The gardens of Seaforde include a great range of trees and shrubs from old estate plantings to recent introductions made by Patrick Forde after botanical expeditions to Bhutan, North Vietnam and China – not forgetting the extra entertainment of the maze.
One champion dominates the walled garden known as the Pheasantry. This is a Crimean pine Pinus nigra caramanica reaching over 100’ in height. It is a stately tree in very good health.
The family story is told of the Forde of the time who served in the Crimea with the Heavy Brigade (as opposed to the Light Brigade who so famously rode into ‘the valley of death’). Surviving the conflict, he returned home with a souvenir – seed, cone or sapling, is not known – which was planted, cared for, and has grown into today’s champion.