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Kilruddery House and Gardens is a place that I have been lucky enough to visit on many different occasions and in many different settings, from music festivals in the summer to Christmas markets in the Winter. I am fascinated by the beauty and nature of this place and have made many fond memories with family and friends here.

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What is the role of Kilruddery House and Gardens in the wider community?

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What is the role of Kilruddery House and Gardens in the wider community?

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Anthony Ardee, son of the 15th Earl of Meath, along with his wife Fionnula Ardee organise many different events and outdoor activities to be enjoyed by the public such as orienteering, zip lining, water sports and more. Irelands toughest off-road obstacle challenge 'Hell and Back' is held on the grounds of Kilruddery.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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What animals and plants live in this environment?

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What animals and plants live in this environment?

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For this investigation I observed the different plants and animals in the garden and used an app on my phone called Plant Snap to picture and identify the different flora and fauna. Once I identified the different names of the plants and trees, I conducted my own research reading different articles and looking at different examples of the plants and trees.

I accessed Lord Meath's nature diary which gives an account of the different plants and animals that existed in Kilruddery Gardens over the years. I also observed the different animals I could see on my visits to Kilruddery and researched them and their role.

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What influence did the different Earls have on Kilruddery House and Gardens over the years?

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What influence did the different Earls have on Kilruddery House and Gardens over the years?

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Over the years, many members of the public and foreign architects have been employed to work in Kilruddery House and Gardens. Lord Meath states in his nature diary that "There were many people manually working the land both in the garden, the farm and the woods" (Meath 2021). Today Kilruddery still employs many employees to work in the Grain Store Cafe, the gardens, the market shop and at the different events hosted by Kilruddery.

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For the past 6 years, Kilruddery House and Gardens has been the venue for Groove festival, an annual outdoor festival which involves different music acts and pop up food stalls. The festival is a family friendly event and features outdoor activities for children. Groove festival is one of the many ways Kilruddery House and Gardens provides fun and entertainment to the wider community.

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The gardens in Kilruddery grow and provide fresh produce to the local market shop. Their produce includes meat and dairy from the farm, apple juice from the apple orchard, fresh jam and marmalade, vegetables grown in the garden and more. This fresh produce is also used in the Grain store cafe which is enjoyed by the wider public.

This use of fresh produce has allowed me to understand how the people rely on the gardens and farm to provide and sell produce.

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Kilruddery farm market is a market held every Sunday where you can find local crafts, clothes stalls and food stalls selling their produce. The market gives these small businesses the oppurtunity to come together to sell their stock to members of the public. The Kilruddery farm market plays an important role in the lives of these business owners.

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Kilruddery has been used as the location for many different films and tv series which are screened worldwide. It is currently being used as the set for the popular series 'The Minx' which is streamed on Netflix.

It is clear that the different film crew are attracted to this place because of its distinctive natural features.

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In 1664, William employed Monsieur Bonet, a French gardener who received his training from André Le Nôtre, the principal gardener for King Louis XIV of France. Monsieur Bonet designed the gardens in Kilruddery inspired by French-Baroque.

"At the time, the French concept of a formal garden reflected the way that the Renaissance encouraged a mastery of the world and its elements." (O'Sullivan, 2013)

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The gardens comprise of twin ponds known as miroirs d'eaux. During my investigation I visited the ponds in the garden and discovered how the ponds reflect the light and surrounding nature.

The ponds which are 187m in length create open space and bring a sense of serenity to the gardens. This is also a particularly astounding view seen from the house.

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Monsieur Bonet also created the Sylvan theatre which can be seen in the gardens.

The Sylvan theatre is formed by a circular stage on the grass which is surrounded by terraced banks cut out to act as seating. "This weaving between theatre and nature embellishes the way that M. Bonet would have sought to make the garden a site of aesthetic pleasure". (O'Sullivan 2013)

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Another notable feature of the gardens include the Angles, also known as pattes d'oie which is French for goose feet.

The Angles can be found through a planting of Himalayan rhododendrons dating back to 150 years ago and are believed to replace a maze that existed on the original site over a century ago. There are different angled walks around the maze which are formed by high hedges of beech, hornbeam and common lime.

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([Image of John Chambré 10th Earl of Meath], n.d)

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The 10th Earl of Meath John Chambré reconstructed many parts of Kilruddery House between 1820 and 1830. In a guided tour of Kilruddery House and Gardens, Nolan (2021) explained that the Earl employed Richard and William Vitruvius Morrison as architects and instructed them to build a Tudor Revival mansion which would incorporate elements of the original 17th century mansion. The Earl kept a lot of the interior the same but brought in French furniture to the mansion because he enjoyed the country and their culture.

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In 1852, William Burns was employed by William the 11th Earl of Meath to design and build the Orangery, a remarkable feature of Kilruddery House. Legend has it that Harriot, his wife, sold her Tiara in order to fund the building of the Orangery. Her Tiara is replicated in the stone work.

William brought back marble statues from a Grand tour in Italy to place in the Orangery.

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"Rudbeckia fulgida, commonly known as black-eyed Susan, is one of the most recognizable perennials in today's landscape". (Pilon 2006)

The Rudbeckia fulgida can grow up to 120cm tall. The long, oval shaped, bright yellow petals on the flower make it appear daisy-like.

