The 10 Best Gardens in County Wicklow, Province of Leinster

Voted No. 3 In the Top 10 Gardens of the World - by National Geographic! One of the world's great Gardens, Powerscourt is situated 20km south of Dublin City Centre in the foothills of the Wicklow mountains.The Garden was begun by Richard Wingfield in the 1740's and stretches out over 47 acres. It is a sublime blend of formal gardens, sweeping terraces, and ornamental lakes together with secret hollows, rambling walks, walled gardens and over 200 varieties of trees and shrubs. The House was gutted by fire in 1974 but recently has been reborn as an exceptional tourist destination. An audio visual brings to life the rich history of the Estate, while the double height Georgian Ballroom has been restored and hosts wedding and special events.The House is now home to the best in Irish design in gifts, clothes and furniture in the Avoca Stores and Interiors Gallery. Treat yourself to lunch at the Terrace Cafe where you can enjoy exceptional food, from each loaf of Irish bread to Mediterranean tarts or extraordinary salads. Come and explore all that Powerscourt House & Gardens has to offer, there's something for everyone from little explorers to garden enthusiasts!

Festina Lente is an embracing not-for-profit organisation founded in 1988 which hosts an Equestrian Centre, Walled Gardens, Garden Centre & Educational Training Centre and provides a range of occupational, learning and employment opportunities for people whose needs have not been met in mainstream services. All activities encourage individual choice, personal development, achievement and progression. Our campus is situated in the grounds of what was once Old Connaught House: formerly the residence of the Plunket family. Festina Lente (Latin) means Hasten Slowly and is the Plunket family motto. We adopted this as the name of our organisation in 1995 because it conveys our culture perfectly. On the campus there is a two and a half acre Victorian Walled Garden. The Garden was once part of the Plunket estate and was developed during the family's ownership. Each Baron Plunket made changes to the Garden which included the addition of the kitchen garden, a large greenhouse and a pool garden. Today the Ornamental Garden has a beautiful fountain, various flower beds, borders, statues and a variety of other original features. The Pool Garden has two large rectangular pools; they are home to our terrapins and goldfish. The Kitchen Garden has a spectacular herbaceous border and a working kitchen garden where fruit and vegetables are grown in allotments. The Walled Garden is also home to our Garden Shop where we stock a variety of seeds and plants, as well as various crafts and foods. We have wonderful facilities in our Equestrian Centre; it is both a working and learning environment for hundreds of people every year. We have a reputation for excellence in coaching people of all ages and abilities who, not only learn to ride, they also learn about horse welfare and management.

The gardens extend over approximately three acres and contain an eclectic collection of plants from around the world including areas of exciting, bold herbaceous planting and a shade garden of ferns, grasses bamboos and other choice woodland plants punctuated by enormous granite boulders. There is a shallow, linear reflecting pool set amidst exuberant tropical and prairie planting. The latest addition is a minimalist courtyard offering a space of austere tranquillity in contrast to the lavish exuberance of the surrounding gardens.

Arboretum Kilquade National Garden Exhibition Centre, is a family run business offering not only 18 inspirational gardens but it is also a garden & lifestyle centre. There is Rachel's Secret Garden Café onsite, with children's menu, free WIFI and wheelchair accessibility. There is also a children's playground onsite too.