Seaforde Gardens
Garden
Atmospheric walled garden with a Eucryphia collection.
Address:
Seaforde
Downpatrick
Co Down
Downpatrick
Co Down
Tel: +44 28 4481 1225
Please mention ireland-guide.com when enquiring.
Seaforde Gardens
Opening Months: April, May, June, July, August, SeptemberOpening Days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Opening Hours: 10am-5pm, Mon-Sat; 1-6pm, Sun
Admission Charge: Garden Only - £3.50 adult, £2.30 child; groups adult/child £3/1.80
- Appointment Only
- Admission Charge
Georgina Campbell
In its own way Seaforde has the answer to Japan’s cherry blossom viewing season. The garden holds the national collection of eucryphias, known poetically as the ‘White Knights of August’. Gleaming with clouds of white blossom crowned with golden stamens and a-buzz with contended bees, the 19 different varieties of Eucryphia, planted in two allées, are a sight to take root in memory.
The gardens date back to the mid18th century and belonged to the original Seaforde House, which was burnt in 1816 and replaced. They have been reclaimed by Patrick Forde and, in place of the labour intensive bedding designs beloved of Victorians, the pleasure grounds now have a hornbeam maze with a rose bower made from the skeleton of a Nisson hut, and a summer house built from central heating pipes.
Echiums grow to giant proportions in the shelter of the walls and climbing roses romp through trees and lilies and tender Melianthus major luxuriates amid magnolias, rhododendrons and the willow leaf podocarpus. Other attractions include a nursery with many unusual shrubs (some propagated from Patrick Forde’s plant expeditions to the East), a tropical butterfly house, and a woodland walk leading to a pond.
The gardens date back to the mid18th century and belonged to the original Seaforde House, which was burnt in 1816 and replaced. They have been reclaimed by Patrick Forde and, in place of the labour intensive bedding designs beloved of Victorians, the pleasure grounds now have a hornbeam maze with a rose bower made from the skeleton of a Nisson hut, and a summer house built from central heating pipes.
Echiums grow to giant proportions in the shelter of the walls and climbing roses romp through trees and lilies and tender Melianthus major luxuriates amid magnolias, rhododendrons and the willow leaf podocarpus. Other attractions include a nursery with many unusual shrubs (some propagated from Patrick Forde’s plant expeditions to the East), a tropical butterfly house, and a woodland walk leading to a pond.
Best time of year to visit:
Gardens Strengths
Butterfly House & PeacocksGroups & Tours
- Groups Accepted
- Groups Need Appointments
- Accept Only Groups
- Guided Tours
Tour Days:
Additional
Other Facilities
Childrens Playground and Butterfly HouseDirections
Just outside Seaforde on the Belfast-Newcastle Road.Facilities / Features
- Parking
- Suitable for children
- Dogs welcome
- Refreshments
- Restaurant
- Cafe
- Visitor Centre
- House open to public (where applicable)
- Museum
- Gift Shop
- Garden Centre
- Plant Sales
- Accomodation
- WC
- WC Wheelchair Accessible
- Wheelchair Access (Partial)
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Trip Planning Tools
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Local Recommendations
Hospitality
- Crossgar Foodservice
(1.8km)SE - Carriage House, The
(5.8km)SE - Buck's Head Inn,The
(5.8km)SE - Mourne Seafood Bar
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(8.4km)NE - Hillyard House Hotel
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Self Catering
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Farmers Markets
- Castlewellan - Co Down - Saturdays
(8.9km)SW - Lisburn - County Antrim - Saturdays
(25.7km)NW - Park Shopping Centre - Belfast - Thursdays
(31.8km)NW - Belfast - St. Georges Street - Saturdays
(32.0km)NW - Portadown - County Armagh - Friday & Saturday
(40.8km)NW - Dundalk - County Louth - Fridays
(49.6km)SW - Castlebellingham - County Louth - First Sunday each month
(58.1km)SW
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Castle Ward House & Demesne
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Carrickfergus Museum
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Golf Courses
- Royal County Down Golf Club
(11.3km) SW - Greenore Golf Club
(37.0km) SW - Royal Belfast Golf Club
(39.0km) NE - Dundalk Golf Club
(51.0km) SW
Gardens
- Seaforde Gardens
(0.0km) - Rowallane Garden
(16.2km)NE - Anna's House & Garden
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Nearby Towns/Areas
- Dundrum
(5.9km) SE - Downpatrick
(8.4km) NE - Newcastle
(11.9km) SW - Dromara
(13.5km) NW - Killyleagh
(15.9km) NE - Ardglass
(16.0km) SE - Saintfield
(16.6km) NE - Ballyhornan
(18.4km) SE - Strangford Village
(19.8km) NE - Killinchy
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Apps and Books
-
Georgina Campbell's Ireland - The Best of the Best
A selective companion guide to our famous broad-based online collection, the ‘glovebox bib ...more... -
From Tide to Table by Georgina Campbell
Paperback edition of From Tide to Table - Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Buying, Prep ...more...
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