In the garden, this plant can spread aggressively by both stoloniferous stems and seed. In Kilruddery garden it appeared to be tame, kept in order by the gardeners. These flowers are plentiful and kept in one section of the garden.

The flowers eye-catching vibrant colours capture the last image of summer, blooming from August through to October. The flowers bright colour attracts butterflies and the seed heads provide food for seed eating birds in the Winter.

These flowers are believed to be easy to grow and low maintenance with an extended bloom time which makes it the ideal flower to be grown in Kilruddery's wonderful wild garden.

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Amaranthus Caudatus is a species of annual flowering plant. It is also commonly known by the name Love-Lies-Bleeding.

"Amaranthus caudatus can be distinguished by its usually long and pendant terminal spike and comparatively broad tepals of female flowers"(Agong 2006).

The Amaranthus Caudatus can grow anywhere from 3 to 8 feet in height, and grows best in full sun. In the wild garden in Kilruddery it is positioned in a place where it best receives the sun however, the plant can also handle a variety of different conditions and therefore is easily grown.

This flowering plant is striking amidst the other vibrant  flowers found in the wild garden. The red colour of this pant is due to a high content of betacyanins. During the Victorian era, specific flowers had different meanings. Love-Lies-Bleeding stood for hopelessness or hopeless love. The interesting origin and linkage with the Victorian Era is very fitting to the history of Kilruddery House and Gardens.

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"Dahlia is endemic to Mexico, Central America and northern South America and 35 wild types are known". (Halbwirth et al. 2008)

Dahlia Pinnata is a perennial herbaceous plant that can grow up to a height of 70 to 120 centimeters. The stem of the flower grows erect with a full flower which blossoms at the top.

The petals on this flower are oval shaped and coloured pink to deep purple. The flower has many different petals that grow to different lengths to give a beautiful blossoming effect.

This flower has been freshly picked and showcased as a centre piece on tables in the Grain Store Cafe. Different flowers from the garden are placed around the cafe surrounding you with the Gardens beauty even while inside.

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Many of the flowers and plants in this garden bloom into the Autumn season, the season for the Sunflower which had been planted mid Summer however, was over.

The Sunflower, as seen in this picture can grow up to six feet tall. Wooden poles have been strapped to the flower to support the stem. Its location in the garden is idyllic, providing it with sunlight for photosynthesis.

The Sunflower also attracts different pollinators. Although it is grown in the garden, the Helianthus Annuus can spread rapidly thus requiring regular up keep.

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The Chestnut tree blossoms in the Spring and Summer and bears chestnuts in the Autumn. The green leaves on the tree also turn yellow in the autumn time. The Chestnut tree requires simple daily care.

The tree is captured in the picture at the beginning of Autumn. Leaves are beginning to turn yellow and fall from the tree. Chestnuts can already be spotted on the tree.

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Widespread cultivation of the European Larch began in the 17th century which is when Kilruddery Gardens originated. The seeds of its cones are a valuably food source for wild birds.

On the tour of Kilruddery Nolan (2021) informed us that many of the different trees on the grounds were planted often to mark the birth of a new family member.

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The Beech Circle is part of the 17th century garden. The pond stretches 60 feet in diameter. The double row of beeches that surround the pond allows guests to walk on a path with 'windows' cut out of the hedges. The windows offer a picturesque view of the ponds. Statues are also situated around The Beech Circle.

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Hens and cockerels are kept at Kilruddery and their fresh eggs are used in the Grain Store Cafe or sold at the market.

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The forest of Kilruddery Estate hosts one of Irelands first nature kindergartens. The Park Academy's Nature Kindergarten is an outdoor classroom which allows children to immerse themselves in nature and learn through what is naturally happening around them. The seasons, flora and fauna of Kilruddery play a role in this child centred learning. Kilruddery thus provides an educational setting where students are encouraged to be creative and imaginative through their learning.

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Lord Meath states in his nature diary that "By the year 2000, grey squirrels were located all over Killruddery" (Meath, 2021). Unfortunately the grey squirrel can cause serious damage to young trees and eat birds eggs. They are therefore seen as a pest. Gardeners have began culling the grey squirrel in Kilruddery in order to prevent them from ruining the gardens and to allow the red squirrel to survive.

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([Image of Normand 13th Earl of Meath], n.d )

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Normand the 13th Earl of Meath designed and constructed a Waterclock found in the clock tower in the forecourt houses. The pendulum is powered by a jet of water. Normand completed this project in 1909.

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The breed of middle white pigs are reared on Kilruddery farm. The pigs are grass fed and butchered to provide fresh produce to the farm market and Grain Store Cafe. The pigs and piglets can be seen upon entering the grounds and attract many visitors.

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During my geographical investigation I developed an awareness of the interdependence of the wider community on this place and all that it has to offer. It gives us an insight into the work of the people in Kilruddery in order to provide fresh produce and different services to the public.

As a geographer and member of the public who enjoys to visit this place, I have come to learn, appreciate and respect the work of the people in Kilruddery. The current Lord and Lady have made a great effort to allow the public to enjoy Kilruddery as much as they have over the years. The different employees that provide and organise the different services that Kilruddery has to offer also ensure that the experience in Kilruddery is a positive one.

I have become significantly aware of the people at work and the economic activities such as food and farming, markets, shops and entertainment that is provided.

