Enchanting Gardens: Dublin and Its Surrounding Beauty 

 

 

 

Discover the Historic Charm of Malahide Castle and its Botanic Splendor

Dublin 

 

 

 

Stay in Dublin:

Indulge in a curated selection of accommodations during your visit to Dublin. Immerse yourself in the elegance of the 5-star Merrion Hotel or discover the distinct charm of the  Wilder Townhouse, both nestled in the vibrant heart of the city. For a tranquil retreat, escape to the picturesque Barberstown Castle, just a short drive from Dublin amidst lush green countryside. Alternatively, savor the intimate ambiance of King Sitric Restaurant & Townhouse in the quaint village of Howth, offering breathtaking sea views that capture the essence of coastal beauty.

 

 

 

 

 Wicklow (Known as The Garden of Ireland)

 

 

 

Venture to Wicklow and choose between two enchanting estates for a memorable day out: Killruddery House and Powerscourt House and Gardens.

Killruddery House, a historic gem near Dublin, has charmed visitors since 1618 with its timeless gardens, a blend of 17th-century elegance and later additions, masterminded by the visionary 5th and 6th Earls of Meath.

Meanwhile, Russborough House and Parklands offers serene vistas of Blessington Lake and Wicklow Mountains. While its Walled Gardens undergo restoration by the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, guests can still enjoy scenic walks, a captivating hedge maze, and a thrilling birds of prey centre on its sprawling grounds.

 

 

 

Powerscourt House and Gardens: A Harmony of Nature's Grandeur

Powerscourt House and Gardens stand as a global treasure, seamlessly blending formal gardens, majestic terraces, and ornamental lakes with hidden hollows, walled gardens, and over 200 tree and shrub varieties. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Wicklow mountains, its charming walled garden, iconic terraces, and exquisite statuary are interconnected by thoughtfully designed paths, creating a haven of beauty and tranquility.

Just a scenic 30-minute drive south leads to Mount Usher Gardens, a Robinsonian-inspired paradise nestled along the banks of the River Vartry. Here, an eclectic mix of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants from around the world flourish in harmony with native woodland and shade-loving plants. Experience the garden's seasonal splendors, from vibrant rhododendrons in spring to a kaleidoscope of summer hues and the enchanting autumnal shades, all accentuated by the shimmering waters of the river.

 

 

 

 

Stay in Wicklow:

You are spoiled for choice in Wicklow, with the charming Hunter's Hotel, the peaceful Wicklow Escape and the romantic Rathsallagh House. Hunter's Hotel, set in 2 acres of award-winning gardens on the banks of the river Vartry is a wonderful choice for your stay in Co. Wicklow. Rathsallagh House is converted from Queen Anne stables in 1798, set in 530 acres of peaceful parkland with its own walled garden. The Wicklow Escape is a beautiful lodge nestled in the West Wicklow Mountains, offering two and three day unqie destination dining experiences. 

 

 

 

 

 Kildare

 

 

First stop is the Irish National Stud with the Japanease Gardens & St. Fiachra in Kildare Town.

The Japanese Gardens at Tully were created between the years 1906-1910. Devised by Colonel William Hall-Walker (later Lord Wavertree), a wealthy Scotsman of a famous brewery family and laid out by the Japanese Eida and his son Minoru. The Gardens planned to symbolise the 'Life of Man', are now of international renown and are acclaimed as the finest Japanese Gardens in Europe. In 1999 the Irish National Stud created a commemorative garden to St. Fiachra, Patron Saint of Gardeners, to celebrate the Millennium. It was designed by Professor Martin Hallinan, award-winning landscape architect. He created a garden which presents visitors with a similar natural environment to that which inspired the spirituality of the monastic movement in Ireland during the 6th and 7th centuries. Stay in Kildare: These award-winning gardens are a must on a garden lover's list. At the end of the day overnight at Barberstown Castle near Straffan or the Cliff at Lyons in the heart of Celbridge.

 

 

 

 

 

Tranquil Gardens of Ireland's Heartland: Exploring the Midlands

 

 

Lawns are bisected by sculpted yews sloping down to a romantic lake surrounded by rare trees, rhododendrons and shrubs. A profusion of roses, old fashioned and modern, and herbaceous plants scent the air. A fascinating walk through the Arboretum, Bog Garden and Ice Age Glen with its canopy of ancient oaks lead to the majestic River Slaney.

 

Along the River Walk, you may see salmon and trout rising, perhaps even an otter, and throughout the garden, an abundance of birds and butterflies. On your return via the Hill Walk, there are wonderful views of the Blackstairs and Wicklow Mountains and Mount Leinster.

