- Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden:This iconic estate in Connemara boasts one of Ireland’s most magnificent Victorian walled gardens, a six-acre masterpiece built in the 1870s and meticulously restored. Divided by a stream into a vibrant flower garden with heritage bedding, colourful seasonal displays, and a kitchen garden producing vegetables and fruit, the site includes restored glasshouses, a fernery, formal paths, and lush borders thriving in the mild climate. Set against dramatic mountains and Pollacappul Lake, it provides a romantic, historic experience with year-round appeal, complemented by woodland trails and the neo-Gothic abbey.
- Brigit’s Garden: Near Rosscahill, this enchanting 11-acre Celtic-themed garden celebrates Ireland’s ancient heritage through four interconnecting spaces inspired by seasonal festivals (Imbolc, Bealtaine, Lughnasa, and Samhain). Visitors explore a sun trail with a massive calendar sundial (one of the largest in Ireland), wildflower meadows, native woodland, a thatched roundhouse, living willow structures, a fairy fort, and a kids’ nature trail. The naturalistic planting, educational elements, and peaceful atmosphere make it a delightful, family-friendly haven of biodiversity and mythology.
- Coole Park Nature Reserve: This expansive 400-hectare reserve near Gort, once the home of Lady Augusta Gregory, features a restored late 18th-century walled garden with the famous Autograph Tree, a copper beech etched with initials of literary giants like W.B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, and J.M. Synge. Surrounding mature woodlands (the “Seven Woods” immortalised by Yeats), turloughs (seasonal lakes), wetlands, and signposted trails offer naturalistic horticulture, rich biodiversity, and seasonal interest from spring bulbs to autumn foliage. A visitor centre provides insights into its literary and ecological significance.
- Woodville House and Walled Garden: Near Kilchreest at the foot of the Slieve Aughty Mountains, this beautifully restored 18th-century walled garden features colourful herbaceous borders, established fruit trees, a serene central fountain, and a rare surviving dovecote, one of the few remaining in the west of Ireland. The intimate, productive space evokes classic Georgian estate horticulture, with guided tours revealing its history (linked to the Persse family and Lady Gregory connections). It’s a peaceful, lesser-known gem ideal for those seeking traditional planting and local heritage.
- Connemara National Park Visitor Centre and Grounds: While primarily a vast national park of mountains, bogs, and heathland, the grounds around the visitor centre near Letterfrack include well-maintained displays of native flora, wildflower meadows, and interpretive paths showcasing Connemara’s unique ecology. The naturalistic planting highlights rare alpine species, rhododendrons, and bog plants, providing an educational and scenic complement to the dramatic landscape. It’s perfect for visitors interested in wild, indigenous Irish gardening amid rugged natural beauty.
Gardens to Visit
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Galway:
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