Ducketts Grove walled gardens & pleasure grounds, Carlow Gardens, Carlow Garden Centres, Carlow Garden Trails, Carlow Tourism

Duckett's Grove

Duckett's Grove, the 18th, 19th and early 20th century home of the Duckett family, was formerly at the centre of a 12,000 acre estate that has dominated the Carlow landscape for over 300 years. In September 2005 during Heritage Week, Carlow Country Council acquired Duckett's Grove and commenced the restoration of two inter-connecting walled gardens.

Ducketts Grove, Co Carlow. Photo grand design

Duckett’s Grove, the 18th, 19th and early 20th century home of the Duckett family, was formerly at the centre of a 12,000 acre estate that has dominated the Carlow landscape for over 300 years. In September 2005 during Heritage Week, Carlow Country Council acquired Duckett’s Grove and commenced the restoration of two inter-connecting walled gardens.

Duckett's Grove walled garden, photo by Bigger Picture

Even in ruin, the surviving towers and turrets of Duckett’s Grove form a romantic profile making it one of the most photogenic historic buildings in the country. The first phase of the revival of two old walled gardens has now been completed, the old paths revealed and the beds and borders reinstated. Stylistically the new planting schemes echo the past yet reflect changing fashions, utilising plants and planting patterns that may have evolved over time.

The Upper Walled Garden, hedged with boxwood, is planted with historical varieties of shrub roses, a collection of Chinese and Japanese peonies, a great variety of hardy and tender perennials and choice flowering shrubs including Echium, Watsonia, Acanthus, Jovellana, Daphniphyllum, Acradenia, Arbutus, Cornus, Iris, Eryngium, Beschorneria, Euporbia, and to really test the microclimate of the gardens, some ornamental bananas.

Ducketts Grove in it's heyday

The Lower Walled Garden, once the site of the old orchard, contains a variety of fruits, including figs and historical varieties of Irish apples amongst others. The borders also contain a variety of shrubs and perennials all echoing the past history of the gardens and people associated with Duckett’s Grove.

The borders also contain a variety of shrubs and perennials all echoing the past history of the gardens and people associated with Duckett's Grove.

Restored paths and the repaired sunken stone bridge plus plantings of oak, lime, hazel, spindle and laurel rekindle the spirit of the Georgian Pleasure Grounds. at Duckett's Grove. Photo: grand design

Restored paths and the repaired sunken stone bridge plus plantings of oak, lime, hazel, spindle and laurel rekindle the spirit of the Georgian Pleasure Grounds.

“Spectemur agendo – Let us be judged by our actions.” Duckett Family Motto

Members of Carlow Garden Trail

Carlow Accommodation

Introduction by Helen Dillon