Offaly garden set to feature on RTÉ programme

RTÉ One's Home Grown TV show will feature Bellefield House in Shinrone as part of its inspirational garden series.

The popular seven-part series celebrating Irish horticulture is presented by industry advocates Kitty Scully and Colm O'Driscoll.

On Wednesday, March 13, the programme's inspirational garden segment will put the focus on the captivating Angele Jupe Garden at Bellefield House, Shinrone in Offaly.

The historic house and walled gardens were bequeathed by the late architect and landscape designer Angela Jupe, who died in May 2021, to the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland (RHSI).

It was Angela's wish that the gardens would be open for visitors to enjoy and that they would be used as a location for training .

The RHSI, which is a registered charity run by volunteers, previously said it was "privileged to be the recipient of Angela's extraordinary generosity," and was delighted that the renowned plantsman, Paul Smyth, is now back at Bellefield as head-gardener.

The 'snowdrop weekends' at the house and gardens have proven extremely popular with visitors in recent years. The RHSI said it hopes to run events and courses to appeal to a wide range of garden interests and to fulfil Angela's wishes that the garden be used for education, including student placements, hobby-based courses and lectures.

Renowned architect and landscape designer, Angela Jupe, passed away in 2021, leaving behind a world-famous snowdrop collection featuring over 300 varieties, as well as a stunning collection of rare daffodils, Chinese peonies, old French roses and unusual old fruit trees.

Home Grown airs on Wednesday, March 13 on RTÉ One at 8.30pm.