Overview
Abbey Blooms is a young garden with an unusual purpose. It opened in August 2021, on land behind the Franciscan friary a kilometre outside Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, set up by Nua Healthcare Services as a community inclusion project. The gardens employ people of all abilities, who work in the horticulture, the café and the events. Entry is free, there is a café and a small shop, and the planting is laid out to change through the year.
The friary behind it
The garden is new but the setting is not. It sits directly behind the Multyfarnham Franciscan friary, which dates to 1268 and is the only Franciscan abbey in Ireland still standing on its original foundation. It came through the suppression ordered by Henry VIII and a fire in 1601, and has held some 700 years of worship on the spot. The garden has turned what was underused land at the rear into open green space.
What to see and do
The beds are planted to shift with the seasons, from snowdrops pushing through frost to a clear change in March as the bulbs and trees come on. Horticultural consultants chose a mix of specimen trees, flowering plants and native species suited to the Westmeath climate, and a level loop trail runs through the gardens with signage on the role each plant plays.
The on-site Garden Café runs alongside the gardens daily from 10am to 4.30pm, with coffee, tea, homemade cakes and sandwiches. Its better feature is the set of sheltered gazebos, which let you sit out in the kind of weather the midlands usually provides. There is also a small garden shop selling potted plants, seasonal blooms and gardening bits, with staff happy to advise on keeping them alive.
The North Pole Experience
Each December the gardens become a ticketed Santa trail that has become a regional draw. Visitors get a passport and follow a route of fairy lights, tunnels and festive gazebos, meeting worker elves and Mrs Claus on the way to Santa’s workshop. There is a Ribbon Tree of Positivity and Remembrance where families tie ribbons in memory of loved ones.
The event usually runs on selected weekends and weeknights across November and December, with evening visits generally between 4pm and 9pm. Tickets are required and booked through the website. It draws large crowds, so book early.
Community and wellness
The point of the place is the community inclusion behind it. Alongside paid roles for people of all abilities, Nua Healthcare runs 12-week internships, including CLaD placements, for people interested in gardening, sustainable land management and hospitality. Guided mindfulness walks and seasonal workshops run occasionally.
Practical information
Opening hours
- Monday – Sunday: 10am – 4.30pm
- Hours can vary during special events or in winter, so check the website first.
Admission
- Garden entry: free
- Café: pay for what you order
- North Pole Experience: ticketed, booked online
Contact and booking
- Phone: (044) 930 0032
- Email: abbeyblooms@nuahealthcare.ie
- Website: abbeyblooms.ie
Getting there and accessibility The gardens are just off the R393, about 15 minutes from Mullingar and a short way north of the N4. There is free parking in a dedicated lot beside the café. The main walking route is level and smooth, suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, and the café and facilities are fully accessible.
Nearby
A visit pairs well with the wider Midlands. A short walk away is Lough Owel, a designated bathing spot known for its wetland habitats and birdlife. The Hill of Uisneach, the mythic ceremonial centre of Ireland, is a short drive off, and the village of Fore holds a 7th-century abbey and the Seven Wonders of Fore.