Ornamental Gardens
The Potentilla Garden
The Shrubby Potentilla Collection at Ardgillan Demesne was granted National Collection Status by the National Council for the Conservation of Plants & Gardens (NCCPG). There are currently 207 different types of shrubby potentilla on display with more types at various stages of propagation. The Potentilla Garden was laid out during 2000 and 2001. The collection is based in a roughly rectangular garden and is bounded by low walls and hedges which previously served as the orchard for the Castle but has more recently been adapted as a picnic area. This garden is convenient to the formal rose garden and restored walled garden which are popular with visitors to Ardgillan.
The Trellis Garden
The Trellis Garden includes a wide range of semi-tender plants that can survive outdoors at Ardgillan. This section also includes a sundial, a raised scree bed and has a good collection of autumn flowering plants. The south facing bed in the trellis garden was recently widned giving us the opportunity to add more colour.
Visit Us
Ardgillan Castle Offers an unforgettable day out for visitors young and old alike. Discover a wonderful range of amenities which include Castle Tours, Spectacular Gardens, an Art Gallery, Open Art Studios, a Craft Shop, a Walking & Heritage Trail and Castle Tearooms.
The Cottage/Irish Garden
The Cottage/Irish Garden has an array of shrubs and perennials planted in a cottage garden style. The objective is to increase the collection of plants of Irish origin, whether native species, varieties, or plants discovered by Irish collectors, or bred by Irish nurseries. Among the Irish plants in the present collection are: Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ and Luma apiculata ‘Glanleam Gold’. The freestanding wall in this section is a most unusual ‘Alcove Wall’ with twenty alcoves believed to have been originally built for growing the more tender fruit such as peaches, nectarines, pears etc.
Herbaceous Border
At the east end of the yew walk, flanking the outside low wall and steep slated roof of the yard range, lies an impressive herbaceous border, bordered by a lawn strip. The border is relatively wide and contains a wide range of colourful perennials, notably varieties of Acanthus, Penstemon, Iris, Aquilegia, Anthemis, Silene, Geranium, Verbena, Stachys, Arenaria, Agapanthus, Bergenia, Diascia and many others, providing spectacular colour from the spring through to autumn. When the herbaceous plants are dormant in the winter, bulbs emerge in spring to commence the profusion of colour.