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During this investigation I questioned, observed and analysed the different wildlife that exists in Kilruddery's gardens. In the description of the different flower and fauna I recognise the external parts of the flower and how they grow in the environment. I have also become aware of the appearance of the different flowers and fauna and how they respond to the different seasons.

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Kilruddery House and Gardens is a place to be enjoyed in all seasons from beautiful scenery and hospitality to seasonal events such as pumpkin carving, Easter egg hunts and Santas Grotto. There is something for everyone to enjoy. The place is rich in biodiversity which adds to its beauty and wildlife. Kilruddery House and Gardens has not only been a home to generations of the Brabazon family but invites the wider public in to experience its beauty and all that Kilruddery House and Gardens have to offer.

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In this project I have worked as a Geographer, Scientist and Historian to explore the role of Kilruddery in the wider community, the animals and plants that exist there and the influence of the different Earls on Kilruddery House and Gardens.

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In 1952 following the second World War, Kilruddery House had been vacated. Upon Anthony's return to the house, he discovered an outbreak of dry rot in the house. Anthony worked with the architect Claude Philimore to restore the house. This however resulted in parts of the house being dismantled. The drawing room was restored and still remains one of the oldest rooms in the house dating back as far as the 1600's.

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Today the Brabazon family still live in the house. They have opened Kilruddery House and Gardens to the public and developed it as a visitors attraction and working farm producing fresh meat and vegetables. Both the Lord and Lady Ardee have taken the initiative to transform Kilruddery so that it can offer many different services to the public.

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During my historical investigation I explored various aspects of Kilruddery House and how the features have been changed by the different Earls over the years. I also listened to a guided tour about the history of the house and the lives of the people to gather more information.

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This section of the project is very practical. Most of the information I have acquired has been from observing Kilruddery House and Gardens over a few months to see what role it plays in the wider community. I applied my own knowledge as well as my observations upon visiting the place.

When studying a place as a class I would explain the importance of applying the students previous knowledge and using their own observations of the place. Students will question, observe and analyse in this section.

Naturally this approach would be differentiated as it would depend on how in depth the student wishes to research the place.

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In the classroom I would encourage students to use ICT in order to research the flora and fauna found in the place of study. Students will observe and analyse the different flora and fauna. This section of the project would require students to be specific in their research in order to identify the exact flora and fauna they see. Applying practical strategies such as taking photographs or samples of the flora and fauna would benefit their research.

This section of the project could be differentiated by providing guided questions about the flora and fauna for students to research.

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In the classroom I would encourage students to work as a historian by using evidence such as photographs and researching how the place has changed over time.

Students may benefit from interviewing someone associated with the place or taking a guided tour in order to experience the place and get a different perspective. I would also encourage students to research information online and in books to discover the history of the place further.

Some students may learn more from listening and some students may learn more from researching and reading about the place. The guided tour and use of websites and books facilitate both types of learning.

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Image of John Chambré 10th Earl of Meath. (n.d) [Painting]. Tourism Office, Kilruddery, Bray. Taken on 21st October 2021.

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Agong, S.G., 2006. Amaranthus caudatus L. In: Brink, M. & Belay, G. PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) https://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Amaranthus_caudatus_(PROTA)

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Grain amaranth, Inca wheat, jataco (En).

Amarante-grain, blé des Incas (Fr).

Amaranto de cauda (Po).

African spinach, Indian spinach (En).

Brède malabar (Fr).

Bredo (Po).

Mchicha (Sw).

Love-lies-bleeding, red-hot cattail, foxtail (En).

Queue de renard, discipline des religieux (Fr).

Cauda de raposa, moncos de peru (Po).

Origin and geographic distribution

Amaranthus caudatus is not known from the wild. It originated in the Andes, possibly as a hybrid between the wild Amaranthus hybridus L. subsp. quitensis (Kunth) Costea & Carretero and the cultivated Amaranthus cruentus L. (originating from Central America). Amaranthus caudatus has long been grown as a food crop in the Andes, e.g. by the Incas, and the greatest genetic variation occurs in this area (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina). The earliest archaeological evidence of its cultivation dates from 2000-year-old tombs in north-western Argentina. The chronicler Cobo wrote in 1653 that in the city of Guamanga (now Ayacucho) delicious sweets were prepared from amaranth and sugar. Amaranthus caudatus was introduced into Europe in the 16 th century and it was spread to Africa and Asia later. The cultivated area has notably decreased over the years, but Amaranthus caudatus has remained a grain crop in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. It is occasionally grown as a grain crop in Asia and Africa. As an ornamental it is grown throughout much of the tropics and in some temperate regions.

The exact distribution of Amaranthus caudatus in Africa is not known, because it has often been confounded with other Amaranthus species. It is grown in Ethiopia and Eritrea for its grain and as an ornamental; it has also been grown in Uganda and Kenya and has been recorded from several other countries in Central, East and southern Africa, and the Mascarene Islands, where it may also be found as a weed escaped from cultivation.

Amaranthus caudatus seeds are toasted and popped, ground into flour or boiled for gruel. For making leavened foods, they must be blended with wheat. The seeds are fermented to make alcoholic beverages, e.g. beer ('tella') in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia cooked seeds are made into porridge, and ground seeds are mixed with tef to prepare pancake-like bread ('injera').

