The Carlow Garden Trail

The Carlow Garden Trail The Carlow Garden Trail features 18 unique garden attractions across County Carlow.

From historic gardens and award-winning nurseries to community, and forest parks.

Across the Carlow Garden Trail, sustainability is part of everyday gardening practice. It shows up in how soil is cared ...
30/05/2026

Across the Carlow Garden Trail, sustainability is part of everyday gardening practice. It shows up in how soil is cared for, how plants are grown, how heritage buildings are maintained and how visitors are welcomed into each place.

Many members mulch and compost, reduce chemical use, harvest rainwater and create naturalised areas that support pollinators and wildlife. Others focus on conserving historic structures using traditional materials and methods, or on improving waste and energy practices over time.

The annual Carlow Garden Festival brings many of these actions together. Recent steps include a public transport option, clearer visitor guidance, stronger encouragement for carpooling and a dedicated Go Green section on the festival website.

As you explore the Trail, notice the details: wildflower borders, restored structures, quieter corners left undisturbed. Together, they reflect a shared commitment to caring for place and supporting a resilient, nature-rich future for Carlow.

Visit https://carlowgardentrail.com/carlow-garden-festival-sustainability-highlights/

Myshall Tree Trail is a peaceful, nature-rich community space set within more than 25 acres at the foothills of Mount Le...
28/05/2026

Myshall Tree Trail is a peaceful, nature-rich community space set within more than 25 acres at the foothills of Mount Leinster. The trail winds through parkland, ponds, mature trees and the traces of a historic estate, offering visitors a gentle landscape to explore.

Local volunteers care for the grounds year-round. Native trees and species are planted, borders and woodland edges are tended, and ponds and waterways are looked after to support birds, insects and wildlife. This steady, light-touch approach gives the trail its calm, evolving character.

Visitors often speak about the sense of wellbeing they feel while walking here. Myshall Tree Trail reflects a strong pride of place and a community commitment to caring for land, heritage and nature in a way that is welcoming, accessible and grounded.

For more information about the Myshall Tree Trail visit here: https://carlowgardentrail.com/member/myshall-tree-trail/

26/05/2026

If you’ve ever walked through Huntington Castle & Gardens, you’ll know it feels very much like a place that’s still being lived in and cared for.

The same family has been looking after the house, gardens and land for over 400 years, and that shows up in everyday ways: ancient yew and lime trees carefully tended, a working farm managed with respect for watercourses and habitats, windblown timber reused for heating, and more recent steps like solar panels and battery storage.

Much of this work happens quietly, behind the scenes. Yet visitors often leave with a strong sense of how much attention and effort goes into keeping a place like this healthy and welcoming over time.

Huntington Castle & Gardens is one of the members of the Carlow Garden Trail and is committed to the Trail’s collective sustainability story: rooted in place, shaped by steady care, and very much ongoing.

https://carlowgardentrail.com/huntington-castle-sustainability-highlights/

“We don’t class it as hard work. We class it as enjoyable evenings spent together in the place that we love.”That’s how ...
24/05/2026

“We don’t class it as hard work. We class it as enjoyable evenings spent together in the place that we love.”

That’s how the volunteers of the Leighlinbridge Improvement Group describe the work they do around their village.

Around ten local volunteers meet regularly to plant, paint, tidy and bring new ideas to life, from refreshing railings using leftover paint that might otherwise be thrown away, to organising projects with the local school on sustainability and waste awareness.

A recent poster competition on litter now appears around the village as the school prepares to receive its sixth Green Flag for Global Citizenship.

Visitors strolling through Leighlinbridge often pause in the Garden of Remembrance, the Vivaldi Garden, the Millennium Garden or the Sculptor Garden, or wander along the River Barrow walkway that connects the village to the wider countryside.

The result is something many people notice straight away: a village that feels loved and cared for.

And that care comes from a community that clearly loves where they live. https://carlowgardentrail.com/leighlinbridge-the-garden-village/

Summer Concert - Carlow College of Music Enjoy some lovely music from The Staves Orchestra and Sing Aloud at An Gairdín ...
22/05/2026

Summer Concert - Carlow College of Music

Enjoy some lovely music from The Staves Orchestra and Sing Aloud at An Gairdín Beo this Saturday 23rd May 2025 at 3pm.

