Angela Jupe

Bellefield House

My home, Bellefield House is a long simple Georgian farmhouse first constructed about 1795. Various additions were made to the house in the mid-19th and later 20th centuries. It is surrounded by 29 acres of land, including grazing, woodland and a two acre walled garden. It has wonderful old stone built stables (once home to a National hunt winner called Sherazade).

The stables and walled garden had been disused for over 30 years when I purchased the property in 2004. Clearance took over two years during which the old path layouts in the garden were uncovered, together with an old grapevine growing through an ash tree.

The walled gardens are built of local Tipperary sandstone with brick along the south-west facing warm wall. No sign of the original glasshouse remained so an old style Victorian glasshouse, using salvaged materials was constructed in 2008.

A fantastical folly surrounded by a fernery was built in 2007 and it forms the focal point of the garden.

The garden is my passion. My favourites, such as snowdrops (over 100 varieties), old daffodils, French roses, peonies and irises are planted in abundance.

Some of the old apple and espaliered pear trees remain in the garden and we are pruning them gently to improve the shape and increase the size of the fruit. To them I am adding a new collection of old apples, pears, plums, quinces, cherries, figs and mulberries together with some exotics such as guava, hardy citrus, pomegranates and outdoor grapes. Hopefully climate change will sustain my optimism!

The garden is open by appointment: see contact. In my absence Tommy Murphy, who has gardened for me for 12 years is a great guide.
For events in the garden: see events