About this Event
IRISH GARDEN PLANT SOCIETY
Annual General Meeting - Burrendale Hotel, Newcastle, County Down - MEMBERS ONLY!
16th & 17th May at 10.00am. (registration from 9.00am)
The above photo was taken by IGPS member Robert Trotter and shows the restored 1870 glasshouses within the historic Castlewellan demesne.
This year the AGM is being hosted by the Northern Committee over the weekend of 16th/17th May 2026 in County Down and based at the Burrendale Hotel in Newcastle. An attractive seaside resort Newcastle is noted not only for its peerless setting with a backdrop of the Mourne Mountains rolling down to the Irish Sea and immortalised by Percy French, but also for its world class Golf Course and access to extensive and celebrated parks with important plant collections enhanced by the micro climate. For the rambler, hill walker or wild swimmer it is unsurpassable.
Accommodation: There is a large and varied choice in Newcastle and its hinterland which is easily accessed online. For those wishing to stay at The Burrendale Hotel early booking is advised as it is a very popular venue. Delegates are asked to make their own accommodation arrangements.
The Annual General Meeting.
The meeting will take place on Saturday morning at 10.00am. Preceded by registration from 9.00 am and tea/coffee, it is open to all Members free of charge. Please let us know if you plan to attend the meeting, to assist with catering. A draft agenda will be circulated separately.
Garden Visits and Programme.
Following the AGM, members subscribing to the programme will progress to Castlewellan demesne-a distance of 3miles- by car. Entrance to the Car Park costs £5 per car and it is therefore prudent to car share where possible. Lunch will be provided adjacent to the carpark and afterwards the Head gardener Alwyn Sinnamon and his staff will give a conducted tour of the radical changes to which major investment has given impetus. It is very impressive with a lot to see. At the Park, thanks to the efforts of the Irish Heritage Plants Working Group there will be a plant sale offering an extensive range of some very special Irish cultivars and plants with an Irish association, all available at reasonable prices. We return to the Burrendale Hotel for Dinner .
On Sunday members will progress to Seaforde a distance of 7 miles to visit the gardens cultivated over many generations by the Forde family and will include the private demesne surrounding the Mansion with far reaching views over the Mourne Mountain range and the lake. There will be an opportunity to visit the celebrated Butterfly House and its tropical planting and Lady Anthea Forde and her staff will conduct tours of the arboretum, collections and specific highlights . Tea/coffee is available to purchase at the facility in the walled garden. Afterwards lunch will be provided in the nearby village of Clough. To conclude our weekend, following lunch we will visit Papervale Tree Nursery near Rathfriland. A distance of 18 miles from Clough it is en route to Newry and the major road networks. A special place with a first class service and comprehensive collection, it is charmingly situated and kept in immaculate order. Before departure there will be complimentary refreshments. As with all the other venues there is ample, easy parking.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Burrendale Hotel, Country Club & Spa, 51 Castlewellan Road, Newcastle, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00 to GBP 109.05
