Connemara & Árainn in Bloom – Conamara & na hOileáin faoi Bhláth
Uncover Hidden Garden Gems in Connemara & Árainn This Blooming Season
Discover the vibrant beauty of Connemara gardens in full bloom this summer. From May to September, Connemara and the Islands burst into a spectacular display of colors, transforming the landscape into a living tapestry. Immerse yourself in the elegance of formal gardens, the wild allure of flower-filled meadows, the vast expanses of boglands, serene woodlands, and the rugged beauty of rocky seashores.
Bíonn Conamara , Árainn agus Inis Bó Finne faoi bhláth i rith an tsamhraidh. Ó Bealtaine go Meán Fómhar bíonn an tír dhreach cosúil le taipéis ildathach.
Brigits Garden & Cafe
Unique Celtic-themed gardens offer a magical experience for all ages, blending Irish mythology with contemporary design. Explore the nature trail, stone chamber and crannog or relax in the basket chairs. The gardens are family-friendly with a kids‟ discovery trail and natural play area. There is Café and gift shop too. Head to the website for the lively programme of special events Check out their events through the summer.Fancy some Forest bathing?
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Kylemore Abbey & Gardens
The six-acre Victorian walled garden at Kylemore was created by Mitchell Henry in 1867 when he constructed Kylemore Castle. Today the Abbey is home to Ireland’s only Benedictine order of nuns who have restored and cared for the Kylemore estate since 1920. Follow the self-guiding panels through the garden and learn more about its intriguing history and the extensive restoration work that it took to return the garden to its former glory after falling into disrepair.
Uniquely, only Victorian varieties of flowers and vegetables are grown in the walled garden which contains two distinct areas: the kitchen garden and the flower garden. Visitors are welcome to explore the walled garden, wander through the wild garden and discover the many lakeshore and woodland walks.
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Ballynahinch Castle & Estate
Ballynahinch Castle Hotel is surrouneded by a 700-acre estate of mature wooded grounds and walks and one of Connemara’s oldest landscaped gardens. Here the meeting of wild woodland and waterways with herbaceous borders, terraced beds and lawns creates a unique blend of refined gardening and natural beauty. The walled garden at Ballynahinch has been restored to its former glory. Cian Cunniffe and his team plant and maintain the variety of fruits, herbs and vegetables grown on site throughout the year. The kitchen team work their magic and the bounty from the garden is served in the Owenmore Restaurant, the Fisherman’s Pub and Ranji Room.
The estate features riverside and lakeside walks in gardens on many levels and set out among the mature trees and shrubs. A walking map is available from the hotel reception.
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Renvyle House
Renvyle House Hotel is situated on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies within an estate of almost 200 acres which includes a lake, woodland and farmland. The house is the former home of famed writer and surgeon Oliver St. John Gogarty. The chefs harvest herbs & vegetables from the garden which have been lovingly restored. In early summer the woodland walks are carpeted with bluebells. There is an orchard and a rose garden and more formal gardens thrive around the croquet lawn. The aromatic plants here were chosen to withstand the Atlantic wind and salt. They host gardening weekends through out the year.
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Cashel House
The gardens at Cashel House Hotel are a place of profound beauty, a place of meditation and relaxation, which benefit from the warmth of the gulf stream. Blossoms galore welcome spring in all its glory! Benches are located throughout the garden for rest and reflection. Guests walk along the seashore, through woods and streams and eventually onto the summit of Cashel Hill where the breathtaking views of sea, sky and coastline are well worth the climb.
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Connemara National Park
The mountainous and rocky uplands at Connemara National Park are home to a range of fascinating flora and fauna. Western blanket bog and heathland are the predominant vegetation types. Heather covers the mountainsides, with ling, cross-leaved heath and bell heather all very common. One of the most abundant plant in the park is purple moor grass which gives the landscape it’s colour throughout the year.
