If you haven’t yet been to Mount Congreve House & Gardens, now is your chance to see what all the fuss is about. Built in 1760 by heir, John Congreve, it was home to six generations of the Congreve family, with the last member of the family, Ambrose Congreve who died aged 104 in 2011.
Today, the estate belongs to the Irish State and is open to the general public. Below, we share our five reasons why Mount Congreve is well worth a visit!
Highlights of Mount Congreve
1. Paradise for flower and plant lovers
Mount Congreve hosts one of the largest collections of plants in Ireland. During the spring and early summer, the gardens are blooming with Azaleas, Camellias, Magnolias and Rhododendron. There are plenty of wildflowers too that you can see as you stroll through the gardens.
2. The amazing Herman Dool Magnolia Walk
Surrounded by hundreds of Magnolias, with quite a few originating from Mount Congreve selections that go all the way back to the 1960s, the Herman Dool Magnolia Walk IS something to be sniffed at…
3. For the history of the Congreve Family
Learn about the six generations of Congreves that lived there until the last one, Amber Congreve died in 2011. You can take a guided tour of the house and gardens where you get to know what life was like. It was also one of the last places in Ireland to have liveried servants, Read more about the people that lived there
Source: The Munster Express
4. Twilight tours
This July 4th, enjoy a twilight tour of Mount Congreve Gardens with Estate Manager, Ray Sinnott and Garden Curator, Michael White. Stroll around the stunning gardens now in full colour, and find out what life was like for Ambrose Congreve. Pre-booking essential, buy tickets here
5. To get your photo in front of the Chinese Pagoda
The garden has many lovely features but one of our favourites to get all ‘snap happy’ is the Chinese Pagoda in the centre of the old quarry. It’s pretty awesome, go see it for yourself.
Source: mountcongreve
Do remember to social distance at all times there and follow the safety guidelines, but most of all, take a deep breath, close your eyes and smell the flowers as you walk around. A feast for the senses.
