The herb gardens at Kilgraney House are a delightful and aromatic addition to the Carlow Garden Trail.
Kilgraney House features expertly curated herb gardens, blending historical charm with practical beauty.
Nestled in the heart of County Carlow, halfway between Carlow town and Kilkenny City, Kilgraney House is a historic Georgian country house with numerous granite outbuildings that have been lovingly restored and transformed into comfortable guest accommodation. The house takes its name from the Irish ‘cill gréine’ which means ‘sunny hill’ or ‘wood’ and these wooded and secluded grounds overlook the tranquil Barrow valley. The gardens are a treasure trove of aromatic herbs, showcasing a wide array of culinary, medicinal, and aromatic species whilst providing a delightful experience for its guests and garden visitors.
Kilgraney House and Herb Gardens
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Diverse Herb Gardens Unveiled
The gardens consist of a series of interconnecting herbal gardens that are revealed slowly to the visitor. The herb gardens were initially established as a vital component of the guest accommodation offerings, first a simple potager garden, supplying fresh and flavourful vegetables, fruits and herbs to the house’s kitchen. Then, over the years, the surrounding herb gardens have evolved into an enchanting and serene space, merging both form and function. The design reflects the timeless elegance of the Georgian era but with some more contemporary elements, with well-structured pathways and neatly trimmed hedges, all of which evoke a sense of refined grace but with occasional surprises too.
Unique Herbal Experiences Await
In addition to the large kitchen garden, you can explore a series of herb-inspired spaces. First, there’s a medicinal herb garden, set in a granite courtyard and consisting of nine raised beds in Irish oak timber. Each bed is planted with herbs suitable for treating a particular part of the body. Next, you’ll discover a modern interpretation of a medieval monastic herb garden, with four oak raised beds filled with plants grown for: medicine; flavouring beers, wines and spirits; ceremonial purposes; and for strewing. The beds are surrounded on two sides by an oak timber cloister covered in grape vines and hop plants.
Close by there’s a cosmic herb garden to help explain and facilitate our understanding of the ancient belief that there is a connection between people, plants, planets and constellations. In an adjoining courtyard there’s an olfactory overload awaiting in the fragrant sanctuary, an aromatic garden planted with herbs, jasmine and roses for fragrance and also for their usefulness in cosmetic preparations.
Further along there’s a hornbeam lined walk with four garden rooms: one with cutting flowers; one with soft fruits, one with meddlers and another with quince trees. There’s a tall yew hedge at the end of the croquet lawn and behind it you’ll discover a heritage Irish apple orchard, maintaining biodiversity with some unique Irish cultivars.
Further along, there’s a native tree walk based on Bretha Comaithchesa, an 8th century Irish law where trees were classified into four hierarchical categories with a series of laws governing their use. Finally, there’s a Celtic Torc garden, an Irish interpretation of a Japanese Zen garden.
The Gardens
The carefully tended beds, lush greenery, and vibrant colours create a picture-perfect setting. The gardens are ideal for a leisurely stroll or for a moment of quiet contemplation. Throughout the garden you’ll come across many herbs and plants that are suitable for infusions and herbal teas. More recently part of the kitchen garden has been augmented with plants for dyeing fabrics and paper.
The gardens are a testament to the owner’s commitment to preserving the beauty of the past while embracing the practices of the present. With their timeless beauty and bountiful herbs, these gardens are an essential element of the Carlow Garden Trail experience.
Facilities
- Carpark
- Toilets
- Restricted wheelchair access
- Self-catering accommodation available
- Unsuitable for children, no dogs allowed
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Situated just off the R705, Kilgraney House is halfway between Bagenalstown (Muine Bheag) and Borris.