7 Must See Gardens in Dublin

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, I paid for this trip myself. All recommendations and opinions are my own.

I love to escape the hustle and bustle of city life by spending some time relaxing and enjoying beautiful gardens. Luckily for me I live in Dublin, which has many gorgeous, well maintained gardens to enjoy. Because of Dublin’s relatively mild climate, (it rarely frosts) the flowers bloom for most of the year. From spring daffodils and tulips, to blooming scented roses and endangered plant species from around the world, these Dublin gardens have it all. Whether you’re living in Dublin or holidaying, take the time to visit these seven free admission stunning gardens.

1. War Memorial Garden

This absolutely stunning garden is located in the Dublin suburb of Islandbridge and is my all time favourite. Surprisingly, this garden is not as well known and consequently is a quiet and peaceful place in which to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

This War Memorial Garden is dedicated to the memory of 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in the 1914 – 1918 war. The names of all the soldiers are contained in the beautifully illustrated Harry Clarke manuscripts in the granite book rooms in the gardens.

These gardens are not only a place of remembrance but are also of great architectural interest and beauty. They are one of four gardens in Ireland designed by the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944). The gardens feature spectacular sunken rose gardens, herbaceous borders and extensive tree planting.

The gardens are a great place for a picnic or to read a book. As well as the stunning gardens, you can also enjoy a tree lined walk along the River Liffey where you will often see rowers training.

Location: South Circular Rd, Islandbridge. The entrance is from Con Colbert Rd and South Circular Rd (Phoenix Park end).
How to get there using Dublin public transport:
By bus: 51, 68 and 69 from Aston Quay.
By Luas: Red line to Heuston Station, 25 minute walk to entrance.
By train: 25 minute walk from Heuston Station.
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 8am, Saturday – Sunday 10am. Gardens close according to daylight hours.
Admission Fees: Free entry.
Parking: Free car park onsite.
Facilities: None.

2. Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Formal Gardens

This stunning formal garden, also known as the Masters Gardens, is located on the grounds of the original Royal Hospital Kilmainham which was founded by the 1st Duke of Ormonde and opened in 1864. This impressive 17th Century building stands as a beautiful backdrop to the gardens and was once a hospital and home to retired soldiers. The building now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). The grounds are regularly used for concerts and events.

The formal gardens date from the early 1700’s. There is a pretty little turreted house at the end of the formal gardens called the “Garden Lodge”, which was built about c.1730. It is thought to be designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, designer of the Irish Houses of Parliament. The garden also features beautiful sculptures and statues.

Location: Military Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8.
How to get there using Dublin public transport:
By Luas: Red line to Heuston Station, 8 minute walk to Museum entrance on Military Road.
By bus: Buses to Heuston Station (8 minutes walk via Military Rd): 145, 79 and 79a from Aston Quay. Buses to James St (8 minutes walk via steps to Bow Lane onto Irwin St and Military Rd): 13, 40, 123 from O’Connell St and Dame St.
By train: 8 minute walk from Heuston Station.
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 11.30am – 5.30pm; Saturday: 10am – 5.30pm; Sunday and Bank Holidays: 12pm – 5.30pm; Monday: Closed
Admission Fees: Free entry
Parking: Paid parking onsite.
Facilities: Bookshop and café.

3. National Botanic Gardens

Ireland’s National Botanic Gardens in Dublin is noted for its fine plant collections holding over 15,000 plant species and cultivars from a variety of habitats from all around the world. The gardens are also famous for its exquisitely restored glasshouses, notably the Turner Curvilinear Range and the Great Palm House. These beautiful glasshouses were constructed by the Dubliner Richard Turner who also designed the glasshouses at Kew Gardens and Belfast. These stunning glasshouses were recipients of the Europa Nostra award for excellence in conservation architecture.

Visitors can enjoy such features as the Herbaceous borders, rose garden, the alpine yard, the pond area, rock garden and arboretum. Conservation plays an important role in the life of the botanic garden and is home to over 300 endangered plant species from around the world including 6 species which are already extinct in the wild.

An audio tour is available to visitors as well as free guided tours on Sundays at 12pm and 2.30pm. Pre-booked guided tours are available for a small fee.

Location: 3.5 km north of Dublin city centre, Botanic Road, Glasnevin.
How to get there using Dublin public transport:
By bus: It’s a bit too far to walk from the city centre, but the National Botanic Gardens can be reached by taking either Dublin city bus 4 or 83 from O’Connell Street.
Opening times: Winter opening times (October 27th to February) are Monday to Friday 9am-4:30pm; Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays 10am-4:30pm. Summer opening times (March to October) are Monday to Friday 9am-5pm; Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays 10am-6pm. The glasshouses close at 4.15pm in winter.
Admission Fees: Free entry.
Parking: Onsite parking available for €2.
Facilities: Restaurant / Tearooms open daily in summer 9am – 5pm and winter 10am – 4pm.

4. St Stephens Green

Located in the heart of Dublin, this is Ireland’s best known Victorian public park. These beautiful gardens were re-opened by Lord Ardilaun in 1880 for the citizens of Dublin. The gardens stretch over 9 hectare / 22 acre and are maintained in the original Victorian layout with extensive perimeter tree and shrub planting, spectacular spring and summer Victorian bedding. The herbaceous border also provides colour from early spring to late autumn.

