The adventure of just getting out to Ilnacullin from Glengarriff, the small town on the edge of the bay (and the home of one of Hollywood's first Irish leading ladies, Maureen O'Hara) is a real treat. Adventurers can just take one of the Harbour Queen Ferryboats from the Glengarriff waterfront. I recommend that you immediately get your cameras out-- because on the way to the island, charming and friendly little seals will greet you from both sides of the boat!

Then, from the dock on the island, you can just step outside and pay the small fee charged by the Irish Office of Public Works, and then step into the tea house for a "cupa tea" and a scone or two before you start out to see the magnificent gardens.

Now for a "wee bit" of history! It was in 1910 that Annan Bryce, a Belfast-born member of Parliament, purchased Ilnacullin from the British War Office. Bryce had visited Glengarriff many times, and was fascinated with the island... particularly since he had an extremely keen interest in horticulture. Bryce hired Harold Peto, a well-known and respected English Landscape Architect-- who had a grand reputation for crafting and laying out Italian-style gardens-- to help him implement his vision.

Unfortunately, the magnificent mansion which Bryce originally planned never was built, but the fabulous gardens stand today-- not only as Peto's prime masterpiece in Landscape Architecture and garden design, but also as a mixture of formal and "wild" garden design almost unequaled in Europe at that time... except perhaps on the famed Island of Mainau in Germany.

Because of the thin soil and rocky land which made up the island, Bryce paid one hundred local men to row over to the island time and time again in boats, filling their boats with a nutrient-rich soil for planting his gardens. Then, the collection and planting of the shelter trees-- Pine, Cypress, Fir and Spruce species-- and many plants from the Southern Hemisphere especially-- were arranged and planted in specific areas. Delightfully, giant tree-ferns from New Zealand coexist beautifully with the camellia, rhododendron and the rare Schima that Bryce brought from China.

The brilliant fucsia, my favorite Irish flower, grows wild all over the Garinish Island, after it first blooms during the fall months. Several plant species brought in from the Southern Hemisphere grow tremendously well because of the benefits of the Gulf Stream hitting the coast of Garinish Island. The "wild Irish" beauty of of Ilnacullin is prevalent through the unique and colorful blooms throughout the island.

Several gardens, including the Walled Garden, Happy Valley, the Jungle, and the Italian Garden, the most formal of them all, fill the grounds of Glengarriff. One of the most popular gardens on Garinish Island-- the Walled Garden-- is filled with charming iron gates, trellises, and of course, a high stone wall. A charming arrangement of both wild blooms and formal flower arrangements provides visitors with an appreciation of the beauty of the Irish Isles. The Italian Garden features a winding, step-filled walk to the Casita (which offers a sense of adventure to the garden lovers and tourists who frequent the grounds. Dotted throughout the entire area of the property-- much of which can only be traversed via long flights of blue stone steps-- exist such architectural marvels as The Temple, a grand Clock Tower, and of course the glorious variety of elegant colonnades, Mediterranean-style pools, and terraces. Some of my favorites include the Casita Tea House and The Temple in The Italian gardens.

The various Italian gardens-- these extremely "formal "gardens set amidst the wild beauty of Glengarriff-- are considered to be the masterpieces of both Peto's design collection and Annan Bryce's brilliant ideas and resources. The gardens have been called "the outstanding feature of Ilnacullin" by Landscape Architects, architects, horticulturalists and the devoted visitors who come from all over the world.

Please save an afternoon on your next trip to Ireland to visit the beauties of West Cork, Glengarriff and Ilnacullin. It will be a worthwhile trip... and like all of Ireland, you will find the people happy to see you and as gracious as anyone anywhere! lasn