Burtown House gardens are made up of several areas including large herbaceous borders, shrubberies, a rock garden, a yew walk with dividing pergola, an old orchard, a more formal stable yard garden and a large woodland surrounded on all sides by water. This area hosts a collection of candleabra primulas, hostas, ferns and iris, amongst other plants. There are many old roses, peonies, clematis and a walled organic vegetable garden that has been in continuous production for 150 years. Once the centre of a 2,000-acre estate and built for the Quaker Robert Power about 1710, Burtown is close to the village of Ballytore, one of Ireland’s most prominent Quaker strongholds.
Isabel Shackleton (married to the present owner’s great grandfather and first cousin to the explorer Ernest Shackleton) is responsible for some of the original layout, but over the last 20 years it has been greatly enlarged and reclaimed by the present owner, artist Lesley Fennell. Visitors can take a break from their garden visit to enjoy homemade biscuits, cakes or scones with homemade lemonade and apple juice from the orchard. Lunches are served every day that it is open, using fresh seasonal produce from the organic kitchen garden, which can be eaten in the gallery space, the picturesque yard or at one of the tables discreetly placed about the garden.
The Green Barn Restaurant have opened their Heated Garden Tent & Garden Terrace for dining, and have installed picnic benches throughout their sculptured garden and also developed their picnic menu, with a range of wood fired pizza available, along with their brunch and lunch menus. Please check their website for details at www.burtownhouse.ie
COVID 19
Please check for further updates on Burtown House & Gardens on their website at www.burtownhouse.ie or email info@burtownhouse.ie or phone 059 8623865 and check the Carlow Garden Trail website or the Carlow Tourism website.
Please continue to check the HSE website https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/covid19-updates/ for further updates and continue to monitor our social media pages
Garden Talk Finola Reid promises an interesting and informative tour of Burtown House and Gardens exploring the delights of these beautiful surroundings while sharing her passion […]
Petal to Plate As the interest in unusual edibles continues to grow, this workshop provides helpful information and advice allowing you to pick plants that make […]
Arthur Shackleton, renowned gardener designer shares his background in garden consultancy showing examples of his design approach to gardens he has worked on in the past and continues to work on today including Ashford, Dromoland and Glin Castles, Lyons Demesne, Coolmore Stud and Airfield House in Dundrum and Butler House in Kilkenny.
Every Wednesday to Sunday from 1st February, 10.00am to 5.30pm. Admission: Adults €8; children €5 The Green Barn is open for brunch 10am-12pm, Lunch 12.30-15.30, Friday & Saturday night dinner 6.30pm-8.30pm. An extensive collection of snowdrops, aconites, hellebores and early bulbs.
A lecture about the different stages involved in creating beautiful gardens, with emphasis on details such as soil, structure (hedges / hard landscaping, while also discussing features such as lighting, sculpture, water features and most importantly planting.
Carl Wright, columnist with the Irish Garden, takes a look at how most gardens contain at least one section of woodland! The talk explains the actual meaning of the term and how the woodland 'system' works from the top canopy to the woodland floor.
Indulge your love of nature and art on this two-day botanical art workshop painting daffodils with award-winning artist, Shevaun Doherty.
Celebrate the arrival of Spring with this two-day botanical art workshop painting snowdrops with award - winning artist, Shevaun Doherty.
The gardens at Burtown House near Athy will open every Wednesday – Sunday and feature an extensive collection of snowdrops, aconites, hellebores and early bulbs. A painting workshop with botanical artist Shevaun Doherty.
To be opened by Suzanne McGougald, Trustee of the National Gallery, and late owner of the Solomon Gallery in Dublin. This is the third exhibition started by Seamus O' Brien, OPW Kilmacurragh in which invited artists paint from a different garden every two years.
Burtown House is one of two 17th century houses in Kildare to never have been sold, and the only house that you can visit, and have guided tours by family members. It is the only original Quaker house in Ireland that can be visited that is still lived in by the family that built it from this period.
Join Jimi Blake, owner of Hunting Brook Gardens and one of the most acclaimed & accomplished contemporary gardeners of his time as he speaks about his garden through the seasons at Hunting Brook Gardens, Blessington, Co Wicklow, acknowledged as one of Ireland's most dynamic, interesting and innovative gardens. Widely covered in the gardening press the garden has become a mecca for gardeners and hosts visitors from around the world every year.
Burtown House and Gardens hosts the rare and special plant fair, in association with Bord Bia. Features over 40 specialist stands of rare and unusual plants with expert advice from growers.
Exhibition of botanical work by acclaimed botanical artist Wendy Walsh at The Green Barn Restaurant, Shop and Gallery.
Snowdrops, aconites, hellebores and early bulbs throughout the garden and woods signal the first signs of spring. The Gallery exhibition hosts “February Flowers” - an exhibition of mainly snowdrop paintings by different botanical artists, including Wendy Walsh and Lesley Fennell. The Green Barn Restaurant
On Saturday November 18th pianist Finghin Collins and Violinist Katherine Hunka, will perform a programme of sonatas for violin and piano, from Beethoven’s energetic A minor Sonata to Brahms’ gloriously sunny G major violin sonata, passing by contemporary Irish composer Ian Wilson and the
The Green Barn welcomes award-winning author, chef and cookery teacher Gill Meller of River Cottage, cooking from the kitchen garden at The Green Barn for a special one-night-only dinner, a unique pop up event.
