ireland’s historic gardens · garden are among the highlights of this very special place. the...

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Ireland’s Historic Gardensin the care of the Office of Public Works

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On behalf of the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland, it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to this new guide: Ireland’s Historic Gardens in the care of the Office of Public Works.

The OPW presents some of Ireland’s most iconic gardens and celebrated plant collections, from the internationally renowned National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, to Ilnacullin/Garinish Island with its collection of exotic and rare southern hemisphere plants, from the semi-tropical Fota Arboretum with its celebrated champion conifers, to Dublin’s best kept secret, the Iveagh Gardens.

Last year, almost 4 million people visited these historic properties and gardens. This beautiful guide illustrates the breadth and diversity of these places, including the Lutyens-designed landscapes of Heywood Gardens, Laois and the Irish National War Memorial Gardens, Islandbridge. Take a look also at personal creations of passionate plant collectors such as Corona North at Altamont Gardens, Carlow and Richard Grove Annesley at Annes Grove Gardens, Cork.

While our aim is to conserve these gardens for the enjoyment of generations to come, it is also to promote the evolution of these living spaces. We do this through our dedicated team of specialists and experienced heritage professionals who manage and cultivate these gardens for the

nation. Our large workforce is made up of skilled botanists, horticultural specialists, craft gardeners, foremen and grounds staff who are hugely dedicated to the individual gardens that they serve.

Scientific and botanical research is an important part of our work at the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, at Kilmacurragh and at JFK Arboretum in New Ross where our teams engage in international programmes of research and collaboration. Promoting and enhancing the biodiversity at our sites is also key and OPW is committed to protecting the habitats of our pollinators, birds and wildlife.

I pay tribute to Rosemary Collier, Director of National Historic Properties and her team, Mary Heffernan (Assistant Principal), Dr Matthew Jebb (Director of the National Botanic Gardens), Jackie Byrne (Assistant Principal) and Margaret Gormley (Chief Parks Superintendent) who, together with their colleagues, expertly manage these beautiful gardens for the public to visit, learn from, explore and enjoy. Through this new guide, I hope that you will be inspired to visit some of these most beautiful historic gardens. The OPW team looks forward to welcoming you to one or all of them very soon.

John McMahonCommissionerOffice of Public Works

Introduction

Front cover - Ilnacullin/ Garinish IslandInside cover - National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh

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Gardens

Altamont House & Gardens

Kilkenny Castle

Derrynane House & Gardens

Ilnacullin/Garinish Island

Castletown

Glebe House & Gardens

Emo Court

National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh

Oldbridge Estate

DUBLIN

COrK

DONEGAL

Heywood Gardens

1. Áras An Uachtaráin2. Dublin Castle - Dubh Linn Gardens 3. Farmleigh4. Irish National War Memorial Gardens5. National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin6. Royal Hospital, Kilmainham

7. St Enda’s Park and the Pearse Museum8. St Stephen’s Green9. The Garden of Remembrance10. The Iveagh Gardens11. The Phoenix Park

John F Kennedy Arboretum

Annes GroveFota Arboretum

& Gardens

Doneraile House & Gardens

1 24

5

67

891011 3

DUBLIN

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Altamont House & GardensOn the banks of the River Slaney and overlooked by the Blackstairs Mountains, Altamont Gardens is an enchanting blend of the formal and informal. Open daily, Altamont is a treat at any time of year. The gardens offer a varied landscape of lawns, walks, an arboretum, and a lake surrounded by rare trees and rhododendron. The Bluebell Wood, Ice Age Glen and Bog Garden are among the highlights of this very special place.

The plant collection is the work of the late Corona North, who bequeathed the property to the Irish State.

Events: Carlow Garden Festival (27 July – 6 August 2018) is a great time to visit Altamont Gardens and hear from Altamont’s Head Gardener, Paul Cutler and OPW’s Tree Specialist, Cormac Downey.

Visitor Tip: Altamont is renowned for its collection of over 200 named varieties of snowdrop, so a visit in February is a must.

Tullow, Co. Carlow

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w.heritageireland.ie

DUBLIN

Altam

ont House &

Gardens

Open A

ll Year/Check the website

for availability of Guided Tours

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Annes GroveDesigned in a Robinsonian style, the gardens at Annes Grove were largely created by Richard Grove Annesley in the early 20th century, in conjunction with renowned botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward. The internationally significant plant collection features plants as diverse as Tibetan cowslip and Himalayan poppy, alongside azaleas, silver and pink stachys, cannas, thalictrum and the famous rhododendron garden.

