Powerscourt Garden – One of the Best Gardens in the World

I can’t get enough of Ireland’s luscious green, whether it’s manicured gardens or neverending green pastures all over the country. One of the best gardens in the world is in county Wicklow, just south of Dublin city: Powerscourt Garden.

National Geographic ranked it in the top 3, together with the Versailles and the Royal Gardens in Richmond, UK.

Powerscourt House and Garden History

Powerscourt House has an 800-years history. Today’s grand house replaced the medieval castle on site in the 18th century, commissioned by the first Viscount of Powerscourt. It stayed in the family until 1961 when the Slazenger family bought it. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed much of the house, and though restored, it never achieved its former glory. However, the garden at Powerscourt is among the most beautiful in the world.

Today, it’s still in the Slazenger family, and it is open to visitors every day except for Christmas.

Visiting Powerscourt Gardens

The brochure you get at the entrance shows an itinerary that takes roughly an hour, surrounding the gardens. It’s the bare minimum to see (almost) everything. However, it’s an ample park, not a shopping mall, and I suggest planning two to three hours to visit Powerscourt Garden at your leisure. There is always another photo to take around the corner. You might even want to sit barefoot on the grass for a while to relax and reconnect.

Powerscourt Gardens

There are a few different gardens at Powerscourt, and the itinerary will take you through each of them.

The Italian Garden at Powerscourt

The most striking of the Powerscourt Gardens is the Italian Terraced Garden. As you walk behind the grand house, the terrace opens above the gardens. It’s a gorgeous view, with the perfectly-designed gardens below, going down to Triton Lake. In the background, the Sugar Loaf Mountain completes the view, the way no gardener’s work could ever do.

The Viscounts of Powerscourt bought or commissioned the statues in this part of the garden over decades from Europe, inspired by other great estates of the time.

The Walled Garden

This used to be the estate’s vegetable garden, providing fresh food to the family. Today, it’s home to colorful flowers and shrubs. I suspect it looks different every season, and I’d love to see it in spring or autumn too. In the summer months, roses, hydrangeas, and dahlias make it the perfect setting for beautiful photos.

The Pet Cemetery

This is a curiosity of the Powerscourt Garden. In a corner, below the Walled Garden, a small cemetery for the family’s pets. Some have funny names, and they all have a short story on the headstone.

The Japanese Garden

The Japanese Garden is one of the newest features at Powerscourt – it’s only a little over 100 years old. You can cross the small stream on the wooden Japanese bridges and rest in the pagoda.

Next to the Japanese Garden, the Grotto is a refreshing corner with walls covered in moss and hidden pathways.

The Pepperpot Tower

Circling back to the house on the opposite side of the Walled Garden, you will come across the Pepperpot Tower. Legend says the tower’s design replicates a pepperpot from the Powerscourt dining table.

You can climb the tower to the top platform for a better view of the gardens. The stairs inside are spacious enough to be comfortable, even if you dislike narrow spaces.

Wandering around

Walking around the formal gardens is also a great way to spend some time at Powerscourt. Some very respectable trees are out there: huge, old, and rare trees. When you walk by the eucalyptus, the air smells fresh and sweet at the same time. There are trees brought here from all over the world, and even the tallest tree in Ireland is in the same garden.

Getting to Powerscourt House and Garden

The best way to get to Powerscourt estate from Dublin is to drive. There is ample free parking on-site, and the drive takes around 45 minutes to maybe one hour if the traffic is busy.

If you don’t want to drive or, like me, you can’t do it on the left lane, then you can go to Enniskerry village by public transport. Take the DART (regional train) to Bray, then bus 185 to Enniskerry. From Enniskerry village, you will walk about 2 km (about 30 minutes) to Powerscourt.

Booking Options for Powerscourt Garden

Powerscourt Garden is a popular place to spend a weekend day outside with friends and family. You can buy your access tickets in advance on the estate’s website. Otherwise, you can book a tour that includes a visit to Powerscourt House and Gardens without having to worry about transport and such.

Other attractions of the Powerscourt Estate

I know, it’s already a lot to see. But, there are some other things you should know about and choose from at Powerscourt Estate.

Avoca Cafe and Store

Avoca is already a chain in Ireland. It’s something between a delicacies food store, gift shop, and cafe. However, they started the business as weavers, selling good quality items in all their shops. Avoca is now a good place to buy a gift for someone at home, but also a place to stop for lunch. The reason I am mentioning this particular Avoca is its location. The cafe runs inside Powerscourt House, and it has an amazing terrace overlooking the Italian gardens. You can stop there for lunch or simply get a coffee and enjoy the views without paying for the entrance ticket.

Powerscourt Distillery

When you leave Powerscourt Garden, on your left, you will find the distillery. They make their own whiskey here, Fercullen Whiskey. They run Distillery Tours there, but you can also sit at the cafe inside and have a house whiskey.

It smells like wood, leather, and whiskey inside, and it looks very cozy. I can see myself there on a rainy afternoon, having an Irish coffee to warm up.

The Waterfall

The waterfall at Powerscourt is one of the tallest in Ireland, at 121 meters high. Although it is part of the same estate, the distance from the garden to the waterfall is about 6 km. You will also need to pay a separate fee to enter the waterfall area. To arrive at the waterfall, you will walk through a deer park.

Find out more about ticket options here.

The Golf Course

If you like playing golf, Ireland is definitely the place for you. There are golf courses everywhere. Powerscourt estate alone has two golf courses where you can enjoy the game.

Where to stay to visit Powerscourt Garden

The ideal place to stay is Powerscourt Hotel and SPA, part of the Autograph Collection. It’s a great place to pamper yourself at the SPA and enjoy the mountain views from your room. I also see the place as the ideal getaway for an anniversary.

Otherwise, staying at the Strand Hotel in Bray is a great option to combine a sea stay with a visit to the Powerscourt estate.

Looking for another beautiful garden in this part of Ireland? Take a look at my post about Killruddery House and Gardens, or find some other easy day trips from Dublin.

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