Seeds can be sprouted for use as a nutritious vegetable. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable like those of other amaranth species, e.g. in Peru and Ethiopia. Harvest residues are used for feeding livestock and for thatching. In South America grain amaranths are traditionally used in medicine, folk festivals, and as dye sources. In Ethiopia the root is used as a laxative, and the seed for expelling tapeworms and for treating eye diseases, amoebic dysentery, and breast complaints. In India the plant is taken as a diuretic and it is applied to sores. Amaranthus caudatus is widely grown as an ornamental ('Love-lies-bleeding').

Production and international trade

No statistics are available on production and trade of grain amaranths in general and Amaranthus caudatus in particular. Reports from the 1990s mention several thousands of ha of grain amaranths in China, similar large production areas in Argentina, and about 2000 ha in the United States. Estimates for India and Nepal are up to 4000 ha. In Peru, there are over 1000 ha under grain amaranths (mainly Amaranthus caudatus) in the high Andean region alone. The United States imports large quantities of grain amaranth from Mexico.

Properties

Grain amaranth (species unspecified) seeds contain per 100 g edible portion: water 9.8 g, energy 1565 kJ (374 kcal), protein 14.5 g, fat 6.5 g, carbohydrate 66.2 g, dietary fibre 15.2 g, Ca 153 mg, Mg 266 mg, P 455 mg, Fe 7.6 mg, Zn 3.2 mg, vitamin A 0 IU, thiamin 0.08 mg, riboflavin 0.21 mg, niacin 1.29 mg, vitamin B ₆ 0.22 mg, folate 49 μg and ascorbic acid 4.2 mg. The essential amino-acid composition per 100 g edible portion is: tryptophan 181 mg, lysine 747 mg, methionine 226 mg, phenylalanine 542 mg, threonine 558 mg, valine 679 mg, leucine 879 mg and isoleucine 582 mg. The main fatty acids are (per 100 g edible portion): linoleic acid 2834 mg, oleic acid 1433 mg, palmitic acid 1284 mg and stearic acid 220 mg (USDA, 2004).

Amaranth grain is renowned for the excellent quality of its protein because of the high lysine content. Gluten-free types exist and are suitable for people with coeliac disease. The starch mainly consists of amylopectin, with only 5-7% amylose. The rather small starch granules (1-3 μm in diameter) have drawn wide attention for industrial uses of grain amaranths. The oil contains 4-11% of the triterpenoid squalene, which may find a niche market in products such as lubricants in the computer industry and in cosmetics. The stems, leaves and seeds of Amaranthus caudatus contain water-soluble red-violet betacyanin pigments. In aqueous plant extracts they consist on average of 81% amaranthine and 19% isoamaranthine; in dried extracts of 67% amaranthine and 33% isoamaranthine. Dissolved in water the pigments are unstable except at low temperatures in the dark and in the absence of air; dried pigments are very stable at room temperature. The seed also contains red-coloured lectins sometimes also referred to as amaranthine. Two peptides isolated from the seed of Amaranthus caudatus (Ac-AMP1 and Ac-AMP2) have shown strong antifungal and some antibacterial activity.

Description

Annual erect herb up to 1.5(-2.5) m tall, commonly reddish or purplish throughout; stem rather stout, not or sparingly branched, glabrous or thinly furnished with rather long hairs.

Leaves arranged spirally, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole up to 8 cm long, but never longer than the blade; blade broadly ovate to rhomboid-ovate or ovate-elliptical, 2.5-15 (-20) cm × 1-8 cm, base cuneate to attenuate, apex obtuse to acute, glabrous or sparsely hairy on main veins below, pinnately veined.

Inflorescence large (up to 1.5 m) and complex, consisting of numerous agglomerated cymes arranged in axillary and terminal spikes, the terminal one pendant to erect; bracts 3-4 mm long, membranous, pale, with a long awn.

Flowers unisexual, sessile; with 5 mucronate tepals 2-3 mm long; male flowers with 5 stamens c. 1 mm long; female flowers with superior, 1-celled ovary crowned by 3 stigmas.

Fruit an ovoid-globose capsule 1. 5-2.5 mm long, circumscissile, almost smooth or slightly furrowed, abruptly narrowed to a short thick beak, 1-seeded.

Seed almost globose, 1-1.5 mm long, smooth and shining, pale coloured (ivory), reddish or dark brown.

Other botanical information

Amaranthus comprises about 70 species, of which about 40 are native to the Americas. It includes at least 17 species with edible leaves and 3 grain amaranths. Amaranthus caudatus is part of the so-called Amaranthus hybridus aggregate, a group of species in which taxonomic problems are far from clarified, especially because of common hybridization and names often being misapplied. Some recognized species of this aggregate are cultivated taxa. Amaranthus caudatus is one of these, as are the other grain amaranths, Amaranthus cruentus L. and Amaranthus hypochondriacus L., which are included in PROTA 2 'Vegetables'. Amaranthus caudatus can be distinguished by its usually long and pendant terminal spike and comparatively broad tepals of female flowers. A classification in cultivar groups might be more appropriate for the cultivated taxa.

