Altamont Gardens, Ireland

Visiting Altamont Gardens in County Carlow, Ireland, is like stepping into a time machine and entering a different world. To begin with, it’s a bit unsettling – a derelict house, an open gate, a slightly eerie calm. But straight away the garden’s unique charm and traditional beauty won me over. You see, it’s a garden that has had the confidence to retain its original style and old-school character over the years. It can’t be easy resisting the latest garden fashions and trends. To be sure, there’s a lot to see – and in some places too much to take in at first glance. And so, as a photographer it can be initially disorientating, if not downright overwhelming. But as you move through, the vistas open up, the tapestries unfold and the garden starts to weave its undoubted magic.