When Geashill was at the centre of Irish horticulture

A new book published with the support of Offaly County Council and the Creative Ireland programme tells the story of how Geashill for decades was at the centre of Irish horticulture.

The book 'Alderborough Nursery Geashill, Offaly: Reamsbottom & Co., Geashill, and West Drayton & Alderborough St. Brigid Anemones' was written by Anne and Tim O'Rourke.

It tells the story of the horticultural business Reamsbottom & Co at Alderborough, Geashill, and West Drayton, London and the development of the Alderborough strain of the St Brigid Anemone which made it famous around the world.

Alderborough Nursery competed with the best nurseries in the world, winning awards, medals and accolades from judges and gardening publications. From 1890 to the 1980s, Anemones and a wide range of plants were exported from Geashill. Archives of all the important horticultural shows in Ireland and Britain record that Reamsbottom & Co. exhibited their produce and won prizes, particularly for their St. Brigid Anemones.

By 1907, Reamsbottom & Co., had won 33 medals for Alderborough St. Brigid Anemones, including four gold.

William Morley Reamsbottom and his wife Mary Enraght Moony founded Reamsbottom & Co. William, whose family lived at Ballycumber, was an expert and enthusiastic plantsman who shared his knowledge in the best publications of the time and advertised plants for sale regularly. Mary, who came from The Doon, Ballinahown, played a key role in the business, and catered for horticultural trainees at Alderborough House, while also looking after their children.

The achievements of the nursery were in many ways extraordinary when viewed against the background of unrest caused by the Land War of the late 1800s, World War 1, the 1916 Rising and the struggle for Irish independence. A feature of life at the time was the constant uncertainty.

Alderborough Nursery was the main employer in Geashill over many decades, beginning in 1890. In 1920, Reamsbottom & Co., set up a second branch in West Drayton, London, which continued to the 1960s under various names but always including the Reamsbottom name. Through this nursery Geashill people developed strong links with West Drayton with many joining the workforce there.

Many nurserymen and gardeners trained at Alderborough. Frank Jeeves set up another nursery at Streamstown, County Westmeath, which was still trading in the 1960s, while others worked in some of Ireland’s most famous gardens including The Japanese Gardens in Kildare and Garnish Island.

The Montgomery family were gardeners and nurserymen over four generations. James was manager at Alderborough while his grandson, Seamus, was responsible for the development of the gardens of Belvedere House when Westmeath County Council took it over in the 1980s. John Montgomery continues the family gardening tradition at Streamstown,

The Alderborough strain of St Brigid Anemone, developed in the nursery, was central to the success of the Reamsbottom & Co., business over many decades.

Up to 70 workers were employed full time with as many more added to the staff during the busiest seasons. At a time when self-sufficiency was a necessity, Geashill gardeners were able to apply their skills to their own gardens where they grew a wide range of flowers, fruit and vegetables for their own use.

The success of the Alderborough St Brigid Anemones was the result of breeding and continued improvement over years and decades. The patience and skill of William Reamsbottom produced Anemones which could be grown on a commercial scale at a price that allowed more amateur gardeners to enjoy their beauty in their own gardens. Every year Anemone corms were sent around the world while cut flowers went to towns and cities in Britain and Ireland. Seed was harvested to produce the next crop.

Reamsbottom & Co., continued trading until 1932 when economic circumstances finally forced it to close. After the closure of Reamsbottom & Co., local men who had been employed in the company continued to make a living from growing and selling plants as late as the 1980s on the same land. The McHugh, Kelly and Flynn families continued to produce Alderborough St Brigid Anemones for export and a range of plants and vegetables for the Irish market.

Anne O’Rourke’s great-uncle, Joe Flynn grew Anemones for export on his smallholding until the late 1950s. She grew up hearing stories of how the nursery exhibited plants at important flower shows, including Chelsea, and the glorious colour of Alderborough St Brigid Anemone beds that supplied florists in Covent Garden Market.

The Anemones made excellent cut flowers, with a wide range of colours, large blooms, strong stems and the ability to provide a display for well over a week. In a garden, St. Brigid Anemones were easy to grow, reliable in flowering and were capable of giving colour for most of the year.

Tim O’Rourke often bought plants from Dinny Kelly, the last full-time nurseryman in Geashill. Dinny was always available to give advice on plants and landscaping. He was immensely proud of his families association with the St Brigid Anemones which brought such honour to Geashill. He loved to recall the great days of Reamsbottom & Co., when famous people came to visit. These included Ivor Novello and Gladys Cooper, both famous actors and performers of their time. Anemone Gladys Cooper was added to the Reamsbottom & Co., catalogue in 1927 while Pyrethrum King’s Rhapsody (named after Ivor Novello’s last musical) was sold from West Drayton in the early 1950s.

Distribution of the plants and flowers exported by Reamsbottom & Co., was by rail and sea. Extra staff were added to Geashill Post Office and Geashill Station at Ard to cater for all the produce sent out by the nursery. In the 1920s a tractor and trailer made daily deliveries of plants to Ard station.

Fortunately, the love of growing plants and pride in their village continues at Geashill where the Tidy Towns Committee keeps the tradition of growing Anemones alive.

The authors acknowledge the professional presentation of the Alderborough Nursery story by Tullamore Company, Print Plus, and the generous support of Amanda Pedlow, Heritage Officer, Offaly County Council and Creative Ireland Programme in getting it to publication. The book is available from Offaly History online bookshop; Midland Books, Tullamore; Gorman’s shop, Killeigh; Byrnes shop, Geashill and Birr Castle shop.