Sign In
Create Account
0
Gardens Touring Routes - Self Drive
Oct 13 2011 07:21 AM | Bhushan in Self Drive Tours
Gardens Touring Routes
+353 (0)44 9348650
eastandmidlandsinfo@failteireland.ie
Wicklow and south Kildare
County Wicklow is justly known as ‘the garden of Ireland’ on account of its scenery, but it also contains many of the best formal gardens. A drive, between mountains and the sea coast, of 24 km (15 miles) southwards from Bray takes in seven of the finest: Killruddery is almost unique in retaining its 17th century layout and has a beautiful conservatory. Powerscourt occupies a terraced valley with a great classical house at one end and a mountain at the other. The National Gardens Exhibition Centre offers a variety of designs, demonstrating different ways of planning gardens. Victoria’s Way is a sculpture park, presenting 14 works in black granite. Mount Usher is a riverside garden, while Kilmacurragh is woodland, with magnificent specimen trees from the 19th century. The Parnell National Memorial Park is a new garden commemorating the 19th century political leader. Nearby, Avondale Forest Park has a magnificent collection of trees surrounding the leader’s stately home.
The route then heads westwards over the mountains, passing the famous early Christian settlement in the haunting valley of Glendalough, to reach the fertile lowlands of County Kildare. Close to Kildare town, the site of the ancient nunnery founded by St. Brigid, is the complex which includes the National Stud, together with an incomparable Japanese Garden and the newly designed water garden of St. Fiachra. A circuit, totalling 68 km (42 miles) including all these can be completed by going north to Naas and Coolcarrigan, a Victorian garden, lovingly tended by five generations of owners. The journey is short – but two or three days would be needed to do justice to the gardens and other attractions.
Laois and Offaly : The unique landscape of these inland counties is dominated by Peat Bogs and holds a wide variety of rare Flora and Fauna speckled with some exciting planned gardens. The gardens of Emo Court surround a splendid 18th century mansion and have marvellous 19th century conifers. They are followed on the route by the Sensory Garden in Abbyleix, a recent creation specialising in plants distinguished by their scents and textures and provided with labels in Braille. To the south is Heywood, by the English designer Edwin Lutyens and a few miles to west, are the gardens of Castle Durrow in the grounds of a fine country-house hotel. At Gash, near Castletown, the garden has been created with remarkable success by its present owner from a broad strip of cattle pasture. From Castletown the route goes over the romantic Slieve Bloom Mountains to the gardens of Birr Castle – the home of one of the greatest telescopes ever built, to say nothing of a 19th century artificial lake and a fantastic collection of magnolias. This tour runs for 110 km (70 miles) into the heart of the midlands.
Westmeath, Meath & North Kildare : The route goes on from Birr, through the canal port of Tullamore, with its heritage centre devoted to the legendary Tullamore Dew whiskey. Then the road wanders amongst the lakes, peatlands, pastures and gently rolling hills, reaching the lakeside gardens of Belvedere, just south of the town of Mullingar, a circuit from here through the midlands meanders for 160 km (100 miles). Tullynally and Loughcrew are both 19th century gardens, attached to great houses: Tullynally enjoyed more than a century of uninterrupted care, Loughcrew has been revived in recent years. It is close to the marvellous Stone Age cemetery of Slieve na Calliagh. Grove Gardens, near the historic town of Kells, offer some exotic animals and birds in addition to a remarkable collection of clematis and roses. Ballinlough, a little way north of the legendary Hill of Tara, lies in beautiful parkland with a lake and magnificent specimen trees. To the south, close to the dormitory suburbs of Ratoath and Dunboyne, are the gardens of Glebewood Cottage, Glebewood House and Hamwood House.
Glebewood Cottage is a new garden, developing since the 1990s. Glebewood House and its garden reflect nearly two centuries of care. The garden of Hamwood House has rockeries dating back to 1810. South of Hamwood is Celbridge Abbey, a beautiful, partly wild, walk on the banks of the River Liffey immortalised by the love story of Jonathan Swift and his Vanessa. To its northwest is the very remarkable garden of Larchill, a recently restored 18th century ferme ornée – an ornamented farm, with a distinguished collection of follies and a collection of unusual farm animals. The final garden on this circuit is Ballindoolin, close to the hill of Carbury, restored in the 1990s to its original design of 1821.
Gardens of Louth : Gardens cluster around the historic towns of Dundalk and Drogheda, which lie just 30 km (20 miles) apart. At Knockbridge, near Dundalk is Stephenstown Pond, the centre of a pleasing area of lake and woodland. Knockabbey Castle, near the village of Louth, has ancient water gardens. Millhouse on the other hand is a new garden, developed from a former orchard. The historic town of Drogheda is within easy reach of the Stone Age monuments at Newgrange. A little way upstream of the town is Beaulieu, not far from the site of the Battle of the Boyne. The garden is an extremely rare example of 17th century design. The garden of Listoke House was designed early in the 20th century and restored in keeping with its Edwardian character. And a little way down the coast at Laytown is Sonairte – the National Ecology Centre, with an organic walled garden and nature trails.
