The kitchen garden hugs the skirts of the house, unlike grander Irish houses where productive gardens were kept out of sight. James's mother Lesley dug out semi-circular beds from the pasture at the back of the house, to form banks of lilac, mock orange and scented roses. There is also a strong artistic gene: Lesley's mother, Wendy Walsh, was Ireland's most famous botanical artist and, when not gardening, Lesley is to be found painting in her studio in the yard.