DESCRIPTIONS OF THE TREES IN THE VISTA

Click to see Vista Map

Yew (Taxus): All Irish yew trees are offspring of the yew tree in Florence Court Co Fermanagh, which dates from the 1760s. Yew berries are poisonous. Yews are thinned from the middle outwards, and they regenerate from inside. Following thinning, they are tied with wire to maintain their shape.

 

Lime (Tilia):  The lime trees at Emo Court were planted in avenues like the spokes radiating outwards in a wheel. They are centred on the building which predated Emo Court  – Dawson Court - which was situated near the stables and walled garden.

 

Beech (Fagus Sylviatica) There are many beeches in Emo Park, and some have been planted as the Beech Walk from the house towards the lake.

 

Handkerchief Tree (Davidia Involucrata) This tree gained its English name from the white flowers in May which hang in long rows beneath the branches. Flowers will not appear for up to ten years. It is named after Père David, a missionary in China in the 19th century, who brought back seedlings of the tree. He was also the first Westerner to describe the Giant Panda.

 

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) This is a tall tree with grey furrowed bark and a leaf which is dull green above and silvery-white beneath. It turns pale yellow in autumn.

 

English Walnut (Juglans)  The walnut tree may grow to 70 feet high, and its nuts are a favourite food for squirrels. Walnuts may also be pickled or preserved as ketchup.

 

Sweet or Spanish Chestnut (Castanea) This tree (originally brought to Northern Europe by the Romans) will also grow to 70 feet or more. It has pale yellow catkins in July, followed by edible chestnuts in spiny coats.

 

Sequoiadendrum Giganteum (Wellingtonia) Emo is especially known for its examples of Wellingtonia. The tree is named after the Duke of Wellington.

Tulip Tree (Liriodendron Tulipefera) The tall stately tulip tree has large four-lobed leaves unusually flattened at the tip which turn golden yellow in autumn. The almost-white tulip-like flowers are inconspicuous and do not appear at all for 25 years.

 

Bhutan Pine (Pinus Wallichiana) This beautiful large pine comes from the Himalayas and its young foliage is bluish-green. The long thin black pine cones hang down in clusters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

Statue of Ceres at the grotto/pond. This was replaced by a statue of St Bernadette during the Jesuit time here. Ceres was the Roman goddess of the harvest.

Statue of Bacchus in the Grapery where hops were cultivated in the early 19th century. Bacchus was the god of wine.

 

The Golden Gates at the end of the Vista were made by the firm of R Turner who also constructed the conservatory at Ballyfin House and the glasshouses at the National Botanical Gardens in Dublin. His signature can be read on one of the gates. The present white paint is an undercoat, and the gates await their final finish of gold.

 

 The view of the house from the Vista looks up towards the bay window of the saloon, and, upstairs, the bedroom in which Winston Churchill is supposed to have stayed

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TREE SPECIES
1 Yew (Taxus)
2 Lime (Tilia)
3 Beech (Fagus Sylviatica)
4 Handkerchief Tree (Davidia Involucrata)
5 Walnut (Juglans)
6 Silver Maple (Acer Saccharinum)
7 Bhutan Pine (Pinus Wallichiana)
8 Sweet Chestnut (Castanea)
9 Tulip Tree (Liriodendrum)
10 Wellingtonia (Sequoiadendrum Giganteum)
OTHER THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
11 Statue of Ceres
12 Statue of Bacchus