Altamont Gardens

Altamont Gardens sits near the village of Ballon, between Tullow and Bunclody in County Carlow. Covering around 16 hectares, the gardens are laid out in the Robinsonian style associated with the influential Irish gardener William Robinson, an approach that favours an “honest simplicity” and blends a rich plant collection into the natural landscape rather than imposing rigid formality upon it.

At the heart of the grounds, lawns and clipped yews slope down towards a lake ringed with rare trees and rhododendrons. Walking routes lead visitors through an arboretum, a bog garden and the sheltered Ice Age Glen, shaded by ancient oaks and framed by large stone outcrops, before reaching the banks of the River Slaney. The planting is designed for year-round interest, with a celebrated collection of snowdrops in late winter, bluebells and rhododendrons in spring, and roses and herbaceous borders through the summer.

The gardens have grown through several generations of owners. The lake was dug in the 1840s, in part as relief work during the Great Famine. In 1924 the estate was bought by Feilding Lecky Watson, a keen plantsman with a particular passion for rhododendrons, and it later passed to his daughter Corona North. Following her death the property was transferred to the Irish State, and it is now managed by the Office of Public Works.

The gardens are open to visitors, with car parking on site and accessible facilities available. As arrangements such as admission, opening times and guided tours can change, it is worth checking the official Heritage Ireland listing before planning a visit.