Planning a garden trip : Garden openings are mostly seasonal but some remain open throughout the year. Please confirm opening times and other information before travelling.
+353 (0)44 9348650
eastandmidlandsinfo@failteireland.ie
Wicklow and south Kildare
County Wicklow is justly known as ‘the garden of Ireland’ on account of its scenery, but it also contains many of the best formal gardens. A drive, between mountains and the sea coast, of 24 km (15 miles) southwards from Bray takes in seven of the finest: Killruddery is almost unique in retaining its 17th century layout and has a beautiful conservatory. Powerscourt occupies a terraced valley with a great classical house at one end and a mountain at the other. The National Gardens Exhibition Centre offers a variety of designs, demonstrating different ways of planning gardens. Victoria’s Way is a sculpture park, presenting 14 works in black granite. Mount Usher is a riverside garden, while Kilmacurragh is woodland, with magnificent specimen trees from the 19th century. The Parnell National Memorial Park is a new garden commemorating the 19th century political leader. Nearby, Avondale Forest Park has a magnificent collection of trees surrounding the leader’s stately home.
The route then heads westwards over the mountains, passing the famous early Christian settlement in the haunting valley of Glendalough, to reach the fertile lowlands of County Kildare. Close to Kildare town, the site of the ancient nunnery founded by St. Brigid, is the complex which includes the National Stud, together with an incomparable Japanese Garden and the newly designed water garden of St. Fiachra. A circuit, totalling 68 km (42 miles) including all these can be completed by going north to Naas and Coolcarrigan, a Victorian garden, lovingly tended by five generations of owners. The journey is short – but two or three days would be needed to do justice to the gardens and other attractions.
Laois and Offaly : The unique landscape of these inland counties is dominated by Peat Bogs and holds a wide variety of rare Flora and Fauna speckled with some exciting planned gardens. The gardens of Emo Court surround a splendid 18th century mansion and have marvellous 19th century conifers. They are followed on the route by the Sensory Garden in Abbyleix, a recent creation specialising in plants distinguished by their scents and textures and provided with labels in Braille. To the south is Heywood, by the English designer Edwin Lutyens and a few miles to west, are the gardens of Castle Durrow in the grounds of a fine country-house hotel. At Gash, near Castletown, the garden has been created with remarkable success by its present owner from a broad strip of cattle pasture. From Castletown the route goes over the romantic Slieve Bloom Mountains to the gardens of Birr Castle – the home of one of the greatest telescopes ever built, to say nothing of a 19th century artificial lake and a fantastic collection of magnolias. This tour runs for 110 km (70 miles) into the heart of the midlands.
Westmeath, Meath & North Kildare : The route goes on from Birr, through the canal port of Tullamore, with its heritage centre devoted to the legendary Tullamore Dew whiskey. Then the road wanders amongst the lakes, peatlands, pastures and gently rolling hills, reaching the lakeside gardens of Belvedere, just south of the town of Mullingar, a circuit from here through the midlands meanders for 160 km (100 miles). Tullynally and Loughcrew are both 19th century gardens, attached to great houses: Tullynally enjoyed more than a century of uninterrupted care, Loughcrew has been revived in recent years. It is close to the marvellous Stone Age cemetery of Slieve na Calliagh. Grove Gardens, near the historic town of Kells, offer some exotic animals and birds in addition to a remarkable collection of clematis and roses. Ballinlough, a little way north of the legendary Hill of Tara, lies in beautiful parkland with a lake and magnificent specimen trees. To the south, close to the dormitory suburbs of Ratoath and Dunboyne, are the gardens of Glebewood Cottage, Glebewood House and Hamwood House.
Glebewood Cottage is a new garden, developing since the 1990s. Glebewood House and its garden reflect nearly two centuries of care. The garden of Hamwood House has rockeries dating back to 1810. South of Hamwood is Celbridge Abbey, a beautiful, partly wild, walk on the banks of the River Liffey immortalised by the love story of Jonathan Swift and his Vanessa. To its northwest is the very remarkable garden of Larchill, a recently restored 18th century ferme ornée – an ornamented farm, with a distinguished collection of follies and a collection of unusual farm animals. The final garden on this circuit is Ballindoolin, close to the hill of Carbury, restored in the 1990s to its original design of 1821.
Gardens of Louth : Gardens cluster around the historic towns of Dundalk and Drogheda, which lie just 30 km (20 miles) apart. At Knockbridge, near Dundalk is Stephenstown Pond, the centre of a pleasing area of lake and woodland. Knockabbey Castle, near the village of Louth, has ancient water gardens. Millhouse on the other hand is a new garden, developed from a former orchard. The historic town of Drogheda is within easy reach of the Stone Age monuments at Newgrange. A little way upstream of the town is Beaulieu, not far from the site of the Battle of the Boyne. The garden is an extremely rare example of 17th century design. The garden of Listoke House was designed early in the 20th century and restored in keeping with its Edwardian character. And a little way down the coast at Laytown is Sonairte – the National Ecology Centre, with an organic walled garden and nature trails.
Planning a garden trip : Garden openings are mostly seasonal but some remain open throughout the year. Please confirm opening times and other information before travelling.
