History of the Garden

At the heart of the gardens stands the Georgian manor house, around which the landscape unfolds in a series of carefully balanced garden rooms, woodlands, orchards and meadows. The relationship between house and garden has always been central to Ballintubbert identity — each designed to complement and frame the other in quiet harmony.

Ballintubbert draws in artists, writers and creative spirits (pun intended). Poet Laureate C. Day-Lewis was born in the house in 1904, and his return in the 1930s to reconnect with his Anglo-Irish roots inspired some of his most famous poetry, including The House Where I Was Born, written about his birthplace, Ballintubbert House.

The estate also became home to actor Sebastian Shaw, best known for his role as Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi. Beyond the screen, Shaw’s wife, Margaret Delamare, was a passionate herbalist whose love of medicinal plants inspired the restoration of Ballintubbert’s herb garden — a living reflection of the estate’s enduring relationship with healing, wellness and nature.

During the 1970s and 1980s, local fruit farmers, the Little family, cultivated orchards at Ballintubbert, leaving behind the much-loved Little Orchard, which continues to flourish today. Its apples are still harvested and pressed into organic apple juice and handcrafted cider, continuing a tradition of seasonal abundance and connection to the land.

The restoration of the gardens began anew in the 1990s under the stewardship of actor John Hurt, who lived at Ballintubbert with his young family. During this period, renowned Irish garden architect Arthur Shackleton made an important contribution to the evolving horticultural vision of the estate- including his namesake Shackleton Garden.

In 1999, Fergus and Orna Hoban undertook an ambitious reimagining of Ballintubbert, transforming it into one of Ireland’s most distinctive public gardens. Working alongside the gifted horticulturist Andrew Farrelly, they developed many of the defining features of the landscape seen today, including the Canal, the Lutyens Garden, the Rose Garden, the Robinson Meadows and the Beech Wood.

Today, Ballintubbert enters a new chapter under the custodianship of Bohemia Canvas, whose vision honours both the rich history and evolving future of the estate. Through thoughtful restoration, ecological stewardship and a renewed commitment to sustainability, biodiversity and cultural heritage, they continue to shape Ballintubbert as a place of beauty, experimentation, education and wellness — where history, nature and human creativity remain deeply intertwined. Under their stewardship, Ballintubbert became Ireland’s first organically certified ornamental garden in 2022, reflecting a long-term commitment to regenerative gardening practices and the future of sustainable horticulture.