Peter Donegan landscaping Weblog

Oct 19th, 2007 by Peter Donegan MI Hort

Yesterday we won two ALCI national landscaping awards as designer and contractor [details here]. We won the award of Merit in the best private garden category [over 13,000 Euro] and the overall award for best private garden maintenance. My designs for Veronica and Paddy Campbells 5 acre estate involved the restoration and rebuild of the historic 16th century Brackenstown House.

The awards for Brackenstown are probably the highlight of my career for personal reasons as well as horticultural. I described it recently to a friend of mine as 17th century poetry and as it’s being read to you, you amost feel the poets breath in your ear as he speaks words from his heart…. Some people feel it. I know I did and I loved every minute. Of all the gardens I ever visited, this is one I acually visit to escape my mind. Also until now the landscape was never completed and at 31 years old my design and The Donegan Landscaping team are the first to be acknowledged and awarded for this. It is an amazing place and for me one that will remain close to my heart.

Whilst it important to salute the craftsmen who took this journey with me, one should also acknowledge my Clients who trusted me with their heart and allowed me to create. This piece was sculted by Paddy Campbell especially for the pond of the hidden garden. She fits perfectly.

The garden will be featured next Thursday on Capital D RTE 1 at 7pm.

Tags: 17th, advice, ALCI, award, awards, ballyboughal, bord bia, brackdenston, brackenstown, campbell, capital d, century, contractors, cromwell, design, designer, donegan, dublin, environment, estate, estates, fingal, flowers, garden, gardens, heritage, historic, horticulture, house, landscape, life, maintain, maintenance, molesworth, my ireland, north, peter, plants, rte, sargent, trees, trevor, winning

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14 Responses to “two landscaping awards for brackenstown house”

on 22 Oct 2007 at 2:34 am1jennylitchfield

Congratulations on the awards. It’s wonderful to be so poetically inspired by your writers. These gardens speak to you.
on 22 Oct 2007 at 9:15 am2peter donegan MI Hort

Jenny,
thanks so much for that. So much appreciated. I had an amazing photographer [Maura Hickey] work with me on this project - who I’ve also roped into going to South africa with me - so as soon as they come through I’ll post them on the website. For the moment the story of the garden can be read here http://www.doneganlandscaping.com/alci_award_2007.html

thanks again!
peter
on 22 Oct 2007 at 5:34 pm3nezza

Congratulations!
There can surely be nothing better than recognition for something you love doing.
on 22 Oct 2007 at 6:44 pm4peter donegan MI Hort

A Chara Nezza,

thanks so much. As soon as I can I’ll get all the pics of the garden up on the website. Well worth looking at. I get to design and build some really cool garden like rubber soul etc. but 16/ 17th century is pretty much poetry. The few pics I have up give a good gist. Very much Lady Chatterly and all that!?!!

Thanks for the congrats. Really appreciatedslán go foill
peter

ps. Your last comments were so funny!! I think I’m still laughing?!!
on 23 Oct 2007 at 12:55 pm5Nic

Conrats to you and your crew on what sounds like a fantastic project, would love to be able to see it. Must be amazing to find some where you can lose your mind!! And more particularly spectacular for you!! Congrats again Pete.
on 27 Oct 2007 at 9:34 pm6peter donegan MI Hort

thanks so much nic,
i’ll pass on your kind words to the team who without, none of my designs would be possible. i know it was featured on rte capital d show recently and i’ll have the pics up on the my web garden gallery soon. Again many thanks for everything.
slán go foill
peter
on 08 Nov 2007 at 5:45 pm7The Media Frenzy… « Peter Donegan landscaping Weblog

[...] contractor this year, RTE’s Capital d did a show including the much celebrated and historical Brackenstown House Gardens. It’s our second time on the show this year and I know I was asked to put this up some time [...]
on 02 Dec 2007 at 12:41 pm8Philip Voice

Peter,

Well done on your awards. It does feel good to be rewarded by your peers doesn’t it?

I hope your gardens projects become a lasting legacy for years to come.

I think that is the gratifying thing, the fact that what we create can be seen for years and years to come.

Again well done

Phil
on 03 Dec 2007 at 10:49 am9peter donegan MI Hort

A Chara Philip,

you are 100% correct! thank you so much sincerely for your very kind words. So much appreciated.

take care for now
slán go foill
peter
on 26 Jun 2008 at 6:36 pm10Peter Donegan landscaping Weblog » Blog Archive » Brackenstowns garden & sculpt exhibition

[...] award winning gardens of Brackenstown have hit the big screen. The gardens open for two weeks only for the Mid summer sculpt exhibition [...]
on 01 Jul 2008 at 10:19 am11Peter Donegan landscaping Weblog » Blog Archive » A Bespoke 17th Century Gazebo

[...] the gardens of Brackenstown got the ‘piece de resiatance’ that [in my heart] it so much deserved. The gazebo was [...]
on 01 Jul 2008 at 11:22 am12Peter Donegan landscaping Weblog » Blog Archive » Landscaping Costs How much?

[...] I am a member of The Institute of Horticulture. Full Insurances. Quality Approved System and enough design and landscaping awards et [...]
on 06 Aug 2008 at 2:45 pm13david

How did I only see this post now - ya genius ya!

(I love the pond at the back of the house… spent an entire summer clearing it out once)
on 06 Aug 2008 at 4:25 pm14Peter Donegan MI Hort

A Chara David,

we did it last year for the first time - not pretty stuff at all!

go raibh míle maith agat!
peter