Since opening in May 2002, we’ve welcomed thousands of visitors, fellow plant lovers and garden enthusiasts to Hunting Brook Gardens from all corners of the world. 

Designed to be a thoroughly immersive experience, the gardens are home to one of Ireland's largest private collections of plants. A riot of colour, shape and texture, the gardens are always on the move with fresh surprises at every visit. 

Ashley’s Garden 

On entering, you are greeted immediately with colourful and theatrical, large-scale planting combinations that fill Hunting Brook’s sunny beds and steep banks and tumble down along the edges of its curling pathways. Once the original car park, is named after my dear late friend Ashley Catin who loved the garden. 

The planting here is rich and opulent - like a jewel box. With layers of plants, starting with white daffodils in spring, then tulips, followed by alliums. May is changeover time when the borders see a mass of new planting for later-season interest. The garden comes into its own in high summer – a richly woven tapestry with layers of tall, airy perennials, swaying grasses and architectural foliage. This is where I create the now famous exotic garden with many of the plants from cloud forests and tropical climates. The aim – year ‘round interest with something to delight and surprise at every turn. 

Fred’s Garden 

Named after my collie and gardening companion of 17 years, Fred’s Garden plays with texture – contrasting sharp and soft. Except for some taller woody structure plants, the planting here is lower with an emphasis on fine foliage and vibrant colours. Elegant, see-through planting provides a clear, unobstructed view leading down the border and through to the surrounding landscape. 

The Sand Garden 

In spring of 2020, just before the pandemic started, I undertook one of the largest projects in Hunting Brook Gardens since its opening. The area between the house and the valley had gone through various incarnations as a wild garden, lawn and then meadow so it was definitely time to create something very different that would push the boundaries. I divided the area up with winding paths through a huge new sand garden and contemporary woodland garden. The sand garden is planted with 100's of succulents and cactus with an eclectic mix of desert, alpine and Mediterranean plants woven through them. 

Woodland Garden 

In the shade of majestic coniferous and deciduous trees, the woodland is a favourite spot to sit and enjoy the quiet stillness. 

The woodland beds are home to layers of shade loving woodland plants (one of my big passions to collect) and is especially beautiful in spring when 180 different snowdrops and over 80 different Epimediums along with thousands of different woodland plants and spring perennials come to life. 

The Valley 

Visitors often talk about experiencing a special feeling at Hunting Brook. The valley is really a magical place where you connect with nature and experience a sense of healing and wellbeing. 

Under a canopy of trees mostly pine, larch, sycamore, beech and oak, you’ll find the eclectic woody plant collection including large leafed rhododendrons, Japanese maples, Schieffleras, Magnolias, a ferns collection and more. Looking out over the Wicklow Mountains, the path sweeps down to a sunny hillside and a wild flower meadow complete with ring forts, tree ring and standing stone.