Following the generous donation of the property to the State by the Annesley family, an ambitious programme of renovation is currently underway to restore and present this stunning collection.

Visitor Tip: A limited seasonal preview of the gardens is available to visitors this June by booking a spot on a weekend guided tour. From June 2019, visitors will be able to enjoy extended opening hours.

Annes G

rove, Castletownroche, Co. Cork

Annes G

rove

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Áras an Uachtaráin The grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin, the residence of the President of Ireland, have always been one of its chief glories.

The main formal garden, or parterre, was laid out by the famous architect and designer Decimus Burton around 1838, and later additions were made by the celebrated landscape gardener Ninian Niven. Many original Victorian features can also be seen, including ornamental lakes and a walled garden.

One of the most impressive features of the walled garden is the Richard Turner designed linear glass house, known as the Peach House which has won several awards following its restoration in 2009.

Visitor Tip: Did you know that the fruitand vegetable gardens at the Áras arecertified organic and they are home to beesproducing award-winning honey? Comeand learn more on tours of the gardenswhich run on Saturdays during the summer months, departing from the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre.

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Castletown Castletown House, Ireland’s first and largest Palladian-style house, is a beautifully restored 18th century mansion. The house is set within 120 acres of superb landscaped grounds which have also been returned to their former glory in recent years.

Features of the landscaped parklands include a classical temple, a Gothic Revival Lodge, still ponds and clusters of once-rare imported trees dotting wide open spaces.

Castletown is also home to a large collection of wildlife.

Head Gardener Rory Finnegan and his teammonitor, assess and manage the demesnethereby ensuring that the grounds at Castletown remain a haven for wildlife and visitors alike.

Visitor Tip: June and July are the best time to visit our All-Ireland pollinator award-winning meadows.

Castletow

nCelbridge, Co. Kildare

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Derrynane House & GardensDerrynane House the beloved childhood home of Daniel O’Connell, ‘The Liberator’, is set in a beautiful and sheltered demesne landscape. The National Historic Park extends across approximately one and a half kilometres of sandy and rocky shoreline, which is of high ecological value. Notably, the dunes contain rare plant species including the Kerry lily.

The Foreman Gardener, James O’Shea, has developed sub-tropical woodland gardens with a range of rare and unusual exotic plants. The romantic gardens, criss-crossed by informal paths and trails, are surrounded by native Oak woodland and enclosed by a network of dry stone walls, kissing gates and openings. A plethora of hidden features include a fernery, neo-Gothic summerhouse, fairy trail and stone ring fort.

Visitor Tip: The Park is situated in the Kerry Dark-Sky-Reserve, Ireland’s first International Dark-Sky-Reserve, one of only three Gold Tier Reserves on the planet.

Derrynane H

ouse & G

ardensCaherdaniel, Co. Kerry

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Doneraile Court Doneraile Court was the home of the St Leger family from 1637 until 1969 when it came into State care and is now managed by the OPW. The house is set in a magnificent 18th century Capability Brown-style landscape, which frames it from different vistas within the park. The landscape has many specimen trees dating from this period, including many Oak, Beech, Spanish Chestnut and Lime. Some Larch trees on the estate are believed to be the first specimens planted in the 1730s.

There are also many water features on the estate. The River Awbeg flows through the middle of the park and is considered to be one of the keystones of Capability Brown’s design. The river also has weirs and cataracts, giving a great amenity and aesthetic to the landscape.

Visitor Tip: A walk through this historic landscape will offer beautiful vistas of the house and a chance to view the Red, Sika and Fallow deer in their natural environs throughout the parkland.

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Dublin Castle–Dubh Linn GardensThe Dubh Linn Gardens are laid out to the rear of the main Castle complex and located directly on the site of the Dubh Linn, the Black Pool, which gave Dublin its name. The gardens are situated immediately south of the Chapel Royal and the State Apartments within an enclosing stone wall. They are entered through wrought-iron gates of Celtic-inspired spirals. Beyond a ‘four seasons’ garden lie four smaller gardens, one at each corner of the site. All contain specially commissioned works of sculpture.

At the heart of the gardens is the grassy sward of the Dubh Linn Gardens, where patterns representing sea serpents are cut into the lawn.

Planted with shady trees and shrubs and filled with the heady scents of flowering plants and the sound of bees, the gardens represent one of the few restful green places in the heart of metropolitan Dublin.

