These three hectares (seven acres) of gardens—said to be the oldest cultivated gardens in Ireland, with a walled upper area dating to 1605—surround an imposing 12th-century castle overlooking the River Blackwater. While the gardens, located about 58 kilometers (36 miles) from Waterford, are in bloom and open to the public from mid-March until mid-October, the castle has been the private residence of the Duke of Devonshire since 1753. There’s more to explore nearby, however: historic Lismore, a past winner of Ireland’s Tidy Towns award.
