280: Serge de Thibault, Bamboo Park, Cork

On todays show Peter Donegan chats with Serge de Thibault, the owner and creator alongside his wife Claudine, of Bamboo Park. Mesmerising, unusual, different, eclectic and at times head scratching – this is the story of a man who made a garden, albeit 13 acres in size, set, in what has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth – Glengarriff, West Cork. Of the landscape here, there is much history and some unknown to even its current owners. What I do know is that the estates former owner Lady Ardilaun was noted however in writing in 1910 by Wyndham Fitzherbert – which gives me some idea (gardens created in mind) of its age and history. What I do know is that in 1999 Serge and Claudine de Thibault created what is now Bamboo Park, West Cork. Serge had visited Bambouseraie in Anduze, France – the largest bamboo park in Europe – and liked it that much, that he decided to make his own. And though they differ by Serge adding some species that are not solely bamboo – they also differ based on the stunning location in the middle of which Serge and Claudine live. The Sodshow Garden Podcast – every Friday – 4pm in iTunes and all good podcast stores. Podcast listen/ subscribe: The SodShow in iTunes The Sodshow in Stitcher – for android users My thanks to Miriam and Bev of West Cork Garden Trail for making this interview possible. And also to Claudine and Serge for being so brilliant in giving me their time. Thank you all so very much. Thoughts or comments ? @sodshow on twitter or on facebook as The Sodshow.