 

The Carlow Garden Trail currently features 16 different gardening attractions with an additional two gardens in the surrounding counties of Kildare and Wexford

 

 

Stay in Kilkenny:

Mount Juliet Estate in Co. Kilkenny or Butler House, also in Co. Kilkenny

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clare

 

Let's start this tour in The Burren, from the Gaelic word Boireann. This is Ireland's most famous natural garden - an area of limestone rock covering imposing majestic mountains, and tranquil valleys with gently meandering streams. With its innate sense of spiritual peace, an extraordinary array of flora and wildlife, and megalithic tombs and monuments older than Egypt's pyramids, the Burren creates a tapestry of colour and a seductively magical aura which few people leave without wanting to experience again.

 

 

Stay in Clare:

 

If you are visiting stay overnight at Gregans Castle, a beautiful old manor house, situated halfway up (or down) Corkscrew Hill, a road that lives up to its name. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Galway

Moving on to Connemara, which features Ireland's unspoilt countryside at its best is Cashel House where the gardens are so beautiful that you will find it hard to leave. If you are clever you can combine your visit here with one of Kay McEvilly's garden courses, so not only will you get to see some rare and exotic plants and trees but you will also learn a little about soils and pruning etc. so you will know as much as that annoying neighbour who boasts about her garden.

 

 

From Cashel House travel to Kylemore Abbey. Set in the Connemara mountains, the Abbey is a beautiful neo-Gothic Castle. Built by the English industrialist Mitchell Henry in 1868, visitors to the three reception rooms in the Abbey are touched by its history steeped in romance and tragedy. One mile west of the main Abbey building are the 6-acre (24,000 m²) Victorian Walled Gardens, built by Mitchell Henry at the same time as the construction of Kylemore Castle between 1867 and 1871.

 

This garden was one of the last walled gardens to be built during the Victorian period in Ireland and is the only garden in Ireland that is located in the middle of a bog. The garden was so advanced for the time that it was even compared with Kew Gardens in London. Huge engineering feats were successfully employed to heat the 21 glasshouses that were originally built to house exotic fruits and plants. These glasshouses were heated by three boilers, one of which doubled as a limekiln, and a complex system of underground hot-water pipes measuring 1,538 meters (5,000 ft) in length.

 

Uniquely, only plants and vegetables which grew in Victorian times are grown in the garden today. There are walks signposted around the main gardens with details about each of the garden highlights. A shuttle bus runs every 15 mins to the Garden from the Visitor Centre or alternatively, visitors may take the 20-minute woodland walk to reach them.

 

 

 

 

 

Scenic Gardens of Ireland's South West: A Botanical Paradise

 

 

 

 Limerick

 

Ireland is considered by many to be a botanical paradise with its moderate climate, which encourages all kinds of native and non-native plants to thrive.  This is all due to the prevalent south-west winds coming from the gulf stream and which warms the west and south-west of Ireland’s isle. 

As you make your way from the West to the South West, as a lover of flowers and nature, the best place to stay is in the centre of all this botanical magnificence at The Mustard Seed in Ballingarry, Co. Limerick.  The Mustard Seed has its own Irish country house garden with its very substantial kitchen garden providing much of the vegetables and herbs on its menu; not forgetting the hen house and run which supplies its own free-range eggs. 

 

 

 

 

 

Bantry House and Gardens: The structure of the garden as we know it today, dates back to the second Earl of Bantry’stravels. Both he and Mary, his wife, travelled with notebooks and sketchbooks (now in the Archive at University College Cork) at hand, which helped to transform the small house at home into a “palazzo” comparable to those he had seen on the continent.

 

From Bantry we suggest a visit to Garnish Island, the fabulous garden island, also known a Ilnacullin, snugly rests in Bantry Bay about a mile (11/2km) from Glengarriff pier, Ilnacullin is a small island of 15 hectares (37 acres) known to horticulturists and lovers of trees and shrubs all around the world as an island garden of rare beauty.

 

 

 

 

While visiting these gardens we recommend you stay nearby in either Blairs Cove or the Park Hotel Kenmare. A little further away but with their own stunning gardens is Carrig Country House.  To help with your tours we further suggest you visit the West Cork Garden Website for further inspiration. 

 

A visit to Cork simply has to include a visit to Blarney Castle. The castle was built nearly six hundred years ago by one of Ireland's greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy, and has been attracting attention ever since. Blarney Castle is primarily famous for 'Kissing the Blarney Stone' but equally worth exploring are the beautiful grounds around the Castle and Blarney House. This includes parklands, gardens avenues, arboretums and waterways. 

