Historic Irish gardens to be restored to their former beauty as part of a new tourism plan.
Around twenty thousand tourists come to Ireland every year to study the beauty of the flowers and the design of the country's legacy gardens.
The gardens of Ireland are already a major tourist attraction bringing in some 300,000 visitors each year.
Bord Fáilte has published a pictorial booklet, available free of charge, which is printed in five languages with details of the location and attractions of 34 famous Irish gardens. The booklet also includes information about hotels and guesthouses that specialise in creating a better floral environment for their guests.
Stately gardens in Ireland go back hundreds of years. While many of the state houses associated with these gardens have disappeared, many of the gardens have survived. Many have been restored to their former beauty. A new operational programme for tourism provides £4 million in funding to bring back neglected gardens to their former glory. A group of experts will advise on gardens that will benefit from the fund and to oversee the restorations.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 10 March 1994. The reporter is Kevin McDonald.