Visitor Tip: Visit the wonderful Chester Beatty Library and Coach House Gallery situated right adjacent the gardens.

Dublin C

astle–Dubh L

inn Gardens

Dam

e St, Dublin 2

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Emo CourtEmo Court is one of the few country houses designed by the famous architect James Gandon. Surrounding the house is a magnificently designed historic landscape, extending to approximately 150 acres.

The mature, picturesque grounds, with many fine specimen trees, provides glorious colour along the various walking routes. Closer to the house avenues of old lime trees are residual elements of the older landscape associated with Dawson’s Court – the house that predated Emo Court. To the front of the house is the splendid milelong Wellingtonia Avenue, planted in 1853, following the introduction of the Giant redwood to Ireland.

Visitor Tip: The park is open all year round and is a beautiful place for passive recreational activity, while the house is open seasonally and a visit is a must.

Em

o Court

Emo, Co. Laois

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Farmleigh Farmleigh Estate, with 78 acres of park and gardens, is situated adjacent to the Phoenix Park. The garden boasts Victorian and Edwardian ornamental features in both the walled and sunken gardens. There are many walks and extensive woodlands, with magnolia, cherry blossom, and mature specimen trees. Approach the house through the Thuja Avenue to see the old Dairy nestled among the trees, or the sunken garden with its topiary peacocks and spirals surrounding the marble fountain.

The walled garden includes Victorian greenhouses and a stone temple, which lies within a path of climbing roses and wisteria. A paved rose garden to the north east of the temple looks across a lawn to the small orchard and potager.

Visitor Tip: The range of plants and trees in Farmleigh provides marvellous visual and horticultural interest throughout the seasons. Also check the website for the calendar of events: www.farmleigh.ie

Farmleigh

Phoenix Park, Dublin 8

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Fota Arboretum and Gardens Fota Arboretum and Gardens are of international importance and have one of the finest collections of rare and tender trees and shrubs grown outdoors in Europe. The Gardens include formal pleasure gardens, a Victorian fernery, an orangery and walled gardens, sunken gardens and a sun temple.James Hugh Smith-Barry showed sensitivity in the initial planting of the Arboretum and the generous spacing has enabled trees to grow to a large size with well-developed mature form. The generous spacing means that in Fota, unlike in many other gardens and arboreta, it is possible to appreciate each individual plant and tree.

The Head Gardener has continued the tradition of planting exotic trees and shrubs, which first started at Fota almost 200 years ago.

Visitor Tip: When visiting the Arboretum look out for impressive examples of conifers from north-west America, giant redwoods and Chilean flame trees, among many others.

Fota Arboretum

& G

ardensFota Estate, Carrigtw

ohill, Co. Cork w

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Glebe House & GardensAn artist’s haven in the Donegal hills, the gardens of the Glebe Gallery covers 20 acres on the banks of Lough Gartan.

The Glebe House and Gallery, along with its gardens, is the former home of the artist and collector Derek Hill. The estate is set on a hilltop sloping down to Lough Gartan with the Derryveagh Mountains and Glenveagh National Park providing a stunning backdrop.

Notable features of the garden are the extensive tree collection, the rhododendrons, and the relaxed herbaceous beds.

The gardens at the Glebe House and Gallery are part of the Donegal Garden Trail and are open from dawn till dusk daily throughout the year.

Visitor Tip: August is a great time to visit the Glebe. Its former owner, the artist Derek Hill, was in residence every August and gave his garden special attention at this time.

Glebe H

ouse & G

ardensChurchill, Letterkenny, Co. D

onegalw

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uided Tours

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Heywood Gardens Heywood Gardens is a 50-acre site representing two chapters of garden history. The 18th century designed historic landscape, which is laid out in a romantic manner, was commissioned by M F Trench and comprises walks, woodland, lakes and various Gothic follies. The site also has a very significant early 20th century architectural garden, commissioned by the Hutchinson-Poe family and designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944).

This is one of only four gardens designed by Lutyens in Ireland. The beautifully designed approach is bordered by pleached limes. Circular terraces of planting by Gertrude Jekyll also feature, with a sunken pool garden as a central feature. The garden is surrounded by a walk with ox eye windows, which looks out over a panorama of seven counties. There is also a cloister-like terrace overlooking the adjacent romantic landscape. Visitor Tip: A walk in the earlier romantic landscape created by Michael Frederick Trench is a must with its beautiful landscape and many follies.