 

 

Alongside the castle battlements, the Poison Garden can be found. It contains a collection of poisonous plants from all over the world including Wolfsbane, Mandrake, Ricin and Opium. These are labelled with information about their toxicity, traditional and modern uses. A large number of plants that we now know to be toxic were once used widely as herbal remedies for all sorts of ailments. The old expression 'It will either kill or cure you' could not have been more apt.  Blarney Castle's arboretums and Pinetum contain a collection of specimen trees, many of them rare and unusual such as the  Wollemi Pine Wollemia Nobilis, Foxglove Paulownia Tomentosa, and Tree of Heaven Ailanthus Altissima. The fern garden is a very tranquil place in the heart of the estate. The garden contains over 80 varieties of ferns, all of which are flourishing.

 

Other gardens of note in the area are Fota House, Arboretum and Gardens and Lakemount Gardens

 

 

Stay in Cork:

We recommend staying in Fernhill House and Gardens, Longueville House, Liss Ard Estate or Ballymaloe House for your garden tour of this part of Co. Cork.

 

 

 

Enchanting Gardens of Ireland's South East: Nature's Delight

 

 

The Waterford Garden Trail highlights 15 different garden attractions throughout County Waterford. There is a wide variety of gardens open for viewing, ranging from the gardens of the great old houses to smaller gardens.

 

One of the highlights on the trail is Tourin Gardens, which extend over 5 acres and include a Walled Garden. A fine collection of camellias, rhododendrons, magnolias and other shrubs give a beautiful seasonal display of colour. Rare and mature trees include a Champion London Plane Tree. Lovely walks along garden and woodland paths lead to Tourin Quay and a pond with wild duck and other wildlife.

 

Still, on the trail, Lismore Gardens are set in seven acres within the outer walls of the castle are worth a visit. The gardens are divided into two halves. The upper garden is home to herbaceous borders and working kitchen gardens providing vegetables, fruit and herbs for the castle kitchens. The lower garden has a wide variety of Camellias and Magnolias with early spring bulbs.

 

 

Waterford is also home to Mount Congreve Gardens, which consist of 70 acres of intensely planted woodland and a four-acre walled garden. The collection consists of over 3000 different trees and shrubs, more than 2000 rhododendrons, 600 camellias, 300 Acer cultivars, 600 conifers, 250 climbers and 1500 plants, plus many more tender plants.

 

 

Stay in Wexford/Waterford:

For your stay in the southeast of Ireland, we recommend you divide your time between Marlfield House in County Wexford and Dunbrody House in County Waterford. Both are historic country house hotels set in beautiful estates.

 

 

 

Captivating Gardens of Northern Ireland and the North West: A Floral Journey

 

 

 

Stay in Northern Ireland:

We suggest you stay in Newforge House while touring this part of Northern Ireland. Newforge House offers peace and tranquillity in the surroundings of a restored Georgian Country House less than 30 minutes drive from Belfast. 

 

 

 

 

 

Donegal

 

Situated in the Northwest of Co. Donegal, Glenveagh Castle and Gardens encompasses some 16,000 acres in the heart of the Derryveagh Mountains. Such a great wilderness is the haunt of many interesting plants and animals.

 

 

The two major elements of the Garden, the Pleasure Gardens and the Walled Garden were constructed in the late 1880s. The original Victorian Garden layout remains intact. It was for Mrs Cornelia Adair that the gardens were constructed. Mrs Adair employed a Kew trained gardener to lay out the gardens. Some of the planting in the Pleasure Grounds such as the purple maples and the Scots pine trees were planted at this time.  In 1929 Lucy and Arthur Kingsley-Porter became the new owners. They were also keen gardeners and Mrs Porter brought the dahlia known as Matt Armour to Glenveagh.

 

The last private owner, Henry P McIlhenny began to develop the gardens in the late 1940s with the assistance of Jim Russell of Sunningdale Nurseries and Lanning Roper, the well-known garden consultant. From the late 1950s through to the early 1980's the design and layout of the garden were developed to include the Gothic Orangery, the Italian Terrace, the Tuscan Garden and the development of the plant collection.

Glenveagh is well known today for its rich collection of trees and shrubs specialising in southern hemisphere species and a diverse Rhododendron collection. Displays of Rhododendrons are at their best from late March to the end of May. Displays of colour in the Walled Garden are at their best through the summer months.

We recommend staying in Rathmullan Country House or Castle Grove Country House when making your visit to Glenveagh National Park.