Waterford's Mount Congreve Gardens honour horticulturalist Herman Dool
The special tours will be hosted in honour of horticulturalist Herman Dool.
Mount Congreve Gardens, one of 'The Great Gardens in the World', are hosting special tours in honour of their former horticulturist Herman Dool.
They are launching the ‘Herman Dool Guided Tour’, a two-hour guided tour experience.
Herman was an integral part of creating and maintaining the beautiful environment of Mount Congreve.
He took up the position of Garden Director in the early 1960's, and helped Ambrose Congreve plant and grow the gardens over the next four decades.
Their method of mass planting gave the gardens their distinctive beauty, and is the reason why Mount Congreve plants no fewer than 25 plants of each variety in a group.
Herman was awarded the Orange Order of Nassau by the Queen of The Netherlands, the Dutch equivalent of a British Knighthood.
He passed away in 2004 and is still fondly remembered by all who worked in Mount Congreve.
In 2019, Mount Congreve named the 200 Magnolia Tree canopy walkway after Herman.
His family came to the event, including his wife Ina Dool.
Ina said at the opening: "I love being back here at Mount Congreve. It is somewhere that I love and know so well, I could quite easily find my way around these gardens blindfolded."
The new tour will be guided by Elmer Dool, son of Herman.
Elmer said: “Mr. Congreve and my father would be very happy that so many people enjoy the gardens, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to walk in my father's footsteps.”
Visitors on the tour can learn about the history and background of the gardens, and how it all came to be.
To find out more, go to mountcongreve.com.