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ood Gardens

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Ilnacullin/Garinish IslandIlnacullin is a unique island garden of rare beauty. Nestled into the sheltered harbour at Glengarriff in Bantry Bay, the island, which is reached from Glengarriff village via a delightful ten-minute boat trip across the bay, has an almost sub-tropical micro-climate.

Once on Ilnacullin, visitors can discover a wealth of architectural and horticultural gems including a sunken Italianate garden with formal pond, the Medici pavilion, casita and lawns; walled kitchen gardens with herbaceous borders, fruit, roses and rare climbers; a Martello tower with panoramic views; and the Happy Valley with its Grecian temple, mature shrubberies and rare trees. The gardens have extensive collections of rare plants including mature magnolias, rhododendrons, azeleas, leptospermums and many fine southern-hemisphere trees.

Visitor Tip: While the internationally significant collection of rare and exotic plants is the main attraction, a tour of the family home, Bryce House, offers a unique insight into the evolution of the Harold Peto-designed gardens under the Scottish gardener Murdo MacKenzie.

Ilnacullin/Garinish Island

Glengarriff, Bantry, Co. Cork

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Irish National War Memorial GardensThese fabulous gardens, a lesson in classical symmetry and formality, are the most famous Irish work of noted architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. The Gardens, which are dedicated to the Irish men and women who died in the First World War, are full of treasures to be discovered. On either side of a central green lawn, through pergolas of granite columns and oak beams, are two beautiful sunken rose gardens. These have central lily ponds as focal points and are encircled by yew hedges. The Gertrude Jekyll-style herbaceous border, which encircles the rose gardens, provides wonderful displays in spring and autumn.

Visitor Tip: Visit the four ‘Bookroom’ museums, which house a collection of items relating to both World Wars, with particular emphasis on the First World War. Also of particular interest is the Ginchy Cross, which was erected in France in 1917 as a memorial to the 4,354 men who died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. This Ginchy Cross was replaced by a granite cross and the original was relocated to the Irish War Memorial Gardens in 1937.

Irish National W

ar Mem

orial Gardens

Islandbridge, Dublin 8

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John F Kennedy ArboretumThe 35th President of the United States of America, John F Kennedy’s superstar status as a politician made him one of the 20th-century’s icons. One of the most famous American Presidents, who was of Irish descent, he regarded his visit to Ireland in June 1963 as the ‘best four days of my life’.

The idea of a scientific institution to honour his memory, close to his ancestral home, was an inspired choice by the Irish Government. The arboretum is one of the most ambitiously planned tree collections in Europe. Highlights include the diverse forestry plots, a mountain lookout that takes in six counties, and woodland that is home to a flourishing red squirrel population.

Visitor Tip: Visit the western margin of the Arboretum where you will find a set of provenance trails of major forestry tree species, including Sitka Spruce, Grand Fir, Lodgepole Pine and Monterey Pine.

John F K

ennedy Arboretum

New

Ross, Co. W

exford w

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uided Tours

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Kilkenny Castle The historic parkland surrounding Kilkenny Castle originated as a deer park in medieval times. Today it includes all of the walled demesne parkland to the south, and the formal terraced garden to the north, restored with formal beds of old roses around an impressive fountain overlooked by statuary.

The OPW’s open-access policy at the Castle facilitates a free programme of events throughout the year, including garden talks and music in the Castle and gardens. Be sure to check out the Kilkenny Castle website for the full calendar of year-round events.

Visitor Tip: Visit the Rose Garden with a central fountain from which axial paths spread out to elevated seating areas.

Kilkenny C

astleThe Parade, Kilkenny City

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National Botanic Gardens, GlasnevinEstablished in 1795, the Garden’s original agricultural and practical purposes were soon overtaken by the pursuit of botanical knowledge. Today, with over 17,000 varieties of plants in an historic and beautiful site alongside the River Tolka, the gardens are an oasis of calm. With the largest scientific collection of plants in the country, the gardens have become a centre for the conservation of our native flora.

A walled garden demonstrates organic vegetable growing and composting. Each year a busy calendar of exhibitions, events and workshops provides attractions for all visitors, and a dedicated children’s garden allows our youngest visitors to become acquainted with the plant world.

Visitor Tip: The spectacular Curvilinear Range–one of the best-preserved wrought iron glasshouses in the world-ranks as one of Dublin’s most spectacular buildings and is testament to the design and engineering prowess of the country in the 19th century.

