Fota Arboretum and Gardens

07/08/2026

Join us for Garden Herbs & Citrus Sips at Fota House, Arboretum and Gardens on Saturday, 5 September 2026. This outdoor event is taking place in partnership with our friends at the Irish Heritage Trust.

We are delighted to unveil Garden Herbs & Citrus Sips, taking place at Fota House, Arboretum and Gardens on Saturday, 5 September.

Presented in collaboration with the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH), through the Historic Gardens and Designed Landscapes Events Fund 2026, and the Office of Public Works, the event will celebrate Fota’s historic landscape, designed formal gardens and the heritage found in the Orchard and Victorian Working Garden.

Guests will be welcomed by Martina Madden, Curator at Fota House, for a presentation on Fota’s island setting.

You will then meet David B. O’Regan, OPW Site Foreman, for a guided walk through the landscape, experience the Orangery in a new way, and spend time with Ian Graham, Irish Heritage Trust Horticulturist, learning about the herbs grown at Fota.

This is an outdoor event, so please dress appropriately for the weather. Please also be aware that there are steps along the route.

Tickets are €48 plus booking fee and can be booked at fotahouse.com.

29/07/2026

Following the recent weeks of extremely high temperatures, most of our outdoor flowers have wilted quickly from a combination of drought and heat.
Thankfully within the Orangery we have a selection of Pelargoniums, which are maintaining a summer display.
I hope they brighten up your day.

24/06/2026

It's a good time to make hay in Fota Gardens.
The weather has been very mixed of late and while Monday morning was very cloudy and overcast, we took a chance that the forecast for the week was right and we could cut some of the high grass in the Walled Garden (Originally, the Old Fruit & Vegetable Garden for Fota House 🌽🧅🥦🫛).
The grass will not be wasted, but following a few days of good drying it makes a high quality hay, which we deliver to a Horse Rescue Centre in Cobh. 🐎🐴
Since Monday, we are certainly getting the temperatures for a quick drying with 30.4 degrees Celsius recorded on our outdoor thermometer in the shade yesterday😎🥵
Hopefully we will get some more settled weather in the weeks to come so we can complete the harvest for this year.
Enjoy the POV video of the mower in action. Very satisfying machine to be operating in these situations!

10/06/2026

Thirty years ago today, Fota Arboretum & Gardens was officially signed over to State care. At the time, there was a staff of six and three of those are still here today. (I've included a staff picture from 1996)
In the early years, having worked with some of the former staff that started working here in the 1940's, we have tried to protect their legacy and that of all previous gardeners going back to those original gardeners from the 1820's. During our time, we have endeavoured to restore and develop the grounds in order to leave our own legacy for future generations.
There won't be any celebration to mark the occasion, but it will be an opportunity for the staff to reflect on our former colleagues and to share some memories of all that has happened over those extremely rewarding 30 years.

04/06/2026

This weekend, our colleagues in Kerry are hosting their annual 'Discover Derrynane'. As can be seen from the programme, a comprehensive and wide ranging series of events have been organised to suit all tastes. So if you are passing by, be sure to drop in and enjoy what they have to offer.

19/05/2026

Did you know that from the 15-24th May, we are recognising Biodiversity in Ireland. Organised by the National Biodiversity Data Centre, it's an annual event encouraging us to learn more about the wildlife all around us and the small steps we can each take to protect it.
At this time of year birds are in full voice, when their song can be heard not only at dawn but throughout the day. One of the more modern ways to learn about birds living near you is the use of Bird Song apps. Here in Fota we gave one a trial recently and were amazed at the range of birds it picked up. Many will be familiar, but some are summer visitors and are rarely seen as they reside mainly in a Woodland setting.
If you're interest in what birds are sharing your Garden, Public Park or Forrest, I'd encourage you to give it a go.
Who knows what you might discover?

18/05/2026

They say that 'The eyes are the windows to the soul'.
If we don't want to look that deep, many of us will be drawn to people by the colour of the iris.
Here too in Fota at present, we are attracted by a range of plants, which also come under the name of Iris.
Gathered together over many years they are particularly appealing at this time of the year.
A selection are added here for you to enjoy.

18/05/2026

After 12 days of dry but cool weather, the sun came out last Friday.
While passing a plant of Libertia in the Walled Garden, I was stopped in my tracks by the sound of bees.
Obviously, encouraged out of their hive by the warmer temperatures, they certainly were homing in on a plant which hopefully rewarded all their effort.
For a more accurate representation of what I heard....PUMP UP THE VOLUME!!