Gardens Open 2020 Whether you are an avid gardener looking for inspiration or planning for a family day out or simply in search of a tranquil place to unwind, opportunities for garden visiting have never been more 2020 Opening Times welcome than right now. From large historic gardens to family favourites to hidden gems, we list over Before visiting, please check with each garden and OPW site 90 gardens across Ireland open to visitors. The Irish Garden magazine and Garden.ie encourage you directly as times and days may to support our Irish gardens open this year and hope you enjoy the experience. change due to Covid-19. County Carlow | County Cork Carlow | Cork | Donegal | Down | Dublin | Galway | Kerry | Kildare | Kilkenny | Laois | Limerick | Louth | Mayo | Meath | Offaly | Waterford | Westmeath | Wexford | Wicklow | Historic gdns COUNTY CARLOW Huntington Castle Gardens Altamont Gardens Clonegal, Co. Carlow Tullow, Co. Carlow CGT: 17th century layout with R93 N882 original lime avenue planted in OPW, CGT: Large, beautiful, old 1680, yew walk and parterre. New world garden, Robinsonian in additional plantings completed in style with a strong emphasis 2014, tree trail featuring numerous on the informal tradition of rare and national champions. combining a good plant collection plus children’s adventure area. within the natural landscape Huntington Castle Restored lake and 17th century of its environment. Lawns and fishpond. Refurbished tearoom Blarney Castle clipped yews slope down to a lake Arboretum Inspirational and gift shop. House tours also surrounded by rare trees, shrubs Gardens available. Ballymaloe Cookery and a profusion of roses, both old Kilkenny Road, Leighlinbridge, Wheelchair access: Partial. School Gardens and modern, with herbaceous Co. Carlow (Garden Only). Shanagarry, Midleton, Co. Cork plants scent the air. There is a CGT: Arboretum Home and Garden 053 9377160 ROC: Organic gardens, vegetables, steep descent through the “Ice Heaven has created exclusive [email protected] herbs, fruit, old orchard, maze, Age Glen” to a beautiful river walk. display gardens to inspire visitors www.huntingtoncastle.com shell house and a recently opened Admission Free. to imagine and create their own up a farm walk past pigs, cows, 059 915 9444 garden dream. These gardens COUNTY CORK vegetable patch and extensive [email protected] are designed to display different glasshouse. www.heritageireland.ie planting schemes and solutions, Wheelchair access: Some offering endless ideas that can be Agharinagh Gardens small steps. Altamont Walled Garden easily recreated in visitors own at Griffins 021 4646785 Agharinagh, Dripsey, [email protected] e Bunclody Road, Ballon gardens. Co. Cork www.cookingisfun.ie (exit from the N80 motorway), Wheelchair access: Yes. Co. Carlow 059 9721558. Truly a world of secret gardens, [email protected] each designed by Margaret and GoIT: An unmissable highlight of a Blarney Castle Gardens www.arboretum.ie the Griffins staff. Don’t forget to visit to Altamont Gardens situated Blarney Castle, Blarney, Co. Cork look up and see the amazing new within the grounds of the estate tree house. Complete with rope GoIT, WCGT, RHSI: Blarney Castle and run privately by the gardener Delta Sensory Gardens bridge leading to another smaller is primarily famous for ‘the Blarney and nurseryman Robert Miller. Carlow, Co. Carlow R93 Y959 tree house, it was designed and Stone’ but equally worth exploring The area consists primarily of the CGT: Sixteen interconnecting constructed by Ollie O’Flaherty. are the beautiful grounds around Corona North Commemorative gardens of a multi-sensory nature Afternoon Tea in the adjacent the Castle and Blarney House. Border, rare Plant Sales, Café and covering 2.5 acres, combining a scenic restaurant is also a must on This includes acres of parkland, School of Horticulture. therapeutic focus with a tourist a visit, a wonderful day out just 20 gardens, avenues, arboretums and Wheelchair access: Partial. facility. Water and woodland minutes from Cork City. waterways. A great family day out! 087 982 2135 garden, sculpture garden. Wheelchair access: Yes. Wheelchair access: Partial (not [email protected] to castle). Wheelchair access: Yes. 021 7334286 www.altamontplants.com 021 4385252 Mr Frank O’Grady 059 9143527 [email protected] [email protected] www.griffinsgardencentre.ie [email protected] www.deltasensorygardens.com www.blarneycastle.ie The Irish Gardens Open 2020 Find it fast at: www.gardensopen.ie Published by Irish Garden Publishers Ltd 1 County Cork cont. | County Donegal Carlow | Cork | Donegal | Down | Dublin | Galway | Kerry | Kildare | Kilkenny | Laois | Limerick | Louth | Mayo | Meath | Offaly | Waterford | Westmeath | Wexford | Wicklow | Historic gdns