Gardens in and near Birr

Birr boasts stunning classical gardens for horticulture enthusiasts to admire. The Millennium Gardens at Birr Castle complement the stately palace, with their perfect formal design. Highlights of the Birr Castle gardens include the famous box hedges dating from the 18th century, and the intimate pergola garden.

Ashley Park

Gardens at Ashley Park are set in nearly eighty acres of mature beech woodland. The central piece to the gardens is a walled garden set with gazeboes, greenhouses and a gardener's cottage set into the wall of the garden. ... more

Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle, and contributing to its green landscapes are its magnificent gardens. With its moist air, temperate climate and fertile soil, Ireland has the ideal mix to nourish perfect gardens. Expert Irish gardeners are fanatical about their plants and displays and there are numerous gardening competitions around the country.

There are beautiful gardens to explore all over Ireland, and often the garden's creators are on hand to tell you a little about the horticulture involved and take you on a personalized tour.

Gardens in Dublin and its surrounds number among the finest in Ireland. Gardeners have skilfully created works of natural art out of plants and soil on the grounds of both historical and private home. Helen Dillon is one of Ireland's most famous garden experts, known for her inspiring and helpful garden books.

One of the most frequenlty visited gardens in Dublin, the Dillon Garden showcases this lady's obviously green fingers and is thought to be one of the loveliest gardens in the world. This walled town garden features a glasshouse, water pools, beautiful borders and a sundial garden, all laid out in an original and striking way. A main feature of the garden is a canal set in Irish limestone, with exquisite borders on each side, one in red and the other in blue. Rare plants in the superb garden include blue Himalayas poppies, and with each season and new plantings the Dillon Garden is always changing.

The War Memorial Gardens in Dublin's Islandbridge district are some of the most famous in Europe and are not only a place of remembrance but also a beautiful sight, with their attractive landscaping. The gardens are dedicated to the memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in the First World War, and their names are recorded in beautifully illustrated manuscripts in the garden's granite bookrooms. The memorial gardens were designed by the famous architect Sir Edwin Luytens and are a tranquil place to stroll around, admiring the superb design and remembering those to whom it is dedicated. Sunken rose gardens, herbaceous borders and magnificent trees make for a truly beautiful garden.

County Wicklow is known as the 'Garden of Ireland' so it's appropriate that it is host to the Wicklow Garden Festival, a superb celebration of the most beautiful gardens of the region. With over 40 gardens in Wicklow and surrounds participating in the festival, this is a wonderful opportunity to see some of Ireland's best gardens, and to pick up tips on how to improve your own floral displays at home. The festival allows visitors to see unique gardens that are otherwise closed to the public, and they can discuss gardening techniques with the garden owners. The festival also gives visitors the chance to see some of Ireland's finest historic houses and gardens, including Kilruddery, Powerscourt, Rusborough and Avondale.

Those visiting gardens in Wicklow should make sure to include the National Garden Exhibition Centre in their itinerary. This establishment showcases both new and classical design trends and many floral afficionados come to peruse these magnificent displays to get inspiration for their own back home.Twenty separate gardens have been specially laid out by top designers, and they include a variety of landscaping concepts and a diversity of plants, trees and shrubs. Many of the gardens include eye-catching water features, furnitures or sculptures adding to the creative flair of the designs.

Gardens in Adare, County Limerick, culminate in the unique splendour of its Celtic Park and Gardens. In this singular park, Irish history meets horticulture, with displays of traditional Celtic dwellings and ceremonial buildings adjacent to a classic, formal garden. The gardens are spacious and peaceful, with lawns, a large lily pond, a rockery, herbaceous borders and roses making for a beautiful sight.

If you'd like to visit a truly Irish garden, make a trip to Brigit's Gardens in Galway, which interweaves aspects of Celtic mythology and heritage with contemporary garden design. Brigit's has four gardens themed on the Celtic seasonal festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Bealtaine and Lughnasa. The seasonal cycle is reflected in the different plants of each garden, and together the gardens symbolise more than seasons: they represent the cycle of life, and are a place for inspiration and contemplation. Brigit's Garden is set in 11 acres of native woodland and wildflower meadows and also features an ancient ring fort and an amazing calendar sundial. The plants are all indigenous to the region, reflecting the West of Ireland's landscape.