The Annesley Walled Garden at Castlewellan Forest Park reopens this Saturday 7 March 2026, following nearly two years of restoration and storm damage repairs funded through a £5.5 million heritage project.
The restoration has been made possible through joint funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, as part of the wider Castlewellan Historic Demesne heritage project. The 12-acre walled garden dates to the 1850s and is widely regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of a grand Victorian formal garden in Ireland, housing collections of rare and exotic trees, shrubs and plants within an arboretum that holds one of the most significant tree and shrub collections on the island.
By the rhododendron bush pointing to the first signs of spring at the newly restored
Annesley Walled Garden are (front row from left) Head Gardener, Alwyn Sinnamon;
The National Lottery Heritage Fund Investment Manager Frances McNally; Newry,
Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Cllr Philip Campbell and Forest
Service Chief Executive Officer, John Joe O’Boyle with staff and volunteers.
Among the highlights of the restoration are the three Victorian glasshouses on the Terrace, ranging in size from 63m2 to 145m2, which are in the process of being replanted with heat-loving and tender plants and are expected to be fully planted by early summer. The Mermaid and Heron fountains are playing again after eight years of silence, and the double herbaceous borders, the longest in Northern Ireland, have been restored along with their original cobblestone flanking. Long-established plants including Crinum x powellii ‘Album’, Rodgersia sp. Nova ‘Castlewellan’ and Persicaria amplexicaulis continue to feature within the borders.
Restoration work also uncovered the paths within the Rhododendron Wood, which had been lost for decades beneath fallen trees and dense undergrowth. The area has been cleared and replanted with new rhododendron varieties, which are expected to be a highlight when they bloom in April. Across the garden and surrounding grounds, over 600 new trees have been planted, including the endangered Glyptostrobus pensilis (Chinese swamp cypress) and Taxodium distichum (Swamp cypress), both new additions to the collection.
The project also supported two apprenticeships. Aidan Murphy (26), from Rostrevor, and Marc Johansen (35), from Maghera, Co. Down, trained under Head Gardener Alwyn Sinnamon and Gardener Kevin Dolaghan. Both have since continued working with the Council, taking the lead on labelling the collection and heading up volunteer work parties.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Philip Campbell said, “We are grateful to the skilled craftspeople, talented gardening team and passionate volunteers for their hard work and dedication in restoring the Annesley Walled Garden to its former glory. I was especially struck by the team’s resilience in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn just over a year ago, when 120 trees from our collection were sadly lost.” Cllr Campbell added, “A big thank you to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for believing in our vision and to the Forest Service for their invaluable support. The garden opening on 7 March coincides with the blooming of the magnolia trees which provide the Walled Garden’s first real burst of colour. I hope that residents and visitors alike will take this opportunity to rediscover the Annesley Walled Garden and fall in love with it all over again.”
Frances McNally, Investment Manager at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said, “The opening of the Annesley Walled Garden is a great milestone in the delivery of the Castlewellan Historic Demesne project that benefits local people and visitors to the area.” She added that the work carried out had preserved the site’s natural environment and built heritage, and acknowledged the role of National Lottery players in making the training and volunteer opportunities possible.
John Joe O’Boyle, Chief Executive of Forest Service, welcomed the reopening, saying, “The gardens are host to many tree and plant specimens of significant national and international importance. We are delighted to be the stewards for the public of such a special and significant place.”
To mark the reopening, family-focused activities will run between 11am and 3pm across the first two weekends, on 7-8 March and 14-15 March, including storytelling, circus skills, face painting and crafts. Daily guided walks are available on those dates but must be pre-booked. A free shuttle service will also run between the car park and the Walled Garden on those weekends to assist visitors with limited mobility or small children. Full details are available at visitmournegullionstrangford.com
The Annesley Walled Garden restoration is the first phase of the broader Castlewellan Historic Demesne project. The Grange and its courtyards are currently being developed into a new visitor hub, with an opening expected later this summer.
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