Admission: Adults €8, Children Free.

Location: An Gairdín Beo, Old Dublin, Carlow, R93 E1HF

Did you know that Altamont Plant Sales, located within the beautiful grounds of Altamont Gardens, is putting sustainabil...
20/05/2026

Did you know that Altamont Plant Sales, located within the beautiful grounds of Altamont Gardens, is putting sustainability into practice every day?

Around 95% of the historic walled garden is now managed without chemical treatments, with a goal of becoming fully chemical-free over time. Coffee grounds from the café are composted and returned to the garden beds, rainwater harvesting helps reduce water use, and most of the plant pots used in the nursery are now recyclable or reused by visiting gardeners.

It’s all part of a practical approach to gardening that works with nature and avoids unnecessary waste.

Altamont Plant Sales also hosts a growing number of gardening talks and workshops that regularly book out, sharing knowledge and helping people reconnect with the skills and confidence to grow their own gardens.

If you visit Altamont Gardens, make sure to stop by Altamont Plant Sales. You might leave with more than a plant – you may also lead with inspiration for your own sustainability-minded gardening!

For more details visit https://carlowgardentrail.com/altamont-plant-sales-sustainability-highlights/ Part of the Carlow Garden Trail sustainability series.

18/05/2026

Delta Sensory Gardens is a place where care is felt. Visitors speak about calm, space, time to wander and a sense of ease that stays with them long after they leave.

That feeling is shaped by how the gardens are looked after every day. The team works without chemical sprays, builds soil through mulching, returns garden cuttings to the land and manages water, energy and waste with attention and intention. These practices support biodiversity and help create the soft, natural landscape that defines the gardens.

Delta is also a place of inclusion and purpose. It offers meaningful work, connection and dignity for adults with disabilities, alongside a welcoming, accessible experience for visitors of all ages and abilities.

The gardens continue to evolve through steady, practical actions rooted in care for people, place and the future. This is a space designed to be experienced slowly, thoughtfully and with ease.

https://carlowgardentrail.com/delta-sensory-gardens-sustainability-highlights/

Event: Inner Lives - Studies in Form, Emotion and Presence.May 31st - 12th of July.Kilgraney House Gallery, Borris Road,...
18/05/2026

Event: Inner Lives - Studies in Form, Emotion and Presence.

May 31st - 12th of July.

Kilgraney House Gallery, Borris Road, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow R21 W527.

Hardymount Gardens is one of those places that feels refreshingly real. Set on the edge of Tullow, it’s a family garden ...
16/05/2026

Hardymount Gardens is one of those places that feels refreshingly real. Set on the edge of Tullow, it’s a family garden shaped by years of careful choices rather than grand plans.

Gardening here is done without chemicals, compost is taken seriously, logs and branches are left where they’re useful for nature, and wildlife is actively protected. This includes a resident barn owl that has very much made the place its own.

When the garden opens in summer, it has a wonderfully home-grown feel. Teas are served by the family, gardeners chat over lunch, and visitors are free to wander, notice and pick up ideas to bring home.

At Hardymount Gardens, it’s not about perfection. It’s about caring well for a place and enjoying it - and that’s exactly what people seem to love about spending time in these beautiful surroundings.

Visit https://carlowgardentrail.com/hardymount-gardens-sustainability-highlights/ for more information

14/05/2026

Shankill Castle is a place where history, landscape and everyday life sit easily together. Visitors often remark on the atmosphere of the stableyard and buildings, where original stone, timber and patina speak of centuries of use and care.

Sustainability here is rooted in long-standing stewardship. Historic buildings are conserved using traditional materials and methods, guided by conservation architects and heritage expertise. Alongside this work, an organic farm supplies seasonal produce for the farm shop, while regular tree planting and habitat care support the evolving landscape.

Some areas of the estate are formally tended while others are allowed to develop more naturally. This balance gives Shankill its distinct character and contributes to the sense of ease many visitors feel. The estate continues to evolve through patient, attentive care for land, buildings and heritage, shaped by a deep respect for place.

https://carlowgardentrail.com/shankill-castle-sustainability-highlights/

Address

Carlow Tourist Office, College Street
Carlow
R93H738

Telephone

+353599130411

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Carlow Garden Trail posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Carlow Garden Trail:

Shortcuts

Share

Category