There are over 3.5 km of pathways to enjoy and these are accessible for all users. Special features of these gardens include the waterfall and Pulham rock work on the western side of the green, and the ornamental lake which provides a home for waterfowl. There is also a garden for the visually impaired and a number of sculptures throughout the green. A children’s playground is a popular attraction of the park. In summer months there are often lunchtime concerts performed in the park for the public to enjoy.

Location: St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2
Opening times: Mon-Sat 7.30am; Sun and Holidays 9.30am; closing times according to daylight hours; open Christmas Day 10am-1pm.
Admission Fees: Free entry.
Parking: You will need to pay a fee to access private city parking or street parking.
Facilities: St Stephens gardens are located in the centre of Dublin so there are a range of shops, cafés and restaurants nearby.

5. Iveagh Gardens

The Iveagh Gardens are among the finest and least known of Dublin’s parks and gardens. They were designed by Ninian Niven, in 1865 as an intermediate design between the ‘French Formal’ and the ‘English Landscape’ styles. They demonstrated the artistic skills of the landscape Architect of the mid 19th century and display a unique collection of landscape features which include Rustic Grotto’s and Cascade, sunken formal panels of lawn with Fountain Centre Pieces, Wilderness, Woodlands, Maze, Rosarium, American Garden, Archery Grounds, Rockeries and Rooteries.

The conservation and restoration of the Gardens commenced in 1995 and to date most of the features have been restored, for example the Maze in Box hedging with a Sundial as a centre piece. The recently restored Cascade and exotic tree ferns all help to create a sense of wonder in the ‘Secret Garden’. The pre-1860s rose varieties in the Victorian Rosarium are beautiful.

In the summer months these gardens are regularly used for events which can restrict access to large parts of the park.

Location: Access from Hatch Street. Disabled access Clonmel Street and Hatch Street.
Opening Hours: Open all year Monday – Saturday 8am; Sunday and Bank Holidays: 10am; gardens closing times: December – January: 3.30pm; February and November: 4pm; March – October: 6pm.
Admission Fees: Free entry.
Parking: You will need to pay a fee to access private city parking or street parking.
Facilities: Iveagh Gardens are located in the centre of Dublin so there are a range of shops, cafés and restaurants nearby.

6. Merrion Square Gardens

Merrion Square is one of Dublin’s largest and grandest Georgian squares. Located in the heart of the city, the square features an attractive park with colourful flower gardens as well as heather and shrub beds. A ‘Jardin Anglaise’ approach was adopted for the layout of the park, which includes contoured grass areas, informal tree clumps, sunken curved paths and perimeter planting.

As well as a popular children’s playground, there are a number of interesting statues in these gardens, such as Oscar Wilde reclining on a rock, the Rutland Memorial and a collection of old Dublin lamp posts.

Surrounding the park on three sides are grand Georgian Houses. On the other side of the garden are Leinster House and two museums. Many of the houses have plaques detailing the rich and famous who once lived in them, for example Daniel O’Connell and W.B.Yeats. On Sundays you will also find an art market featuring talented Irish Artists who hang their artworks for sale on the railings surrounding the park.

Location: Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Opening Hours: Open 7 days a week during daylight hours.
Admission Fees: Free entry.
Parking: You will need to pay a fee to access private city parking or street parking.
Facilities: Merrion Square is located in the centre of Dublin so there are a range of shops, cafés and restaurants nearby.

7. Phoenix Park Gardens

Phoenix Park is located only 2km from Dublin city centre, making it very easy to get to by bus, the Luas tram, and car (parking is available throughout the park). This is no ordinary city park, its perimeter is a huge 11km and you can easily spend several hours walking around enjoying it. The parks 707 hectares (1,750 acres) encompass large areas of grassland, woodland, tree lined avenues and formal gardens. One of Phoenix Park’s best features is the herd of wild Fellow deer that roam the park and the beautiful views of the surrounding hills.

The park sights also include:

• Aras an Uachtaráin – the Irish President’s house. There are free tours on Saturdays.
• Deerfield Residence – Originally built as the Park Bailiff’s lodge in 1776, it later became the residence of the Chief Secretary for Ireland. Since February 1927 its been the official residence of the United States Ambassador to Ireland.
• The Papel Cross – The Papal Cross is a simple large white cross that was erected for the Papal visit of Pope John Paul II in 1979.
• The Magazine Fort – This fort marks the location where Phoenix Lodge was built by Sir Edward Fisher in 1611. In 1734 the house was knocked when the Duke of Dorset directed that a powder magazine be provided for Dublin. An additional wing was added to the fort in 1801 for troops.
• The Wellington Testimonial – The tallest obelisk in Europe at just over 62 meters tall, it was created as a testimonial to Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (reputed to have been born in Dublin). Completed in 1861, it features four bronze plaques cast from cannons captured at Waterloo.

Location: Dublin 8
How to get there using Dublin public transport:
By bus: No’s 37, 38, 39, 46A, 66, 67 from city centre.
By Luas: Red line to Heuston Station, 10 minute walk to the park entrance on Chesterfield Ave.
Opening times: Open 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, all year round. The side gates to the Park are open from 7am-11pm.
Admission Fees: Free entry.
Parking: Free parking.
Facilities: There is a café by the Zoo and formal gardens and a café at the visitors centre in the heart of the park.

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