Insectivorous plants form an integral part of the bog community. Sundews and butterworts trap and digest insects with their leaves to gain nutrients as they are in short supply in the bogs. Rare plant species from the colder areas of Europe and the Arctic can be found high up in the mountains. Discover plants from Spain and Portugal as well notably pale butterwort, St. Dabeoc’s heath and St. Patrick’s cabbage. There is also a tree trail at the Park
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Siúlóid Bláthanna Fiáine as Gaeilge – Inis Meáin Wild Flower Walks
Bain lán do shúl as áilleacht Inis Meáin agus foghlaim faoin réimse leathan bláthanna fiáine a fhásann ann. Ar an tsiúlóid seo in éindí le hAedín Ní Thiarnaigh, gheobhaidh rannpháirtithe léargas siamsúil, bríomhar ar bhláthanna fiáine Inis Meáin. Tabharfar leideanna maidir le conas bláthanna éagsúla a aithint, pléifear an béaloideas a bhaineann leo agus roinnfear eolas maidir le húsáidí na bplandaí sa chócaireacht, sa leigheas agus sa cheardaíocht.
Join Aedín Ní Thiarnaighon on Inis Meáin and learn about the folklore and Irish names of the wild plants that grow all around us. Discover their uses in cooking, medicine and craft. Bláthanna Fiáine Wildflower Walks run from April-September. Enjoy a tours that lasts approx 1.5 hours. Find the Group tour dates at BookWhen page (usually taking place on Saturdays) Book a private tour via email for any date/time at blathannafiaine@outlook.com . Turais as Gaeilge ar fáil and family-friendly tours also catered for too.
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Inishbofin Wild Flowers
Inishbofin has a great variety of habitat from wild flower meadows, sea cliffs ,dry heath and the Lough Bofin. The meadows are home to the corncrake and you will find a wide range of plants on the island. Lough Bofin is an example of a isolated sedimentary lagoon with a cobble barrier. Look out for the rare charophyte Foxtail Stonewort at the lagoon. This listed in the Red Data Book and protected under the Flora (Protection) Order, 1999.
Skylark & Wren grow their own flowers on the island and Patricia offers wreath making , pressed flower, green sketching and workshops.
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Garraí Glas
Tapa an deis chun cuairt a thabhairt ar an nGarraí Glas in Indreabhán. I rith an tsamhraidh bíonn deis casadh le hAonghus Chóil Mhaidhc Ó Coisdealbha . Bíonn turas treoraithe chomh maith le béile blasta déanta ó na glasraí áitiúla! Feirm acra amháin atá ag Aonghus agus cuireann sé glasraí ar fáil do shiopaí agus bialann aitiúila. Coinnigh súil ar leathanach Facebook le haghaidh dátaí le haghaidh na dturas.
Connemara Farmers have been toiling with the landscape for centuries. An Garraí Glas is a 1-acre farm where Aonghus Chóil Mhaidhc has turned the rocky soil into a market garden. Aonghus grows a variety of chemical-free vegetables including lettuce/salad leaves, onions, tomatoes, radishes, herbs and more. He supplies many restaurants and shops in Galway City and County. Throughout the summer he offers tours of the farm and lunch experiences. Discover how he developed his enterprise and enjoy the fruits of his labour with a delicious lunch.
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A few more to places to visit /experience
Enjoy a guided tour to meet food producers , gardeners and forage for seaweed with avid gardener and foodie with Margaret Leahy of Fable Tours .
Pick up some Heather Honey or some Elderflower Cordial made by The GreenBee Honesty Shop in Camus.
Get creative at a Botanical Art Workshops at Tami Joy Farm
Ag iarraidh níos mó a fhoghlaim faoi Bláthanna Chonamara – Want to learn more about Connemara’s flowers?
Brigid’s Connemara WildFlower Diary
Bunachar de phlandaí coitianta agus neamhchoitianta Chois Fharraige
Pabhsaeir InisMeáin Wildflowers of Inis Meáin – Bi lingual booklet of the Flowers of Inis Meáin
