THE BOTANIC GARDENS 7 JULY 2025
The National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin, represent a true horticultural jewel and a significant scientific institution. Established in 1795 by the Dublin Society (now the Royal Dublin Society), the Gardens were initially founded with a focus on scientific agriculture, exploring plants for food, medicine, and dyeing. However, they quickly evolved to embrace a broader botanical purpose, collecting and displaying plants from around the globe.
Today, the National Botanic Gardens cover nearly 20 hectares and are home to an astonishing collection of over 15,000 plant species and cultivars. This includes more than 300 endangered plant species, with six even being extinct in the wild, making the Gardens a vital "Noah's Ark" for plant conservation. Visitors can explore diverse areas such as:
Historic Glasshouses: The Gardens are particularly renowned for their exquisitely restored wrought-iron glasshouses. The Turner Curvilinear Range (completed in 1848 and extended in the 1860s) is a masterpiece of Victorian engineering, its distinctive curved roof having even featured on Irish stamps. The Great Palm House, built in 1883 after an earlier wooden structure was damaged, houses an impressive collection of tropical plants. Both have received awards for excellence in conservation architecture. Other glasshouses include the Aquatic House and the Orchid House, the latter notable for being where orchids were first successfully grown from seed in the 1840s.
Thematic Gardens: Beyond the glasshouses, the outdoor spaces offer a rich tapestry of botanical displays. These include a beautiful Rose Garden, an Alpine Yard, a Rock Garden (constructed from local Finglas stone), Herbaceous Borders, and a Sensory Garden designed to engage all five senses. There's also an Arboretum with a wide variety of trees, a Fruit and Vegetable Garden demonstrating organic growing techniques, and areas dedicated to showcasing the native flora of Ireland, including a unique representation of the Burren's limestone pavement flora.
Scientific and Educational Role: While a tranquil oasis for the public, the Gardens remain a premier scientific institution. They house the National Herbarium, with nearly 750,000 dried plant specimens crucial for research into plant distribution, diseases, and climate change. The Gardens also play a significant role in education, offering workshops, guided tours, and events for all ages, fostering an understanding of plant importance globally.
Access to Glasnevin Cemetery via the Gardens
A notable and fascinating development in recent years is the direct pedestrian access now available between the National Botanic Gardens and the adjacent Glasnevin Cemetery. This linking gate, which reopened in October 2013, creates a unique combined visitor experience.
Glasnevin Cemetery, established in 1832 by Daniel O'Connell, is not just a burial ground but a significant historical and cultural site, often referred to as "the resting place of over 1.5 million Irish people." It is the final resting place for many of Ireland's most influential figures, including Daniel O'Connell himself, Michael Collins, Éamon de Valera, Charles Stewart Parnell, and Countess Markievicz, among countless others. The cemetery also features an award-winning museum that tells the stories of those interred there and provides context to key moments in Irish history.
The direct access point between the Botanic Gardens and Glasnevin Cemetery offers visitors a seamless transition from a vibrant living collection of flora to a poignant historical landscape. One can move from admiring the vibrant plant life and serene beauty of the Gardens to exploring the rich tapestry of Irish history and heritage contained within the cemetery. This connection allows for a full day out, combining nature, beauty, history, and remembrance, and is a truly unique aspect of Dublin's cultural offerings. Visitors can easily move between the two sites, making it convenient to explore both major attractions within a single visit.
Today, the National Botanic Gardens cover nearly 20 hectares and are home to an astonishing collection of over 15,000 plant species and cultivars. This includes more than 300 endangered plant species, with six even being extinct in the wild, making the Gardens a vital "Noah's Ark" for plant conservation. Visitors can explore diverse areas such as:
Historic Glasshouses: The Gardens are particularly renowned for their exquisitely restored wrought-iron glasshouses. The Turner Curvilinear Range (completed in 1848 and extended in the 1860s) is a masterpiece of Victorian engineering, its distinctive curved roof having even featured on Irish stamps. The Great Palm House, built in 1883 after an earlier wooden structure was damaged, houses an impressive collection of tropical plants. Both have received awards for excellence in conservation architecture. Other glasshouses include the Aquatic House and the Orchid House, the latter notable for being where orchids were first successfully grown from seed in the 1840s.
Thematic Gardens: Beyond the glasshouses, the outdoor spaces offer a rich tapestry of botanical displays. These include a beautiful Rose Garden, an Alpine Yard, a Rock Garden (constructed from local Finglas stone), Herbaceous Borders, and a Sensory Garden designed to engage all five senses. There's also an Arboretum with a wide variety of trees, a Fruit and Vegetable Garden demonstrating organic growing techniques, and areas dedicated to showcasing the native flora of Ireland, including a unique representation of the Burren's limestone pavement flora.
Scientific and Educational Role: While a tranquil oasis for the public, the Gardens remain a premier scientific institution. They house the National Herbarium, with nearly 750,000 dried plant specimens crucial for research into plant distribution, diseases, and climate change. The Gardens also play a significant role in education, offering workshops, guided tours, and events for all ages, fostering an understanding of plant importance globally.
Access to Glasnevin Cemetery via the Gardens
A notable and fascinating development in recent years is the direct pedestrian access now available between the National Botanic Gardens and the adjacent Glasnevin Cemetery. This linking gate, which reopened in October 2013, creates a unique combined visitor experience.
Glasnevin Cemetery, established in 1832 by Daniel O'Connell, is not just a burial ground but a significant historical and cultural site, often referred to as "the resting place of over 1.5 million Irish people." It is the final resting place for many of Ireland's most influential figures, including Daniel O'Connell himself, Michael Collins, Éamon de Valera, Charles Stewart Parnell, and Countess Markievicz, among countless others. The cemetery also features an award-winning museum that tells the stories of those interred there and provides context to key moments in Irish history.
The direct access point between the Botanic Gardens and Glasnevin Cemetery offers visitors a seamless transition from a vibrant living collection of flora to a poignant historical landscape. One can move from admiring the vibrant plant life and serene beauty of the Gardens to exploring the rich tapestry of Irish history and heritage contained within the cemetery. This connection allows for a full day out, combining nature, beauty, history, and remembrance, and is a truly unique aspect of Dublin's cultural offerings. Visitors can easily move between the two sites, making it convenient to explore both major attractions within a single visit.