A Mid-Summer Expedition to Yunnan, China with Seamus O’Brien

Join renowned plantsman and adventurer Seamus O’Brien for a richly illustrated talk recounting his recent expedition to Yunnan Province in western China—one of the most botanically diverse regions on Earth. Home to half of China’s plant and animal species and twenty-five distinct ethnic groups, Yunnan offers a breathtaking natural and cultural landscape.

This talk is based on an eighteen-day journey in June–July 2024—peak flowering season and the height of the Indian monsoon—following in the footsteps of famed plant hunter Captain Frank Kingdon Ward, who explored the region in 1911 and 1913.

Beginning in the ancient city of Lijiang, Seamus retraces routes through the Tibetan frontier, discovering sacred peaks cloaked in rhododendrons and rare blue poppies, alpine lakes fringed with candelabra primulas, and woodland glades glowing with giant Himalayan lilies beneath a canopy of ancient trees.

This is a unique opportunity to learn from Seamus O’Brien—himself one of Ireland’s great modern-day plant hunters—and to discover the wonders of a distant and extraordinary landscape.

This talk takes place indoors. 

Seamus O’Brien is Head Gardener at the National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh, Co. Wicklow, the country estate and rural annex of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin in Dublin. He received his formal horticultural training at Glasnevin and also holds an International Diploma in Botanic Gardens Management from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

In the past he has been Head Gardener of several notable Irish gardens with historic plant collections, including Glanleam on Valentia Island, Co. Kerry famed for its southern hemisphere trees and shrubs, and Beech Park in Clonsilla, then renowned for one of the largest collections of herbaceous and alpine plants in Britain and Ireland. He returned to Glasnevin as a staff member in February 2000 and from there moved to manage the gardens at Kilmacurragh in May 2006.

He has travelled extensively across the globe to study plants in their native habitats, most notably to China, Nepal, Tibet, California, Bhutan, Myanmar, Chile, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and, in more recent times to India, including successive trips to the Sikkim Himalaya. From these expeditions he has published two award winning books; In the Footsteps of Augustine Henry and his Chinese Collectors (2011), and, In the Footsteps of Joseph Dalton Hooker: A Sikkim Adventure (2018). He also contributes to several publications including Curtis’ Botanical Magazine, The Irish Garden, the Irish Garden Plant Society newsletter and the International Dendrology Society Year Book.

He lectures on garden history and botanical travel internationally and is a member of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Woody Plant Committee and is a judge of the RHS Early Spring Shows. Rhododendrons are a passion and he is Irish Branch Chairman of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Rhododendron Camellia and Magnolia Group and a trustee of Exbury Gardens in England.  In 2018 Seamus was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland’s Gold Medal of Honour, in 2021 he was made a Fellow of the Explorer’s Club (New York), in 2022 he was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s (UK) Loder Rhododendron Cup and in 2023 was made a Fellow of the Linnean Society.

Burtown House is much more than a historic house and garden—it’s a vibrant destination offering an immersive experience for garden lovers and food and art enthusiasts.

Surrounding the early Georgian house is a series of inspiring gardens—lush herbaceous borders, abundant vegetable gardens, wildflower meadows and mature woodlands—offering something to delight throughout the seasons.

The on-site restaurant, The Green Barn, offers a field-to-fork dining experience with a menu rooted in seasonal produce grown just metres from your table. With its Scandinavian, rustic charm, high ceilings and views over the kitchen garden and fields beyond, it’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy wholesome, flavour-filled food.

Pop into Jo’s Pantry, where shelves are brimming with Burtown’s homemade preserves, chutneys, artisan breads and house-made treats—alongside handpicked homewares and gifts. It’s a treasure trove for those looking to take a little piece of Burtown home.

Burtown stock a variety of paintings, prints and sculpture both within the gallery and throughout the gardens. Botanical illustrations and still life of gardens and landscapes often dominate the walls featuring work from Wendy Walsh, Lesley Fennell, Sveta Rumak, Maria Stcherbinina and Andrey Demin. Burtown also carries a range of books with a beautiful selection from some of the best publishers ranging from interiors, gardens and food to architecture and local history. Books range in size from large format coffee table to small pocket size. For more information visit https://carlowgardentrail.com/member/burtown-house-gardens/