Fernhill House and Garden Oakfield Park Clonakilty, Co. Cork P85 X322 Oakfield Demesne, Raphoe, WCGT: Fernhill House is a historic Co. Donegal F93 XY1R country house set on acres of DGT, RHSI: Oakfield House which landscaped gardens for you to dates back to 1739 has beautiful wander and explore. The house walled gardens with deep flower has a rich history and overlooks Fernhill beds, a kitchen garden, flower the countryside where Michael meadows, ponds, streams, Collins was born. We would be wetlands, a parterre, a castle, a delighted to welcome you to classical lakeside Nymphaeum, Fernhill to discover our gardens garden sculptures, heritage listed for yourself. trees and a newly established Wheelchair access: Yes. international collection of oaks. 023 8833258 The gardens can be explored by [email protected] Oakfield Park train. Tea room opens when the Coosheen www.fernhillhousehotel.com gardens are open. Children’s slide COUNTY DONEGAL and swings, picnic benches and Fota Arboretum W.C. provided for visitors. Coosheen Wheelchair access: Partial. and Gardens Glebe House and 15 Johnstown Park, David Fisher 074 9173068 Glounthaune, Co. Cork Mimosa House, Fota Estate, Gallery [email protected] T45 CC42 Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork Gartan, Church Hill, www.oakfieldpark.com GoIT: Plantperson’s garden, design T45 K656 Letterkenny, ideas for small garden, unique OPW, ROC: Located in Cork Co. Donegal F92 WP70 Salthill Garden collection of plants. A growing harbour, Fota Arboretum Gardens WCGT, OPW: An artist’s haven in Salthill, Mountcharles, collection of snowdrops and many of contain some of the finest the Donegal hills, Glebe House Co. Donegal them for sale along with spring bulbs. examples of rare and tender trees and Gardens is the former home Small nursery, rare and unusual and shrubs grown outdoors in of art collector and artist Derek DGT, GoIT: Salthill is described as plants for sale. Toilets and coach/ Ireland. Extending over 11 hectares Hill. Set on a hillside sloping “The .5 hectare enclosure has the car parking available. Teas and other it includes an Orangery, water down to Lough Gartan with delightful feeling of privacy and refreshments upon request. features and extensive walled the Derryveagh Mountains and mystery that is particular to old Mrs Hester Forde 021 4353855 gardens containing a variety of Glenveagh National Park as a walled gardens”. So, come and /086 8654972 planting themes. backdrop. Notable features are witness the “great gatherings of [email protected] Wheelchair access: Yes. the rhododendrons and relaxed herbaceous plants amid mature www.hesterfordegarden.com 021 4812728 herbaceous beds. shrubs and noteworthy trees”. Wheelchair access: Partial. [email protected] Wheelchair access: Partial. Mrs Elizabeth Temple www.heritageireland.ie/ 074 9137071 Doneraile Estate 087 7988078 [email protected] Doneraile, Co. Cork www.glebegallery.ie [email protected] P51 XR66 Ilnacullin OPW: Doneraile Court was the Garinish Island, home of the St Leger family Glengarriff, from 1637 to 1969 and is now Co. Cork managed by the OPW. The house OPW, WCGT: Perhaps the most is set in the magnificent 18th magical setting a garden could century Capability Brown style have is to be on an island landscape. The estate has many bathed in the warm waters specimen trees: oak, beech, of the Gulf Stream. This small Spanish chestnut and lime. The island of 15 hectares is known to River Awbeg flows through the horticulturists all over the world estate creating a great aesthetic as an island garden of rare beauty, to the setting. A walk through this a wild garden blending into the historic place offers a chance to wider setting of the exceptional view red, sika and fallow deer in sea and mountain scenery around the parkland. Glengarriff. 022 24771 Wheelchair access: Partial. [email protected] 027 63040 www.doneraileestate.ie [email protected] www.heritageireland.ie The Irish Gardens Open 2020 Find it fast at: www.gardensopen.ie Published by Irish Garden Publishers Ltd 2 Ardgillan Castle, Gardens & Demesne Ballbriggan, Co. Dublin Exit 5 or 6 o M1. Open all year. OPEN, Admission Free 194 acre park, 6 acres of gardens including rose garden national collection of Potentilla, herbaceous border, a walled garden containing an extensive collection of The Secret Jewel In The Heart Of Donegal herbs, fruit, vegetables and ornamental plants. Open on June 10th for the summer again and all being well will be Open until the normal close at the end of Sep- Tea Rooms Castle Tours and Playground subject to Covid19 tember. 5 days a week initially – Wed to Sun 11am to 6pm. restrictions. Wild fl ower meadow Fairy tree trail - www.ardgillancastle.ie Tel: 00353 (0) 749173068 | email: [email protected]