DESTINATIONS

Grand Houses & Gardens – Ireland in Bloom

Spring and summer are when Ireland’s grand houses and gardens come into their own, and long, light-filled evenings allow ample time to revel in the season’s pleasures – a horticultural journey through Ireland at this time of year provides something rather special.

Powerscourt Estate, Co. Wicklow

County Wicklow is a painterly region of heathery hills, lush lowlands, beautifully bleak moorlands and centuries-old forests. This wild scenery frames a rich collection of historic demesnes, earning the county its title as the “Garden of Ireland”. Within this romantic setting lies the Powerscourt Estate, home to a grand Palladian mansion and one of the finest formal gardens in Europe. Guests can stay at the Powerscourt Hotel, which offers views of the valleys and mountains.

The gardens were shaped mainly in the 19th century by Mervyn Wingfield, the 7th Viscount Powerscourt, who travelled widely across Europe studying Italian, French and German garden design. He returned with a love of classical form, creating the terraces, balustrades and formal planting that still define the estate today. Stone steps descend through clipped hedges and statues, while lower paths lead into the Japanese Garden, where winding walkways, reflective pools and delicate planting create a quieter mood. Elsewhere on the estate, Ireland’s highest waterfall pours through woodland, its mist bearing the fragrance of moss and wildflowers.

The Merrion Hotel, Dublin

Dublin’s Georgian districts reflect a period when the city expanded beyond its medieval core into a more spacious and graceful capital. Wide streets replaced crowded lanes, and terraces of red-brick residences with decorative doors and wrought-iron railings rose around private parks and squares. Within this refined setting lies The Merrion Hotel, made up of four magnificent Grade I listed townhouses. Behind the façades is an elegant interior, complemented by two private period gardens for guests to enjoy. Suites look out across the lawns and flowerbeds, while the gardens themselves present a restful space in the heart of the city.

Renowned Irish landscape architect Jim Reynolds shaped the gardens to reflect the symmetry and restraint of 18th-century Dublin. Box-edged parterres, upright yews and classical statuary create a sense of order, while arches of roses, honeysuckle and clematis lead into a larger garden centred on a long reflecting pool. Water slips gently over pale pebbles, playing with the light and creating a soft, serene soundtrack, while the fragrance of nicotiana, mock orange, viburnum, lilac and osmanthus drifts through the air. There are also discreet recesses that offer shaded seating for unhurried moments, whether for morning coffee, afternoon tea or losing yourself in a book. This celebrated afternoon tradition now has a new cultural flourish: The Merrion has partnered with the neighbouring Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) to host a series of weekend piano performances featuring classical pieces by composers such as Beethoven and Mozart in the hotel’s elegant drawing rooms. 

Ashford Castle, Co. Mayo

Set on the edge of Lough Corrib, Ashford Castle sits among dense woodland, open parkland and designed gardens, and over the centuries has grown into a patchwork of walled plots, lakeside lawns, forest trails, and gently rising hills. Guests staying at the castle can enjoy exclusive tours with resident guides who enjoy sharing the stories behind the planting, from the Guinness-era kitchen gardens to the quieter corners where wildflowers carpet the woodland edges.

Strolling around, you’ll stumble upon gardens that feed both the eye and the table. Lavender and climbing roses add scent and colour to stone walls that shelter rows of crops. Apple trees and berry bushes mark the passing of the seasons, while dahlias, foxgloves and sweet peas bring bursts of bright blooms. Early mornings carry mist from the lake and birdsong from the trees, as you accompany naturalists on walks to learn about the local biodiversity. You can also head for the hills with the estate’s resident wolfhounds and red setters. Their affectionate enthusiasm will leave you with a smile on your face and a sense of having experienced something truly memorable and unmistakably Irish. 

Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare

Tall trees line the approach to Dromoland Castle, their branches parting to reveal a grey-stone stronghold beside a shimmering lake. Built in the 16th century, it was once the seat of the direct descendants of Brian Boru, the legendary High King of Ireland. That royal lineage still echoes through the towers, turrets and richly layered interiors.

Staying within the castle allows guests to experience this storied setting at an unhurried pace. A VIP garden tour leads across lawns that slope gently towards the water, where swans glide across the surface, and mature trees frame the scene, their roots gripping land cared for over generations.

Beyond the open grounds, the walled gardens offer a more secluded setting. Red brick walls, some dating back to the Elizabethan era, shelter colourful beds of roses and seasonal blooms, while a long water feature draws the eye through the space with pleasing symmetry inspired by Italian Renaissance design.

Woodland paths reveal lighter, more whimsical corners too, from the Lily Pond to the curious Hermit’s Grotto and the Temple of Mercury. For a final flourish, guests can take to the lake in a rowing boat, drifting across the water for perfect views back to the castle. 

Carton House, Co. Kildare

Kildare is a county of history, horses and horticulture, where open plains and winding rivers lead towards some of Ireland’s most storied estates, including Carton House. Once home to the Dukes of Leinster, the 18th-century Palladian mansion is now a luxury hotel, with handsome guest rooms in the historic house and in the modern Garden Wing that curves around a series of formal gardens.

On a private guided walk, guests follow riverside paths past the ivy-clad Shell Cottage, black limestone bridges, and the 500-year-old Tyrconnell Tower. Ancient oak, ash and beech surround the trails, sheltering soft meadows where deer, hares and foxes move quietly through the grass. It feels like a walk through an Irish legend, where woodland, water and wildlife share their secrets.

In contrast to the untamed parkland, Carton’s formal gardens feel calm and cultivated. Neatly clipped hedges frame sweeping lawns and sculpted topiary lines the paths while rose beds spill soft colour and perfume into the space. In earlier centuries, this was a splendid setting for high society, where conversation, courtship and constitutional walks filled the afternoons. Today, it retains its status as a grand getaway, where you can wander at ease beneath trees that have stood for generations.

Ballymaloe  House, Co. Cork

A mild maritime climate and the warming influence of the Gulf Stream give East Cork ideal conditions for gardens, orchards, and pasture to flourish. In this fertile corner, the land has long shaped life at Ballymaloe House, a celebrated country hotel and restaurant owned and run by the Allen family, Ireland’s most influential food dynasty.

The estate unfolds in ribbons of rolling hills with still ponds that mirror the sky, and hedgerows resonant with birdsong. Every experience is personalised to your pace and preferences, with ample time to explore. On guided walks with Head Gardener Mags Coughlan, you’ll wander through walled gardens where neat vegetable plots, fragrant herb beds, and fruit trees supply the celebrated kitchen. In spring, blossoms brighten the orchard; in summer, sweet peas and rosemary scent the air, while bees float gently among the blooms. 

For a change of pace, electric bikes offer an effortless way to roam the countryside, passing fields of colourful wildflowers before arriving at a secluded coastal spot to enjoy a gourmet picnic, lightly seasoned by the briny ocean air, and deeply connected to the land. 

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