7 Mount Charles North Gardens: Bessbrook,
Newry, County Down, BT35 7DW, Northern Ireland, Tel: 028 3083 8006
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- This 1/4 acre garden in a 19th century linen village is divided into areas. It features an
excellent collection of alpines and clematis planted with herbaceous plants and shrubs.
Bangor Castle Walled Garden: Valentine Road, Castle Park, Bangor, BT20 4BN,
County Down, Northern Ireland, Tel: +44 (0) 28 9127 0069.
- This 1.5 acre "secret garden" is divided into 4
sections - a kitchen garden,a herb and topiary garden, aswamp garden and
aflower garden. It showcases two unique pieces of sculpture inspired by
North Down’s maritime history.
Castlewellan National Arboretum and Annesley Garden:
Castlewellan, County Down, Northern Ireland, BT31 9BU, Tel: 028 4377 8664.
- This magnificent collection of trees
and shrubs, set in beautiful surroundings, also
incorporates fountains, ponds, ornamental
greenhouses and broad sweeping vistas. The Arboretum is home to 20 oldest existing specimens in the British Isles, 42 champion trees of the British Isles,
and 50 champion trees of Ireland.
Castle Ward: Strangford,
Downpatrick, County Down,
Northern Ireland, BT30 7LS, Tel: 028 4488 1204.
- The 18th-century eccentric house with two distinctly different styles, classical and Gothic,
is surrounded by an 820 acre walled demesne, with walking trails, exotic
garden, stunning vistas and picturesque farmyard.
Greyabbey House
and Gardens: County Down, BT23 4AD, Northern Ireland, Tel: (028) 9182 6846.
- A remarkable Georgian house, bordering a ruined
abbey, includes much of horticultural interest. A restored walled
garden showcases a vegetable garden, late summer border and shrub rose
border and fan-trained fruit trees. Two orchards contain a
collectin of Victorian fruit trees and Irish apple trees.
Part of the Chilean collection of plants and seeds from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh is held in the southern hemisphere garden, together with plants from Tasmania, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Brazil, some of which have been collected by the present owners on their travels.
The old monestery features a physic garden of medicinal plants.
Moira Demesne: Main Street, Moira, County Down, BT67 0NL, Northern Ireland, Tel: (028) 9266 0038
- Situated on 40 acres of parkland, Moira Demesne
features award winning rose beds, trees and exotic plants from Jamaica.
Mount Stewart: Portaferry Road, Newtownards, BT22 2AD, Northern Ireland,
Tel: 028 4278 8387
- Mount Stewart is one of the most inspiring and unusual gardens in the National Trust's ownership.
The garden reflects a rich tapestry of design and great planting artistry that was the hallmark of Edith, Lady Londonderry. The mild climate of Strangford Lough allows astonishing levels of planting experimentation. The formal areas exude a strong Mediterranean feel and resemble an Italian villa landscape; the wooded areas support a range of plants from all corners of the world, ensuring something to see whatever the season.
Rowallane: Saintfield, Ballynahinch, County Down, Northern Ireland, BT24 7LH, Tel: 028 9751 0131.
- This informal plantsman's garden offers ssuperb displays of shrubs, including a large collection of rhododendron species and several
areas managed as wildflower meadows. A natural Rock Garden Wood offers shade-loving plants
and the
walled garden includes
displays of herbaceous plants, shrubs and bulbs.
Seaforde
Gardens and Tropical Butterfly House: Ballynahinch Road, Downpatrick,
Down, County Down, Northern Ireland, Tel: (028) 4481 1225
- Dating from the early 18th century, the Walled Garden
includes a large nursery with many rare trees and shrubs for sale, large Sophora tetraptera and the original Camellia japonicas, the Mogul Tower, with
a spiral staircase leading to a viewing platform, a maze with hornbeam
hedges and a rose-covered arbour, over 20 varieties of Eucryphias (a National Collection)
and many other exotic and Far Eatern plants. The Pheasantry, an outer
garden, showcsaes large conifers and rhododendrons, many well over 100 years old,
and drifts of snowdrops, bluebells, camassias and primulas. And, last
but not least, peacocks roam the gardens.
The delightful Tropical Butterfly House offers hundreds of free-flying exotic butterflies, plus parrots,
and also reptiles and insects (behind glass).