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Great Gardens of Ireland

  • Ireland
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  • OVERVIEW
  • ITINERARY
  • HIGHLIGHTS


itinerary Map

Great Gardens of Ireland

Nine Days

This tailor-made journey takes travellers from Dublin through County Wicklow, the undisputed “garden of Ireland”, and west across the country to Co. Clare where it concludes at a beautiful castle hotel. Discover stunning public and private gardens; some world-renowned and requiring little introduction, and some considered hidden gems by those in the know – truly exclusive experiences.

Garden gates will magically open for you with tours led by the owners and gardeners who have created horticultural havens. It is a trip that is sure to indulge the senses whilst delighting, educating and inspiring all outdoors enthusiasts.

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ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS



A nine-day gardening Dream Escape in Ireland could include the following experiences:

  • Private guided tours of two of Ireland’s most famous garden with their owners, brother and sister duo Jimi and June Blake.

 

  • Privately guided tour of the National Botanic Gardens which date back to 1795 providing an oasis of calm and beauty just outside the bustling city of Dublin.

 

  • Learn from the best with a private gardening masterclass with Helen Dillon, one of Ireland’s best know gardeners.

 

  • Visit the beating heart of Ireland’s thoroughbred industry, famous not just for its horses, but for it’s beautifully manicured gardens.

 

  • A visit to Powerscourt – a grand garden without question; a magnificent combination of the aristocratic themes of French and Italian formal gardening.
  • Tour gardens laid out by celebrated gardener and journalist William Robinson, who rallied against the formality of Victorian gardens and created renewed interest and passion for wild gardening.

 

  • Take a privately guided walk on a karst lunar landscape famous for being the only place on earth where Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean flowers grow side-by-side in perfect harmony.

 

During your horticultural discovery we would recommend the following accommodation choices;

Stay at what is considered finest hotel in Dublin; with an understated listed Georgian exterior and graceful elegant interior, the hotel is privileged to have two period gardens designed by Jim Reynolds.

Stay in two stunning Irish castles in the countryside; a luxury and gourmet retreat in the heart of The Burren and a beautiful 16th century castle, originally the ancestral home of one of the few families of Gaelic royalty.

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HIGHLIGHTS

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HIGHLIGHTS

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THINGS TO DO

JAPANESE GARDENS

Are world-renowned; they were laid out by a Japanese father and son team to symbolise the Life of Man. St. Fiachra’s Garden commemorates St. Fiachra, the patron saint of gardeners.

EPIC, THE IRISH EMIGRATION MUSEUM

Step through several themed galleries with a private tour guide who will give you a unique insight into the compelling story of how Irish emigrants and their descendants helped to influence and shape the world. Hear stories of triumph and tragedy, great success and even greater loss. Learn how emigration helped shape the destiny of a nation and leave with a deeper understanding of Irish people and culture. The museum is incredibly interactive, making it fun and engaging for every member of the family. Without question, it will provide a great introduction to the people of Ireland.

 

NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS, DUBLIN

National Botanic Gardens in Dublin were founded in 1795, they are Ireland’s foremost centre of botany and horticulture. Highlights include the restored glasshouses, in particular the Turner Curvilinear Range and the Great Palm House which are recipients of the Europa Nostra award for excellence in conservation architecture. The gardens are also home to hundreds of endangered plant species, including six that are already extinct in the wild.

MOUNT USHER GARDENS

Mount Usher Gardens dates from 1860.  It is home to a collection of 5,000 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants which have been introduced from all parts of the globe. It is without a doubt one of Ireland’s prettiest gardens and has been described as a plant-lovers’ paradise.

THE IRISH NATIONAL STUD

The beating heart of Ireland’s thoroughbred industry. HM, Queen Elizabeth II took a tour here as recently as 2011. Her fascination is understandable, as the farm and its stock were gifted to the Crown in 1917.

POWERSCOURT HOUSE AND GARDENS

Powerscourt is situated at the foot of Great Sugar Loaf Mountain. It is a ‘Grand Garden’ without question; a magnificent combination of the aristocratic themes of French and Italian formal gardening. It is possibly the finest garden in Ireland and was recently voted Number Three of the World’s Top Ten Gardens by National Geographic.

PLACES VISITED

DUBLIN

Dublin is steeped in history, with Viking, medieval and Georgian influences all having left their marks. Since the time of the Vikings, Dublin has been the principal gateway to the Emerald Isle. The medieval city, with its intimate knots of small alleys and broad streets south of the river, was developed in Norman times around St Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin Castle, and later came to symbolise British rule in Ireland. The 18th century was the “Age of Elegance”, a time of relative prosperity when the Irish gentry set about remodelling the city into one of elegance, replete with graceful terraces, wrought-iron balconies and fanlight doorways. The city became Ireland’s capital with the establishment of the Republic of Ireland in 1937, and today is regarded as one of the liveliest and most atmospheric in Europe.

THE BURREN

The Burren is truly is a special place full of wonder, beauty and discovery. It is a karst landscape made up of an extraordinarily rich geological, botanical and archaeological heritage with parts of the region classed as a National Park. This limestone plateau resembles a lunar landscape; in the spring and summer months, great colour abounds against the stark landscape. Ruined forts and castles and numerous prehistoric sites dot the landscape; the region has been aptly described as ‘one vast memorial to bygone cultures’.

COUNTY WICKLOW

South of Dublin is County Wicklow, the “Garden of Ireland” home to many of Ireland’s great gardens and Wicklow Mountains National Park.

COUNTY KILDARE

County Kildare is west of Ireland’s capital, Dublin. The central Curragh plain is horse-breeding territory. Here, the Irish National Stud farm is known for its Horse Museum and Japanese Gardens. Nearby, Curragh Racecourse holds regular events. Kildare town is home to St. Brigid’s Cathedral, with a 12th-century round tower that offers panoramic views.

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