June Blake's Garden in County Wicklow

Last Summer I finally made it to the Emerald Isle and, as a garden lover, I went armed with a rather long must see garden wish list. Jimi Blake's Huntingbrook Garden had long been at the top of that list - but what I hadn’t expected was the surprise of discovering that Jimi Blake’s sister, June, has her own stunning garden just nearby in Blessington, Co Wicklow.

I was lucky enough to meet June in person and visit her garden during my trip. She began by sharing a little of her own background and the garden’s history explaining how it all came to life. Then came quite a relaxed tour of the garden itself, led by June who gave lots of insights along the way. The visit ended with tea and cake in one of June's beautifully converted, award-winning barn studios. It was the perfect way to relax at the end of a very long day.

I know the moment I walk into a garden whether I like, love, or even loathe it. But it’s only later - when I revisit it in my mind, looking back at my pictures, notes and memories - that everything clicks into place, and I truly understand the space.

That’s exactly how it was with June’s garden. There was layer upon layer of space - vibrant borders, a shimmering pool, a wild meadow......so much going on and details to take in. But as I walked to the top of the garden, there was a sudden and calming, clear sense of landscape and place.

This feeling was strongest at the very top of the garden, where the trees opened up to reveal a view of the distant Wicklow mountains. In that fleeting moment, I realised the house and garden weren't just beautiful, they held a quiet sense of history shaped by time, memory and the people who had passed through them.

What really struck me about June’s garden was the riot of colour and the sheer height of the plants - densely packed into stunning, carefully coordinated beds adjacent to the house. There are around ten rectangular beds, each edged in sleek, contemporary steel, and in many ways, they feel like ten distinct gardens of their own.

The use of colour in June and Jimi’s gardens was striking. It’s clear that they both have an incredible sense of artistry and natural flair - something instinctive that allows them to be bold, experimental, and confident with vibrant colour. And with their gardens so close together, they can share ideas, inspire each other, and collaborate in ways that only deepen the creativity in both spaces.

Some of the raised beds in June's garden have a calm and soft tone, whilst others are bold and full of energy or more experimental and can change from year to year. One of the beds contained a striking yellow Phyllostachys (bamboo) which perfectly complemented many tall yellow coloured plants such as Silphium perfoliatum (cup plant), Rudbeckia laciniata (coneflower) and Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' (sunflower).

I loved the long, dark reflective pool, elegant and still, bordered on one side by soft grasses leading out to a meadow, and on the other by a densely planted bed bursting with jewel-toned reds, oranges, and bright, vivid blooms. It was a striking contrast: calm and wild, restrained and exuberant, all in one view.

This part of the garden is a challenging area to design as it is set on a noticeable slope, but clever use of stone walls and gravel have helped overcome that. The materials June has chosen link the planting beds, reflective pool, and pathways back to the stonework of the house, creating a sense of cohesion and drawing the whole space together with a natural ease.

June is a master of colour, and it showed not just in the bold pairings of plants, but also in the careful play of texture throughout the garden. One combination that stood out to me was a striking white Lysimachia clethroides (goosenck loosestrife) set against a deep red Mondarda (scarlet beesbalm) —a simple but powerful contrast that added real depth and energy to the planting.

The garden featured plenty of dahlias, many of them grown from seed, which brought an element of surprise and fun to the space. Their variety in colour and form added a sense of spontaneity, making each part of the garden feel a little different and full of personality.

Alongside the more familiar hot oranges and reds, June also used bright pinks to great effect, drawing the eye through the planting. On their own, the pinks could have felt a bit too bold, even garish, but set against softer lilacs and fresh greens, they found balance and energy, adding vibrancy without overwhelming the space. The bright pink Sanguishorba worked really well bringing a sharp pop of colour to the planting around it.

In other parts of the garden, the planting took on a more restrained and traditional feel. One herbaceous border in particular, with its soft pastel and lilac shades, wouldn’t have looked out of place in a classic country house - offering a calm, timeless contrast to the bolder colours elsewhere in June's garden.

Here, a gap in the yew hedge framed the view of the field beyond, cleverly extending the sense of the border’s length. I especially loved the spiky white Veronicastrum virginicum planted throughout as its elegant form lifted the eye and gently guided it along the border, adding both rhythm and lightness to the planting scheme.

It was refreshing to see some truly unusual plant combinations, including the use of architectural plants like bamboo. Its strong, sculptural form added structure and contrast, fitting seamlessly into the garden while giving it a modern, dynamic edge.

June very cleverly made the garden feel spontaneous and natural, but beneath that relaxed appearance, it was clear that a great deal of careful thought and planning had gone into every border and planting combination ensuring every element worked perfectly within the whole.

June's garden is one I would very much like to see again if I am lucky enough to return to Ireland one day.

Guineveres Garden | Garden Writer