Arboretum Inspirational Gardens

The Arboretum Inspirational Gardens form part of Arboretum Home and Garden Heaven, a garden centre and lifestyle destination at Leighlinbridge in County Carlow. The free display gardens were created to inspire visitors to imagine their own planting schemes, showing how plants sold in the centre might look as they mature over ten, fifteen or twenty years. The designs favour low-maintenance planting while still making a visual impact.

A distinctive idea behind the gardens is the use of colour to influence mood and wellbeing, with different areas planted around themes such as red for vitality, yellow for contentment and purple for knowledge. As you wander the grounds you can spot the koi in the ornamental pond and come across an African mud hut, while an adjacent box maze and children’s playground make the site a relaxed stop for families.

Rachel’s Garden Café, which holds a wine licence, has a terrace overlooking the gardens and is a pleasant place to pause during a visit. Alongside the gardens, the wider site offers a garden centre, home and gift shop and other departments under cover.

Arboretum is located just off the R448 at Leighlinbridge, around three kilometres from Exit 6 of the M9 motorway, with free car and coach parking on site. The gardens are wheelchair accessible, and group tours can be arranged in advance by telephone. Allow roughly one to two hours to explore.