Barry Lupton meets the Head Gardener of Lissadell House

Even the most infrequent visitor to the north west will be familiar with Lissadell House. Commissioned by Robert Gore Booth in 1833, Lissadell was conceived by English architect Francis Goodwin and constructed with locally cut limestone in the neo-classical Greek Revival style. An important architectural statement of its time, it went on to become a hub for local activity, employing over 200 people in its heyday, and was a significant inspiration and rest stop for William Butler Yeats.

Even those unfamiliar with Lissadell House may well have come across the Gore Booth family name. Constance Gore Booth, later Countess Markievicz, worked tirelessly for the poor and underprivileged, was a patriot, painter, suffragette, and the first woman to be elected to the Westminster Parliament. Eva, sister to Constance, was a suffragette and poet who spent many years working to alleviate poverty in Manchester. The renowned Gore Booth sisters also had a brother, Josslyn, who shared their compassion for the disenfranchised but concentrated his efforts on his love of horticulture and agricultural reform. It was through Josslyn’s work that the Lissadell estate became an important centre for commercial horticultural activity.

While the expansive estate, which washes down to the shores the Drumcliffe Channel, was at its peak in the early part of the last century, it spent the latter half in decline. The once bustling, light filled hallways, soon became coated in dust and the immaculately maintained house quickly succumbed to the ravages of the raw Sligo climate. As the dust gathered and paint peeled on the interior, Mother Nature busied herself with the landscape - spreading roots over manicured lawns, sending armies of brambles to reclaim territory and seeding roving gangs of bullies to intimidate fruit trees into submission. Thankfully help arrived in 2003 with the sale of the house to barrister couple, Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy. With the assistance of a number of leading conservation experts, the couple have undertaken a program of restoration that will soon see Lissadell returned to its former glory.

On a recent visit to Sligo I met with Head Gardener, Klaus Laitenberger, and was treated to an explorative garden journey through a magical landscape reminiscent of Narnia. “When I arrived we could see nothing but woodland. What was once a formal vegetable plot had become completely overgrown” said Klaus as he led me to one of the two walled gardens. The scale of the work that has been undertaken at Lissadell is daunting to say the least. The estate now comprises over 400 acres, which include two large walled gardens, an arboretum, an icehouse and the earliest private gashouse in Ireland. Considering Klaus is working with only one other full time staff member he has already achieved a staggering amount. “You could not see the anything in the walled kitchen garden except for a bramble filled woodland. We worked tirelessly to strip away the vegetation, finding pathways and features as we went. We hope to have the walled garden open and in production by next year. It’s very important to Edward to create a self-sustaining landscape. He hopes to continue in the same vein as the Gore Booths. Having an estate that is productive provides employment and promotes interest in Sligo in general”.

Passing through the now cleared walled kitchen garden we emerge into a derelict site that was once the primary nursery for estate. A ramshackle building that housed the Head Gardener, and which was claimed by Mother Nature, has now been reclaimed by Klaus and used for potting up. “The nursery at Lissadell was very important in its time, many unusual bulbs species were bred here and at its peak over 250 varieties were in cultivation. Unfortunately most have been lost. With the help of Alex Chisholm of Heritage Bulbs we hope to once again restore it”.

On route to the lower walled alpine garden we pass a narrow, tunnel like road that disappears mysteriously into an overgrown wood. “That is how the servants and gardeners took produce from the nurseries into the house, the tunnel runs beneath and comes up beside the kitchen” said Klaus, quickly pointing out that he doesn’t have to use it these days! Clambering through another derelict building we emerge into a vast undulating space that was once a thriving alpine garden. “We have stripped away all the vegetation but have only undertaken a small amount of planting. What is really interesting is that many of the plants that had been lost seem to be germinating from dormant seeds, commented Klaus, pointing to a particularly unusual seedling. “The restoration of the alpine garden will take a little longer than the kitchen garden, I would hope to have it open within two years”.

Venturing beyond the alpine garden and following a curved raised path that circles back to the house, we pass a ravine that is smothered in thick forest. “It may be hard to believe, but that woodland was once a formal lawn that followed a small river which swept around the house. It’ll be some time before a mower returns to this spot!” said Klaus as he led me into the woods along a long forgotten pathway. “Josslyn is renowned for having introduced many species into production in Ireland, one of which is the Sitka Spruce. This mature example has a girth of over 6 metres. We have a number of plans underway that are reinvigorating Lissadell’s horticultural name. Last year we established a series of weekend gardening courses that have been very well received and January 2005 sees the launch of the Lissadell seed catalogue. The comprehensive catalogue will feature over 500 heritage vegetable, herb, alpine and herbaceous seeds cultivated on the estate.”

Emerging from the almost impenetrable wood, the imposing grey figure of Lissadell House rises before us and cuts a clear architectural impression on the dramatic Sligo skyline.

The house and estate of Lissadell are a magical combination. Nature, history, architecture and culture intertwine and complement to create an experience that leaves the visitor with food for the mind and the soul.

For further information contact Lissadell House on (00353) 71 9163150 or visit the Lissadell website on www.lissadellhouse.com