Amaranthus caudatus shows a wide genetic variation and diversity of plant form, ranging from erect to completely decumbent. Two types have been distinguished: subsp. caudatus, the main type, and subsp. mantegazzianus (Pass.) Hanelt, grown as a grain crop in the valleys of the Andes in north-western Argentina. The latter can be distinguished by its determinate club-shaped inflorescence branches, due to a single recessive gene. According to some, it should be considered as a separate species Amaranthus mantegazzianus Pass., an opinion which has recently been supported by the results of seed protein studies.

Growth and development

Germination of Amaranthus caudatus seed accelerates with increasing temperature in the range 5-35°C; no germination occurs at 0°C. Seedlings normally emerge 3-5 days after sowing and early growth is slow. Flowering begins 60-110 days after emergence. Outcrossing rates of 6-29% have been recorded in Amaranthus caudatus. The total crop duration in Peru ranges from 3-4 months at 1800 m altitude to 9 months at 3200 m altitude; in Kenya it is normally 80-90 days. A single plant may yield more than 50,000 seeds. Amaranthus caudatus is a C ₄-cycle plant, giving higher yields at higher light intensities and temperatures, and being efficient in water use.

In the tropics Amaranthus caudatus performs well under cool, dry highland conditions. It is more tolerant to chilling than the other 2 grain amaranths and is grown at higher altitudes. In East Africa it is found at 500-2500 m altitude, in South America at 1000-3200 m. In Peru it is grown in regions with an average annual rainfall of 550 mm. The photoperiodic response is marked, with flowering being promoted by short photoperiods.

Amaranthus caudatus can be grown in sandy and clay soils. In general grain amaranths prefer well-drained neutral or alkaline soils (pH > 6), but some types are well adapted to acid and mildly saline soils.

Propagation and planting

Amaranthus caudatus is propagated by seed. Its 1000-seed weight is 0.5-1.1 g. Seed scarification with concentrated sulphuric acid or sandpaper enhances germination. Common seed rates in Peru are 8-18 kg/ha, but in Kenya seed rates of only 1-2 kg/ha are common. With improved cultivars in Peru densities of 400,000-500,000 plants/ha gave the highest yields. Emergence of seedlings is best when the seed is sown at a depth of 1-1.5 cm, but in dry, hot areas deeper sowing may be necessary. However, emergence is seriously lowered if the sowing depth exceeds 5 cm.

Amaranthus caudatus is grown in sole cropping as well as in intercropping systems, e.g. with maize in South America and Ethiopia. Sometimes it is planted as a guard-row for a main crop, e.g. bean, maize or millet. In Ethiopia the plants are sometimes allowed to sow themselves.

Management

Once they are established, grain amaranths compete well with weeds, but they must be weeded at least once during the first month. Hilling the plants when they are about 30 cm tall helps to control weeds and to reduce lodging; it may also control Alternaria disease. In Peru Amaranthus caudatus is sometimes grown with supplemental irrigation. Results of fertilizer trials are inconclusive, and in general grain amaranths grow well under widely differing nutrient levels. In Peru manure is usually applied.

Diseases and pests

In Amaranthus caudatus fungal diseases have been observed caused by Alternaria, Mycoplasma and Sclerotinia spp. Pests causing economic damage to grain amaranths are mainly leaf-eating caterpillars ( Heliothis, Hymenia, Spodoptera), stinkbugs (e.g. Lygus on the inflorescence), stem-boring larvae of weevils, grasshoppers and aphids.

Harvesting

Harvesting of Amaranthus caudatus is difficult because of asynchronous ripening. The crop may be harvested once-over by cutting the inflorescences when the plants are still green, to avoid seed shattering. In Peru the plants are cut at ground level with a sickle, bundled, and left to dry in the field for 1-2 weeks. In dry, irrigated areas senescence can be induced by stopping irrigation 2 weeks before the harvest. Leaves may be harvested once or several times to be used as a vegetable, before the grain or total biomass is harvested at maturity for food or forage.

Seed yields of grain amaranths vary widely, from as low as 500-800 kg/ha to as high as 2500-4000 kg/ha. In north-western India, where all 3 grain amaranth species are grown, yields of Amaranthus caudatus and Amaranthus cruentus are lower than those of Amaranthus hypochondriacus.

Handling after harvest

After drying in the field, the plants are threshed by hand or machine, and the seed is cleaned. Additional drying to reduce the moisture content to 12% may be necessary for safe storage.

Genetic resources

Large germplasm collections of Amaranthus caudatus are kept in Peru (Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco (UNSAAC/CICA), Cusco, 1600 accessions; Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, 333 accessions; Estación Experimental Agraria Baños del Inca, Cajamarca, 257 accessions) and the United States (Organic Gardening and Farming Research Center, Kutztown, Pennsylvania, 297 accessions). The only germplasm collection of Amaranthus caudatus in Africa recorded by IPGRI is in Kenya (National Genebank of Kenya, Crop Plant Genetic Resources Centre, KARI, Kikuyu, 4 accessions).

Major breeding objectives for Amaranthus caudatus and other grain amaranths are improved harvestability (less lodging, less shattering, better uniformity of maturity), increased seedling vigour, increased resistance to pests and higher yields. In Peru selection in landraces has led to the release of the Amaranthus caudatus cultivars 'Noel Vietmeyer', 'Oscar Blanco' and 'Alan Garcia'. Genetic studies have identified marker loci for traits such as pigmentation patterns, inflorescence morphology and seed characters in Amaranthus caudatus and other grain amaranths. Research is needed on hybridization barriers among grain amaranth species as well as on the biosystematic identity of the species; only then can the information be indisputably related to species.

