The famous English horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll once remarked that a garden is a grand teacher. “It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust,” she said.
The joy that many people get from creating and maintaining gardens is echoed in the popularity of televised gardening competitions, expert-led gardening programmes, and newspaper gardening columns. Visiting the ever-increasing number of spectacular gardens open to the public also provides great inspiration to gardeners growing everything from artichokes to acers.
But, for some, there can be nothing better than wandering around a tree nursery, plant sale or garden furniture and ornaments showrooms. These outings provide opportunities to buy things to build new features into your garden during the long bright summer days that will bring solace and comfort in the darker months of the year.
Michael Sheppard of Sheppard’s Auction House in Durrow, Co Laois, is hoping for a good turnout at the annual garden sale he hosts in his private gardens, just outside the town. Inspired by the much larger and internationally recognised Summers Place Auctions in Billingshurst, West Sussex, Sheppard gives over his one-hectare garden to statuary, historic stone and metal garden ornaments, sculpture and furniture for the duration of the viewing. This year, the auction will be held on June 25th and 26th.
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“We used to hold the garden auction at the back of the auction rooms [in Durrow’s town square], but in 2018, we had this garden landscaped by garden designer Arthur Shackleton, who lives nearby, specifically for the annual sale,” explains Sheppard, as he gives me a tour of Glantelwe Gardens and a sneak preview of the 650 lots for sale.
The name Glantelwe is an anglicised version of Gleann Tulaigh (the glen of the hillocks), and, when you wander through these charming gardens – currently thronged with statues, planters, urns, bird baths, sun dials, stone troughs, garden seats, tables and chairs, and an eclectic mix of architectural fragments – the little green mounds on the northern banks of the river Erkina, a tributary of the Nore, are stand-out features.
The Erkina River provided hydropower to a flour mill, which, although now a ruin, does in itself provide another interesting feature in the gardens. Sheppard lives in the restored miller’s house, and a nearby restored grain store serves as a storeroom for the auction rooms. Water will be diverted from the river to run through the old millrace, to add an atmospheric effect during the viewings and auction.
“We expect two to three thousand people will come through the gardens for the viewings. It takes about three weeks to lay out all the pieces, which come from personal properties all over Ireland – from gardens of major houses to gardens surrounding small stone cottages where people collected incredible gems,” says Sheppard.
The late 19th century cast iron statues of the Four Seasons (€5,000-€8,000), the pair of 19th Century “Medici” lions (€2,500-€3,500), or the embracing bronze putti (naked babies, often chubby, fashionable during the Renaissance period – €600-€900) would fit perfectly well in many a formal garden. The range of large and small urns – some of which, according to Sheppard, originate from the Anduze region in the South of France – will create a classical mood to the entrance to a garden, on a patio or even in a courtyard in a city home. A freshly painted turnstyle kissing gate (€600-€900), would also create a perfect feature for the right spot.
For those looking to buy garden furniture, there is plenty on offer, including four more unusual-style cast-iron seats with a latticework design in need of freshening up (€400-€600). And finally, there is an old wooden boat (€1,500-€2,500), and two handmade children’s pedal go-karts (€1,400-€1,800), for anyone who needs them.
On another note entirely, a collection of items from the personal library of former taoiseach the late Dr Garret FitzGerald (1926-2011), will be sold at Purcell Auctioneers in Birr, Co Offaly, on June 26th.
“People love buying from a library of a significant Irish figure,” says Conor Purcell, who also sold the library of late politician, historian and writer Conor Cruise O’Brien in 2021. Among the hundreds of books on sale are a signed copy of George Bernard Shaw’s satirical play about Ireland, entitled John Bull’s Other Island (€400-€800), and a booklet of confidential notes on IRA activities, etc 1941-1947 (€750-€1,200), prepared for then minister for justice by military intelligence officer Colonel Dan Bryan. More whimsical items include a 1943 letter from Jack B Yeats to fellow artist Sarah Purser in 1943. Jack B Yeats was a personal friend of the Fitzgeralds and did a drawing of the wedding ceremony of Garret’s parents, Desmond and Mabel Fitzgerald. The proceeds from this private library will be donated to Focus Ireland, and the Fitzgerald family has assured the auctioneers that anything pertaining to Dr Garret FitzGerald’s time in politics is in the State archives.
Sheppards.ie; purcellauctioneers.ie
What did it sell for?
French giltwood and marble top console table, 19th century
Estimate: €1,500-€2,500
Hammer price: €4,400
Auction house: Adam’s
19th century giltwood convex circular mirror
Estimate: €400-€500
Hammer price: €320
Auction house: Adam’s
Book of Kells facsimile
Estimate: €200-€300
Hammer price: €260
Auction house: Whyte’s
1916-1966 Rising Jubilee gold medal by Paul Vinze
Estimate: €5,000-€6,000
Hammer price: €6,400
Auction house: Whyte’s
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