Over the years the practice has come together to celebrate company milestones and achievements. In June, our team came together to visit two of our unique and significant projects – Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in County Down, Northern Ireland, and Castle Leslie Estate in County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland.
Hillsborough Castle and Gardens
Hillsborough Castle and Gardens is considered one of our landmark projects and has won numerous accolades over the years. Following our initial involvement in the future of estate in the early 2000’s, we were appointed by Historic Royal Palaces for the transformation of the historic Hillsborough Castle and its grounds. Opened to the public in 2019, the Estate was developed into the place of residence for the Royal Family in Northern Ireland and a tourist destination, now welcoming over 100,000 visitors per year.
Our team had the opportunity to explore the grounds guided by some of those responsible for the design and delivery of this project – Andrew Haley, Eleanor Fuller and Darren McKinstry. This project encompasses so many aspects of our work as Landscape Architects and Urban Designers, making it a pleasure to explore the abundant mature landscape.
A Tour of the Gardens
Starting at our arrival, we examined the car park, entrance and associated public realm, designed with reinforced grass, native trees and planting; critical to ensuring visitor experience. We then meandered through the restored 18th Century Walled Garden that delights the senses, while also providing an abundance of locally sourced produce for the café and restaurant. We continued to explore the wider grounds with mature trees and planting, streams and wetlands, before concluding at the South Terrace where lush and playful planting, together with the introduction of a central fountain brings movement and sound up to the walls of the Castle.
Through its unique consideration and design of individual experiences that make up the whole, it truly is a place that can be enjoyed on both a grand scale and in the minute details of the expertly crafted gates, delicate paving details and scented local flora. This, together with the client’s commitment to sustainability and biodiversity, visible throughout the Estate, creates a landscape you can return to throughout the seasons and continuously be inspired.
Castle Leslie
Castle Leslie is one of the last historic Irish estates still in the hands of its original family and one of the best examples of a working estate and village in Ireland. Now a social enterprise, the estate reinvests profits to restore the lands and buildings. The Paul Hogarth Company have created a landscape-led framework for sustainable development, providing locations and parameters for projects while ensuring net gains for biodiversity and the planet. We are working on proposals with the Castle and Village which include the Restored Walled Garden; Big Green Box: a place to understand the past, present and future of farming, food and health; and Horse Boy Equine Therapies Centre: a place dedicated to the Horse Boy method of equine therapy for Autistic children.
A Tour of the Estate
Continuing our Castle theme, we had the pleasure of exploring the grounds of the Castle Leslie Estate and its village of Glaslough to see the impact of ongoing projects and future project plans that aim to further improve the symbiosis of people and place, village and estate. The client’s dedication to sustainability and biodiversity is particularly apparent through the design decisions and community engagement they have championed. Following this, we were given a tour of the Castle, immersing ourselves in the history of the Leslie family and broader cultural influences that have shaped the Estate.
Team Building
Coming together as a team to experience the spaces and places we design gives us the opportunity to understand how they mature and grow with the environment and the people that use them. We value these moments immensely, as it allows our team to learn and bond, so we can continue to work together to deliver innovative, dynamic and thoughtful design solutions.
