About
With ornamental grounds, peaceful woodland, meandering waterways and picturesque glens, the historic gardens surrounding Northern Ireland's royal residence are a joy to explore.
On these members-only tours, come and discover the gardens at Hillsborough Castle with Gardens Manager, Claire Woods.
These tours are an exclusive opportunity to explore the gardens with our Gardens Manager and are included in the cost of your membership. Equivalent tours require payment for non-members. Tickets are limited so please only book if you are available and will attend.
We recommend sturdy footwear as paths can be rough and routes will involve steep steps.
01 May
This guided tour of the gardens will introduce you to the history of the gardens since they were enclosed in the 18th century, how they were initially laid out and the changes that have taken place over the last 250 years. You will hear about the Hill family and their influence on the gardens and those who have added or made changes in more recent years. Recent plantings and historic iconic plants will be discussed during the tour.
19 June
This tour introduces you to the early summer plants that are in flower. Starting in the Walled Garden with the herbaceous beds and then on through the Lost Garden to see the late Rhododendrons and candelabra primulas. Stroll through the wildflower meadow to see the orchids and then to the South Terrace which is a riot of colour in June. The focus of the tour will be on the plants, their identification and use in the garden, hopefully giving you ideas for your own garden.
21 September
Autumn is a time to harvest and this walk will be focused on the Walled Garden where you will be introduced to all the crops that are ready for harvest. The early apples and pears should be ripe and ready to taste. We will also look at the best of the autumn flowering herbaceous plants in the borders and how to keep them looking lovely through the season.
Facilities
Accessibility
- Activities accessible for visitors with disabilities