In tropical Africa Amaranthus caudatus is presently cultivated on a very limited scale and, like the other grain amaranths, it probably does not have much future as a grain crop, because it cannot compete with cereals that are more productive and easier to grow. On a worldwide scale grain amaranths have some potential, because of their favourable agronomic characteristics, excellent nutritional qualities and diverse food and technical applications. Amaranths are also considered to have prospects in food colouring.

Major references

Agong, S.G. & Ayiecho, P.O., 1991. The rate of out-crossing in grain amaranths. Plant Breeding 107: 156-160.

Bale, J.R. & Kauffman, C.S. (Editors), 1992. Special issue on grain amaranth: new potential for an old crop. Food Reviews International 8(1): 1-190.

Brenner, D.M., Baltensperger, D.D., Kulakow, P.A., Lehmann, J.W., Myers, R.L., Slabbert, M.M. & Sleugh, B.B., 2000. Genetic resources and breeding of Amaranthus. Plant Breeding Reviews 19: 227-285.

Costea, M., Sanders, A. & Waines, G., 2001. Preliminary results toward a revision of the Amaranthus hybridus species complex (Amaranthaceae). Sida, Contributions to Botany 19(4): 931-974.

Jain, S.K. & Sutarno, H., 1996. Amaranthus L. (grain amaranth). In: Grubben, G.J.H. & Partohardjono, S. (Editors). Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 10. Cereals. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, Netherlands. pp. 75-79.

National Research Council, 1984. Amaranth, modern prospects for an ancient crop. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., United States. 80 pp.

National Research Council, 1989. Lost crops of the Incas: little-known plants of the Andes with promise for worldwide cultivation. National Academy Press. Washington D.C., United States. 415 pp.

Sauer, J.D., 1967. The grain amaranths and their relatives: a revised taxonomic and geographic survey. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 54: 103-137.

Townsend, C.C., 2000. Amaranthaceae. In: Edwards, S., Mesfin Tadesse, Demissew Sebsebe & Hedberg, I. (Editors). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Volume 2, part 1. Magnoliaceae to Flacourtiaceae. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Department of Systematic Botany, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. pp. 299-335.

Williams, J.T. & Brenner, D., 1995. Grain amaranths. In: Williams, J.T. (Editor). Cereals and pseudo-cereals. Chapman & Hall, London, United Kingdom. pp. 129-185.

Other references

Berghofer, E. & Schoenlechner, R., 2002. Grain amaranth. In: Belton, P.S. & Taylor, J.R.N. (Editors). Pseudocereals and less common cereals: grain properties and utilization potential. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany, pp. 219-260.

Broekaert, W.F., Mariën, W., Terras, F.R.G., De Bolle, M.F.C., Proost, P., Van Damme, J., Dillen, L., Claeys, M., Rees, S.B., Vanderleyden, J. & Cammue, B.P.A., 1992. Antimicrobial peptides from Amaranthus caudatus seeds with sequence homology to the cysteine/glycine-rich domain of chitin-binding proteins. Biochemistry 31: 4308-4314.

Cai, Y., Sun, M. & Corke, H., 1998. Colorant properties and stability of Amaranthus betacyanin pigments. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 46(11): 4491-4495.

Cai, Y., Sun, M., Wu, H., Huang, R. & Corke, H., 1998. Characterization and quantification of betacyanin pigments from diverse Amaranthus species. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 46(6): 2063-2070.

Coons, M.P., 1982. Relationships of Amaranthus caudatus. Economic Botany 36(2): 129-146.

CSIR, 1950. The wealth of India. A dictionary of Indian raw materials and industrial products. Raw materials. Volume 2: C. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, India. 427 pp.

Drzewiecki, J., 2001. Similarities and differences between Amaranthus species and cultivars and estimation of outcrossing rate on the basis of electrophoretic separations of urea-soluble seed proteins. Euphytica 119(3): 279-287.

Joshi, B.D., Mehra, K.L. & Sharma, S.D., 1983. Cultivation of grain amaranth in the north western hills. Indian Farming 32(12): 34-37.

Getahun, A., 1976. Some common medicinal and poisonous plants used in Ethiopian folk medicine. Faculty of Science, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 63 pp.

Gutterman, Y., Corbineau, F. & Côme, D., 1992. Interrelated effects of temperature, light and oxygen on Amaranthus caudatus L. seed germination. Weed Research 32(2): 111-117.

Hanelt, P. & Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (Editors), 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops (except ornamentals). 1st English edition. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany. 3645 pp.

Hauman, L., 1951. Amaranthaceae. In: Robyns, W., Staner, P., Demaret, F., Germain, R., Gilbert, G., Hauman, L., Homès, M., Jurion, F., Lebrun, J., Vanden Abeele, M. & Boutique, R. (Editors). Flore du Congo belge et du Ruanda-Urundi. Spermatophytes. Volume 2. Institut National pour l'Étude Agronomique du Congo belge, Brussels, Belgium. pp. 12-81.

Janick, J. & Simon, J.E. (Editors), 1990. Advances in new crops. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, United States. 560 pp.

