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Deservedly lauded as a 'great garden of the world' and now becomingone of the South-East’s (and Ireland’s) most exceptional visitor attractions following a €7m redevelopment, Mount Congreve’s beautiful 70-acre woodland gardens and 4-acre walled gardens lie within an easily accessed 140-acre estate off the N25, just 10 minutes outside Waterford City and adjacent to the Waterford Greenway.
The18th century Mount Congreve House, which is now open to visitors for the first time, was home to six generations of the Congreves merchant family - notably the late Ambrose Congreve, who began work on the gardens in the 1950s and died in 2011 at the age of 104, when en-route to the Chelsea Flower Show!
The recent works include ‘a re-invigoration of the gardens’ and much else besides, including new walking routes, a woodland playground for families, a wetlands walk (the one for dog owners), and an immersive audio-visual exhibition of the garden and family history.
Also, in an atmospheric glass-roofed courtyard, there’s a new visitor centre where simply delicious plot-to-plate menus and good home baking are offered at The Stables Café – while traditional Afternoon Tea, complete with tiered cake stands and bone china tea sets, is available by reservation at The Tack Room.
French chef Jean-Baptiste Dubois - formerly Head of Food at the famed GIY in Waterford city - joined the team early in 2025 and it would be hard to imagine a more appropriate person to head the food operation at Mount Congreve than this exceptionally gifted and eco-aware chef. Here his philosophy is seen very clearly in his ‘350m Estate to Plate’ menu, which literally puts sustainable cooking on the plates served at The Stables Café, where he endeavours to base his delicious creations on ingredients gathered within 350 metres of his kitchen - simply magic!
Gorgeous Accommodation is also available at Mount Congreve - initially at The Gate Lodge, which was the first to be beautifully restored for stylish self-catering stays, and more accommodation conversions and alternative accommodation on the estate have followed, including other lodges, woodland cabins and glamping tents.