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otanic Gardens, G

lasnevinG

lasnevin, Dublin 9

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National Botanic Gardens, KilmacurraghHome to seven generations of the Acton family, this remarkable plantsman’s garden was developed during the golden age of plant collecting. Through its close ties with the Moore family of the National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, it became one of the best private plant collections in Ireland at the time.

Recent expeditions by the staff to China, New Zealand, Australia and Chile continue a tradition that ensures that the historic collection is matched by new acquisitions, making it one of Ireland’s most remarkable plant collections.

Visitor Tip: The collection of wild-origin rhododendrons and southern hemisphere conifers is unparalleled, and the distinct soils and climate of this Wicklow estate make it the perfect complement to the Glasnevin collections.

National B

otanic Gardens, K

ilmacurragh

Kilbride, Co. Wicklow

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Oldbridge EstateSituated on the banks of the river Boyne, Oldbridge is a 500-acre estate which takes in much of the original site of the Battle of the Boyne. The estate and gardens have been extensively restored by the OPW in recent years. The walled garden area is trapezoidal, rather than square, and it broadens out to the south to accommodate the inner octagonal wall and orchard with its old Espalier pear trees and one hundred Blood of the Boyne apple trees. The garden is today presented as an ornamental garden rather than a working kitchen garden however, the original layout has been maintained. Features such as the Double Peach House, Dog Kennels and Gardener’s Bothy have all been returned to their former glory.

The most celebrated feature of this garden in the sunken Octagonal garden believed to be unique in Ireland and very rare in Europe.

Visitor Tip: Extensive trails through the battlefield can be explored year-round but a trip in August is highly recommended to see our native Irish heritage apple orchard in fruit.

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stateO

ldbridge, Drogheda, Co. M

eath w

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Phoenix ParkVictorian Kitchen Walled GardenOne of the highlights of the Phoenix Park is the Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. Beautifully restored to its original 19th century layout, the garden is a place of education and inspiration for those interested in horticulture and history.

Come and learn from the experienced gardeners about the horticultural skills involved in the design and layout of a Victorian Kitchen Garden, as well as the growing of fruit, vegetables and flowers.

The Garden is managed under organic principles. The biodiversity of the garden is ensured by the presence of honeybees and pollinators that are vital to our environment. Colourful summer displays such as Sweet Pea, Chrysanthemums, Lupins and Campanula (Bellflower) make the Walled Garden a place of exceptional beauty.

Visitor Tip: Meet the gardeners on the second Saturday of each month at 10.30 a.m. at our ‘Green Fingers’ Workshop and learn about growing your own fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Phoenix Park–V

ictorian Kitchen W

alled Garden


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Phoenix Park Victorian People’s Flower GardensNestled within the Phoenix Park, the Victorian People’s Flower Gardens is truly a garden within a garden. Laid out in 1840, this is a beautiful display of Victorian horticulture at its finest. A large ornamental lake, children’s playground, picnic areas and herbaceous and Victorian bedding schemes are just some of the things to see and enjoy here.

A bust of Seán Heuston, after whom Heuston Station is named, can be found here surrounded by ornamental flower gardens. The People’s Gardens are close to the Parkgate Street entrance of the Phoenix Park, just a short stroll from the Luas and bus stops.

Visitor Tip: Visit the flower gardens in the summer months and enjoy the colourful display of the summer bedding.

Phoenix Park–V

ictorian People’s Flow

er Gardens


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St Enda’s Park and the Pearse MuseumSt Enda’s is a rare surviving example of a 19th century walled estate in Dublin City. In 1910 Patrick Pearse moved his bilingual school, Scoil Éanna, to the site, recognising that the place embodied everything his pupils could want from a school – tranquillity, a natural playground and an inspirational setting.

The fascinating assortment of 18th century follies once provided the backdrop for school pageants. The walled garden has been restored, and the beautiful and natural wooded glen along the Churchtown stream evokes the spirit that once drew Pearse here. A special sculpture by Stephen Burke to mark the centenary of Pearse’s death surrounds the central fountain.

Visitor Tip: The Pearse Museum containsan exhibition on the life of Patrick Pearse, aswell as a re-creation of the life of the school and the Pearse family.

St E

nda’s Park and the Pearse Museum

Rathfarnham

, Dublin 16

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St Stephen’s Green ParkSt Stephen’s Green, a Green Flag accredited park in the heart of Dublin City, has something to offer everyone. The park was laid out between 1877 and 1880 and retains many of its original Victorian features, including built heritage, monuments and statues, water features and fountains, and Victorian floral displays. Other features of the Park include a garden for the visually impaired, a playground and a rockery with alpine plants.

