If you're searching for garden inspiration or simply want to enjoy the great outdoors surrounded by seasonal blooms, Mourne Mountains and Ring of Gullion is the perfect destination. This region is a haven for garden lovers and nature enthusiasts alike—with spectacular landscapes, diverse planting schemes, and unique horticultural attractions that offer something special in spring, summer, autumn and even winter.
Whether you’re visiting during spring or summer, seeking vibrant colour in autumn, or enjoying a frosty stroll among evergreens in winter, these gardens and estates provide the perfect green escape.
Seaforde Gardens, Maze & Tropical Butterfly House
A must-see for plant lovers, Seaforde Gardens and Tropical Butterfly House (open April - September) features a stunning historic walled garden, herb garden, global plant collections, and a spectacular arboretum filled with rare and champion trees. Don’t miss the garden maze, tropical butterfly house, and a relaxing stop at the on-site café. A paradise for spring and summer blooms.
Montalto Estate, Ballynahinch
Enjoy themed gardens including an Alpine Garden, Winter Garden, and Formal Garden—each offering beauty and serenity through every season. With over 7km of scenic walking trails, including the Lost Garden Trail which recreates early 20th-century landscapes, Montalto is a treat for garden history lovers and modern-day explorers alike.
Tollymore Forest Park, Newcastle
Open year-round, Tollymore Forest is a fairytale-like setting with walking trails, garden follies, and hidden gems like grottoes and caves. Autumn leaves and spring wildflowers transform the park into a natural wonder during seasonal transitions.
Castlewellan Forest Park & Annesley Garden
One of the most beautiful gardens in Northern Ireland, currently being refurbished, is The Annsley Gardens in Castlewellan Forest Park. It offers Victorian fountains, herbaceous borders, and ornamental tree specimens within a formal layout that charms visitors across the seasons. A perfect family-friendly garden day out.
Rowallane Garden, Saintfield
This National Trust garden is known for its peace and tranquillity. In May, enjoy a burst of colour with rhododendrons and azaleas. Throughout the year, explore self-guided mindfulness trails, seasonal blooms, and events like the Spring Plant Fair featuring expert growers from across Ireland.
Castle Ward, Strangford
Explore Victorian sunken gardens, pleasure grounds, and temple walkways with sweeping views over Strangford Lough. Each season offers a different experience—from spring bulbs to autumn foliage and winter coastal charm.
The Barn Gallery & Rose Garden, Rossglass
Over 100 varieties of roses bloom in summer, while fruit trees and herbaceous borders provide seasonal colour and fragrance. The eco-trail leads to a sculpture-dotted hilltop with panoramic views of Dundrum Bay and the Mourne Mountains.
Derrymore House, Newry
Just two miles from Newry, this 18th-century thatched cottage and landscaped demesne is a peaceful retreat year-round. Winding woodland paths and open pastures make it ideal for an afternoon walk or picnic with views of the Mournes. A perfect stop between Belfast and Dublin.
Small and Inspiring Gardens
Timpany Nurseries and Gardens are located in an old flax-growing area of County Down. They offer twenty acres of serene gardens and woodland near Ballynahinch. Curated and maintained by Colin and Susan Tindall you’ll find a wonderful collection of rare trees and shrubs as well as lovely wildlife ponds made from disused lint holes in which flax used to be retted to separate the fibres. In Spring enjoy the woodlands and the carpet of snowdrops while Summer attracts butterflies in droves. Autumn is full of wonderful rustic colour and, rest assured, there’s a warm welcome all year round.
Plan Your Garden Adventure in Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion
Whether you're a dedicated horticulturist, a lover of scenic walks, or simply want to enjoy a tranquil moment surrounded by nature, the gardens of Mourne Gullion Strangford offer vibrant beauty in every season. From grand estates to hidden floral gems, there's something waiting to be discovered—spring, summer, autumn, or winter.
Start planning your garden getaway today at Mourne Mountains and Ring of Gullion.
Montalto Estate in Ballynahinch is a mystical and enchanting estate, set in magnificent natural surroundings. Visitor experience includes access to the estate's beautiful gardens; historic walks and trails and an exciting play area where children can engage, explore and learn.
Tollymore Forest Park has panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the sea at Newcastle and is open to the public all year. Tollymore Forest covers an area of almost 630 hectares at the foot of the Mourne Mountains.
Located on Forest Park View, Castlewellan, County Down, in a dramatic setting of mountains and sea, Castlewellan Forest Park has one of the most outstanding tree and shrub collections in Europe. The beauty, vigour and perfect shape of the trees in the National Arboretum attract tree enthusiasts from around the world.
This unique garden has grown from the 19th century beginnings of the Reverend John Moore and his nephew Hugh Armytage Moore. Their vision created a place where you can leave the world behind and immerse yourself in nature's beauty.
Discover a place of contrasts and creativity at Castle Ward, an eccentric 18th century mansion and estate looking out over the tranquil waters of Strangford Lough in County Down where visitors can explore cultivated gardens, sheltered woodland and the shoreline.
Seaforde Gardens, Maze and Tropical Butterfly House promises a truly plant rich and nature-filled experience for visitors. Situated in the historic Demesne of Seaforde in County Down, which has been a family home for almost 400 years, visitors will discover an historic walled garden that has something for everyone.
A National Trust Property, Derrymore House is an elegant thatched cottage that stands amid a picturesque landscape estate less than 2 miles from Newry.
The Garden has been created by Colin and Susan Tindall. Colin his love for trees and Susan, woodland, snowdrops, ferns, dwarf shrubs and flowering plants.
