Harlequin walk
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The Harlequin Walk, 100 metres long, gets its name from the alternative bands of colour of the hedging consisting as it does of green and copper beech (Fagus sylvatica and Fagus purpurea).
The walk forms the main axis of the exhibition, with display gardens flanking the walk to left and right. An octagonal Rose Garden in the centre of the walk has exits to four of the gardens; and the idea is that the visitor should be able to stroll and meander back and forth at leisure through the gardens.
Twice yearly, spring and summer, bedding is planted out along the Harlequin Walk to produce a vivid display of colour. A typical scheme of annuals would consist of a combination of Geranium, Lobelia and Petunia. The same scheme is never put in twice, but the bedding is always laid out in broad blocks of colour to a set pattern, the sinuous curves of one block give way to the next in a repeating, interlocking layout. Some two and a half thousand bedding plants are required to fill the two borders.
A feature of the Harlequin Walk are the eight arches, each bearing climbing or rambling roses. Look out for such old favourites as Rosa 'Rambling Rector' with its masses of white flowers (and spherical red hips in autumn) and the lovely pink of R. 'Albertine'. Select a climber or rambler not only for colour and fragrance but for its ultimate height. R. fillipes 'Kiftsgate' is a rampant climber (to 10 metres) and produces fragrant cupped shaped white flowers in late summer, while R. 'New Dawn' grows to no more than about 3 metres in height, has fragrant pale pink flowers and will do quite well where the optimum amount of sunshine is not available. R. 'Wedding Day' is a rambler (to 8 metres) with flowers that open white and age to blush pink.
The Harlequin Walk is made from what is known as Ballylusk dust, supplied by O'Reillys Ballylusk quarries. It is a smooth, natural style surface well suited to wheel chairs and those with limited mobility.
Designer:
Gordon T. Ledbetter MA, ARIAM, MGLDA
Design F&L Ltd
74 Highfield Road
Rathgar
Dublin 6
Tel & Fax: (01) 497 0439
E-mail: gtledbetter@eircom.net