Paredes-López, O. (Editor), 1994. Amaranth: biology, chemistry and technology. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, United States. 223 pp.

Sauer, J.D., 1976. Grain amaranths, Amaranthus spp. (Amaranthaceae). In: Simmonds, N.W. (Editor). Evolution of crop plants. Longman, London, United Kingdom. pp. 4-7.

Stallknecht, G.F. & Schulz-Schaeffer, J.R., 1993. Amaranth rediscovered. In: Janick, J. & Simon, J.E. (Editors). New crops. Proceedings of the Second National Symposium. John Wiley & Sons, New York, United States. pp. 211-218.

Sun, M., Chen, H. & Leung, F.C., 1999. Low-Cot DNA sequences for fingerprinting analysis of germplasm diversity and relationships in Amaranthus. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 99(3-4): 464-472.

Townsend, C.C., 1985. Amaranthaceae. In: Polhill, R.M. (Editor). Flora of Tropical East Africa. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands. 136 pp.

Townsend, C.C., 1994. Amaranthacées. In: Bosser, J., Cadet, T., Guého, J. & Marais, W. (Editors). Flore des Mascareignes. Familles 136-148. The Sugar Industry Research Institute, Mauritius, l'Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le Développement en Coopération (ORSTOM), Paris, France & Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 32 pp.

USDA, 2004. USDA national nutrient database for standard reference, release 17. [Internet] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory, Beltsville Md, United States. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp. November 2004.

Sources of illustration

Grubben, G.J.H., 1975. La culture de l'amarante, légume-feuilles tropical, avec référence spéciale au Sud-Dahomey. Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen 75-6. Wageningen, Netherlands. 223 pp.

S.G. Agong, Department of Horticulture, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya

Correct citation of this article

Agong, S.G., 2006. Amaranthus caudatus L. In: Brink, M. & Belay, G. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l'Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 7 July 2021.

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Grain amaranth, Inca wheat, jataco (En). Amarante-grain, blé des Incas (Fr). Amaranto de cauda (Po). African spinach, Indian spinach (En). Brède malabar (Fr). Bredo (Po). Mchicha (Sw). Love-lies-bleeding, red-hot cattail, foxtail (En). Queue de renard, discipline des religieux (Fr). Cauda de raposa, moncos de peru (Po). Amaranthus caudatus is not known from the wild.

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Entertainment (2017) Image of Groove Festival at Kilruddery House and Gardens. [Photograph]. In "More acts announced for Groove festival in Bray this August". Entertainment.ie. https://entertainment.ie/music/more-acts-announced-for-groove-festival-in-bray-this-august-255167/

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More acts announced for Groove Festival in Bray this August

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The line-up for the Groove Festival just got a little bit bigger, with the news that a new smattering of acts are joining the bill. Playing alongside headliners...

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Halbwirth, H. Muster, G. Stich, K. (2008) Unraveling the biochemical base of Dahlia Flower coloration. Natural Product Communications. Vol. 3 No. 8 pg. 1 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1934578X0800300807

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SAGE Journals: Your gateway to world-class research journals

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Subscription and open access journals from SAGE Publishing, the world’s leading independent academic publisher.

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Meath, J. (2021) Fionnula Ardee's Blog: Lord Meath's Kilruddery Nature Diary. Kilruddery.  https://killruddery.com/blog/meaths-wildlife-report/

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Lord Meath’s Killruddery Nature Diary - Killruddery

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The Earl of Meath, Jack, is a forester, he is also a keen observer of wild life, a passion that he has carried for almost four score years and so he is keenly aware of how nature is fairing on this estate. —————————————————————————————————————————– Winter / Spring 2021 Lord Meath’s Killruddery Natur…

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Lord Meath’s Killruddery Nature Diary

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Nolan, P. (2021, October) Group Tour. Kilruddery House and Gardens Tourism Office Tour. Wicklow; Bray.

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O'Sullivan, S. (2013) A Brief History of Kilruddery's Formal Gardens. Sean O Sullivan. https://seanosullivan.ie/killruddery/

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The history of Killruddery House and Gardens goes back to the year 1545, when Henry VIII granted what is now the Killruddery estate to Sir William Brabazon. Barbazon's grandson was made the first Earl of Meath in 1627. It is likely that in 1682, the 4th Earl of Meath commissioned Monsieur Bonet of Paris to create the formal gardens at Killruddery. Bonet received his training from André Le Nôtre, the principal gardener to both Louis XIV and the Palace of Versailles at the height of the Ancien Régime.

At the time, the French concept of a formal garden reflected the way that the Renaissance encouraged a mastery of the world and its elements. A formal garden is created to impose order over nature; its principle purpose is for aesthetic pleasure. Bonet would have sought to develop a sense of balance, harmony and correspondence between all of the garden's component parts; its ultimate effect is intensely beautiful.

The ha-ha sets a boundary between the lawn and the wider estate. Image credit: Fionnuala Aston-Ardee.

