Garden trail blooms into colour from black and white beginnings
“They didn’t think it would be much of an attraction to tourists because there was this notion that gardens weren’t something tourists would be interested in,” says former war correspondent Kurt Lyndorff.
Along with his artist wife Sheena Wood, Kurt is now one of the longest-serving members of the West Cork Garden Trail, joining a year after it was set up by Phemie and Malcolm Rose.
But the nay-sayers were wrong.
Those simple brochures — printed in black and white on an A4 sheet — began a tradition that has drawn thousands of visitors to West Cork over the years.
“Now we have a beautifully presented colour brochure, a much-visited website, and an international reputation which attracts thousands of people to West Cork over the two weeks of the trail,” says Kurt.
Although the West Cork Garden Trail, which launches on Saturday in Ballydehob, officially runs from Jun 15-30, most of the gardens are open for the whole summer season.
“American visitors in particular really appreciate the personal touch,” says Kurt, who runs the eccentric Ewe Experience in Glengariffe which celebrates 20 years in business this year.
With more than 200 eye-catching sculptures featuring everything from a pig in a bath to a salmon of knowledge, the Ewe Experience — which is actually four funky gardens set along a mountain waterfall — is one of 15 participating gardens dotted across the region.
* For more information visit West Cork Garden Trail.
