mooreana, by Margareta Pertl

Coelogyne mooreana, by Margareta Pertl

There is no admission charge and all are welcome, but we would be grateful if those who wish to attend would email isba.committee@gmail.com and include the number of guests attending.

The Dublin Orchid Fair takes place Saturday 21st April and Sunday 22nd April and will be held in the Teak House at Glasnevin. This is the premier annual orchid event in Ireland, with a selection of species and hybrids for sale. It promises to be an exciting weekend for orchid lovers, gardeners and botanical artists alike.

Heritage Irish Plants launched by Martyn Rix

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What a great day it was! The late autumn sun shone in the Gardens; the gardeners, plantsmen and artists gathered in the Visitor Centre; the paintings looked marvellous and we were all delighted to have Dr Martyn Rix, editor of Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, officially open our exhibition and launch our book. The culmination of many months’ work by the artists who created the plant portraits and by the plantsmen who wrote the various articles, the book was judged a great success (evidenced by the sales on the day) and all there marvelled at the paintings, with some red dots appearing during the opening itself. The exhibition continues until 04 December, with demonstrations by artists on selected days. Check our facebook page for updates. To buy the book, visit our shop or buy it in person at any time at the Visitor Centre in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin.

Just before the opening: the beautifully curated exhibition of the paintings created by ISBA artists for the book

L to R: Brendan Sayers, NBG, Lynn Stringer, ISBA, Jane Stark, Chairman ISBA, Martyn Rix

 

Martyn Rix declares the exhibition open and the book officially launched!