Facing south from the house, there are twin ponds known as miroirs d'eaux. The ponds are positioned to reflect their surrounding foliage, and to exaggerate the feeling of open space in the scene as viewed from the house. The ponds are 187 metres long, and were dug out by hand in the seventeenth century. The south end of the garden ends with what is known as a ha-ha; a sloped ditch that sets a boundary line between the lawn and the wider estate. Ha-has were used to let animals graze the land close to the house without ever entering into the garden. The ha-ha originates from both Chinese and Norman-era horticultural styles. It allows for a disguised and seemingly natural barrier that will neither visibly fence-in the gardens, nor obstruct the view outwards.

Just west of the ponds, there's an encirclement of tall bay hedging with a slim entrance facing away from the water. Inside this boundary is a sylvan theatre, which comprises a circular stage on the grass, and a surrounding of heightened terraced banks cut into the earth to act as seating. It is an auditorium for both stagecraft and the elements. The first such theatre was devised for Versailles in the late 1600s, and was destroyed in the late 1700s - the intervening years between that era and this have seen very few sylvan theatres survive, and the theatre at Killruddery is one of the world's better preserved examples.

This weaving between theatre and nature embellishes the way that M. Bonet would have sought to make the garden a site of aesthetic pleasure. In an entirely literal sense, the sylvan theatre was a sign of how the appreciation of form and context was accelerating in importance during the High Renaissance. It brought that appreciation to a 'natural' conclusion. This thought might seem even more useful when thinking about the garden as a heterotopic space: or to put it another way, as a space that juxtaposes different experiences, plants and views - as a place that is a microcosm of many places.

On the east side of the lawn, there is an area of tall yew hedgerows laid out in a goosefoot pattern. This patterning is colloquially called 'the angles' because of how its paths bisect and converge with one another, and the way that their high walls control the views that can exist outward into the wider garden. Again, this is a demonstration of how formal gardens sought to manage the viewer's feelings towards their surroundings: when standing inside the hedgerows and looking out over an arranged vista, the disorder of nature and its world are softened. This organisation of a view is intended to create the feeling of a standstill - or even a retreat.

A statue at the central axis of the angles.

Beyond the ponds and theatre, and enveloping much of western side of the garden up to its border, there is an area called the wilderness. Its purpose is somewhat distinct amongst the maintained areas close to the house in that it is being preserved as a habitat for plants, insects and other wild things. The wilderness is complementary to the garden in some important ways; the views looking inward and outward make use of how its territory is different and changeable - there is an intense contrast between its mutating roughness and the rest of the garden's rigid constancy. The wilderness is still very much a part of the formal garden, but it is made special by the fact that its horticultural rules are just slightly relaxed.

In the Victorian era, it became increasingly possible to undertake large-scale vegetable and fruit gardening, particularly for plants that were out-of-season. Killruddery's walled garden dates from the 1830s, and was restored in the 1950s. Its red brick walls trap and release heat out over the plants, creating a microclimate that allows for good growth in the open air. At the north end of the house, there is a free pendulum clock tower that was built by the 13th Earl of Meath in 1820, and has been recently restored. This clock is entirely powered by water.

At the western end of the house, there is a statue gallery and orangery that was designed by William Burns in 1852. At the time, the Great Exhibition at Paxton's Crystal Palace was captivating the Western world, and drew daily crowds of 50,000 people to London during its six-month run. Consequently, the iron and glass-domed roofing of the Crystal Palace became something of an architectural fancy for estates that could afford its installation, which many could, considering the then-recent abolition of the window tax. In order to fund the construction of a dome over the orangery at Killruddery, Harriot Brabazon sold a quite elegant tiara - a sale that is memorialised by a guttering of tiara-shaped casts moulded against the edge of the orangery roof. Inside, there is a collection of conserved and restored statues gathered from Italy in the period between 1830 and 1850.

Beyond the historical context that connects Killruddery to such a specific avenue of the past, there is a more indefinite subtext weaving through the house and garden. This elaborates itself in a very particular and special way, in a way that is closely concealed in how formal gardens entertain and please us, and how they lead us to take a controlled view. In that sense, Killruddery is an idealised space - a space that purposely veils what is real, and simultaneously reveals something indescribably enigmatic at play. It's never clear what this is: some subtle realignment in perception, which slightly knocks reality off its rail, and cuts a line of possibility in its wake.

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A Brief History of Killruddery's Formal Gardens

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The history of Killruddery House and Gardens goes back to the year 1545, when Henry VIII granted what is now the Killruddery estate to Sir William Brabazon. Barbazon's grandson was made the first Earl of Meath in 1627. It is likely that in 1682, the 4th Earl of Meath commissioned Monsieur Bonet of Paris to create the formal gardens at Killruddery.

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Pilon, P. (2006) Rudbeckia fulgida 'Pot of Gold'. Greenhouse Product News. https://gpnmag.com/article/rudbeckia-fulgida-pot-gold/

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Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Pot Of Gold’ - Greenhouse Product News

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Rudbeckia fulgida, commonly known as black-eyed Susan, is one of the most recognizable perennials in today’s landscape. The popularity of the black-eyed Susan dramatically increased after the Perennial Plant Association named Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ the 1999 Plant of the Year for its landscape…

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Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Pot Of Gold’

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Ralls, E. (2017) Plant Snap (version 5.00.12) [mobile app]. Google play store. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fws.plantsnap2&hl=en_IE&gl=US

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PlantSnap: FREE plants identifier and succulent – Apps on Google Play

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Identify plants, leaves, trees, flowers, cacti, mushrooms, and more NOW!