Heywood Gardens

Overview

Heywood Gardens sits on a sweeping hillside at Haywood Demesne, just outside the village of Ballinakill in County Laois. Spread over 50 acres, the estate combines a romantic 18th‑century parkland with a compact, inter‑locked formal garden created in the early 1900s. Visitors are greeted by a limestone gate lodge, a network of lime‑tree alleys, three historic lakes, and a series of terraces that frame spectacular views across seven counties. The site is owned and managed by the Office of Public Works and is open year‑round with no admission charge.

History

The story of Heywood Gardens begins in 1773 when Frederick Trench, an Irish landowner inspired by his Grand Tour of Europe, built Heywood House and set about reshaping the surrounding landscape. He moved entire hills, dug the three lakes that still dominate the park, planted avenues of trees and erected ornamental follies, creating what contemporary accounts described as the most exquisite romantic landscape of its time.

In the early 20th century, Colonel Hutchinson Poe commissioned the eminent architect Sir Edwin Lutyens to design a formal garden around the now‑lost Heywood House. Lutyens, working closely with the celebrated horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll, laid out a series of inter‑locking garden rooms, a sunken garden with an elongated pool, and a red‑tiled loggia bearing an inscription from Alexander Pope. Although the house was demolished, the Lutyens‑Jekyll garden remains one of the finest surviving examples of their collaborative work in Ireland.

The estate passed into state ownership in November 1993, when the Office of Public Works took over from the Salesian Fathers, who had cared for the grounds since 1941. Today, the gardens are maintained as a public heritage site, offering a glimpse into both 18th‑century landscape design and early‑20th‑century formal garden art.

What to See & Do

• Lutyens’ Garden – The centerpiece of the estate, dating from 1912, features a sunken garden with circular terraces that descend to an elliptical pool. Small turtle statues gaze at a grand fountain, while a red‑tiled loggia displays an Alexander Pope quotation. Plantings include peonies, miniature irises, bergenia, anemones, hostas, geraniums, heuchera, saxifraga, and a striking blue palette of nepeta, aconitum, delphinium and chionodoxa.
• Terraced Walks – A pleached lime alley, planted around 1906, leads from the formal garden to the Upper Terrace, where alliums, wild rose, erinus alpinus, hardy cyclamen and kniphofia bloom in summer. The nearby pergola, recently refreshed with hydrangeas, wisteria and fuchsia, offers a shaded retreat.
• Lakes and Wildlife – The three historic lakes, excavated by Trench, attract waterbirds such as moorhens and kingfishers. A walk lined with pollard lime trees provides panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, and the lake edges are marked by a deep‑water hazard warning.
• Architectural Follies – Along the original drive you can admire the partially restored orangery, a sham castle, an obelisk, Claude’s Seat and a historic bath house, each echoing the romantic ambitions of the original landscape.
• Woodland Exploration – Ancient oak and beech woodlands weave through the estate, offering quieter paths away from the formal garden. The forest walk is ideal for families seeking a gentle nature experience.

Practical Information

Heywood Gardens is open all year, with seasonal opening hours that extend later in the summer months:

Access is limited to the outside areas of the estate; the interior of the former house is not open to the public. Visitors with disabilities have limited access, and the site provides a wheelchair‑friendly path to the main terrace, though some garden rooms involve steps and uneven terrain.

Admission – Free entry for all visitors.

Facilities – On‑site car park, public toilets, a visitor brochure, guided tours (by appointment), and interpretive exhibits are available.

Restrictions – Dogs are welcome on leads. Cycling, open fires, camping and barbecues are prohibited. The lake water is deep; swimming is not permitted.

Contact – For enquiries, email heywood@opw.ie.

Getting There – The gardens lie 7 km southeast of Abbeyleix, off the R432 towards Ballinakill. Detailed directions are available via Google Maps: 52.884144, -7.300514.

Further Reading – Official heritage information can be found on the Heritage Ireland page: Heritage Ireland – Heywood Gardens.

Enjoy a leisurely hour wandering through one of Ireland’s most romantic landscapes, where the legacy of an 18th‑century visionary meets the refined elegance of Lutyens and Jekyll.