There are over 750 trees within the park, among them Oak, Birch, Holly, Weeping Ash and Hawthorn. There is also a formal walk of lime trees along the northern boundary of the Park. Victorian flower beds planted with tulips, geraniums, wallflowers and petunias, amongst others, can be seen in abundance here too.

Visitor Tip: An audioguide for the Green can be downloaded from the Park’s website which provides a description of landscape features as well as an informative account of the social history associated with the Green over the last century or so.

St S

tephen’s Green Park

St Stephen’s Green, D

ublin 2w

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The Garden of RemembranceDedicated to the memory of all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish Freedom, the Garden is a place of quiet remembrance and reflection. Its symbolic design was created by architect Daithí Hanly in 1946, and contains a large cross-shaped pool, symbolic of the dead, with a tiled mosaic pattern as its base.

Important objects from the history of prehistoric and medieval Ireland were woveninto the structure of the Garden. While the shapes of the Brian Boru harp, the Loughnashade trumpet, and the Ballinderry sword can be seen in the railings. Oisín Kelly’s 25-foot statue, The Children of Lir, unifies the theme. The tranquil atmosphereof the Garden of Remembrance is appreciated by every Head of State visiting Ireland.

The G

arden of Rem

embrance

Parnell Square East, Dublin 1

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The Iveagh Gardens Affectionately known as Dublin’s ‘SecretGarden’; the Iveagh Gardens have anatmosphere that is totally unique. Tuckedaway behind tall buildings and surroundedby brick wall the Gardens are a peacefuloasis within the bustling city centre.Designed in 1865 by celebrated landscapedesigner Ninian Niven, the Gardens combinethe ‘French Formal’ and ‘English Landscape’traditions. This Victorian park comprisesan assortment of landscape features fromformal lawns and a scented rosarium toa yew maze. At one end of the Gardens,sunken lower than the surroundingarea is Ireland’s first purpose-built archeryground. Two fountains, restored in 1994form a magnificent centrepiece to theGardens.

The Iveagh Gardens are perhaps best knowntoday for the many events held there duringsummer maintaining their centuries-oldtradition of ‘brilliant display.’

Visitor Tip: A visit to the Gardens would not be complete without viewing the Rustic Water Cascade, which is particularly beautiful in summer.

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ardensClonm

el St, Dublin 2

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The Phoenix ParkHaving started life as a royal deer park in 1662, the 707 hectare park was first opened to the public in 1747. Since then it has evolved into one of the largest designed landscapes in any European city.

With almost 93% of the Park consisting of green area it has retained almost all of its old grasslands and woodlands, and also has rare examples of wetlands. These conditions mean that among the 351 different plant species to be found in the Park there are three which are rare and protected.

In addition to its plant life, the Park is hugely important due to its biodiversity. The Park supports approximately 50% of the mammal species and about 40% of the bird species which can be found in Ireland. Notable amongst the mammals who live in the Park are the herd of 550 wild fallow deer, which has roamed the Park for over 350 years.

Visitor Tip: Visit the wet grassland near the outfall from the Quarry Lake, where the flora contains Grass Meadow Barley, a protected plant species.

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hoenix ParkPhoenix Park, D

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The Royal Hospital, Kilmainham The Royal Hospital Kilmainham is one of the earliest of Dublin’s great buildings, built in 1680 to house military pensioners. The gardens were then laid out as a medicinal resource to serve the hospital but over the years, they became a pleasure garden and the private resort of the Master of the Hospital. Over the centuries, the gardens changed and evolved, inevitably suffering periods of neglect.

When the OPW restored the gardens in the 1980s they were inspired by the formal garden of the 17th and 18th centuries. The paths, fountains, gardener’s lodge and statuary were all restored or reconstructed and the planting of historically appropriate shrubs and flowers was undertaken. What the visitor sees today is not a faithful reconstruction but an evocation of the spirit of a garden of that era and a beautiful creation in its own right.

Visitor Tip: Visit the formal gardens at any time of year to enjoy their tranquility and symmetry and explore the ‘Old Man’s House’ exhibition which tells the history of RHK.

The R

oyal Hospital, K

ilmainham

Military R

oad, Kilmainham

, Dublin 8

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Produced by OPW Heritage ServicesNational Historic PropertiesDublin Castle Dublin 201-6458885

ireland’s historic gardens · garden are among the highlights of this very special place. the...

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