Restored to its Former Glory: Historic Annesley Walled Garden Reopens After a £1.3million Transformation

The Annesley Walled Garden, set at the heart of the internationally renowned arboretum in Castlewellan Forest Park, will reopen to the public on Saturday 7 March 2026, following nearly two years of restoration work and storm damage repairs.

The restoration has been funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, as part of a £5.5 million Castlewellan Historic Demesne heritage project.

The 12-acre walled garden, dating back to the 1850s, is one of the finest examples of a grand Victorian formal garden with collections of rare and exotic trees, shrubs and plants. The surrounding arboretum is also home to one of the most significant collection of trees and shrubs on the island of Ireland.

Opening from 10am on Saturday, during the opening weekends (7-8 and 14-15 March), visitors can pre-book daily guided walks of the garden, with an accompanying programme of children’s activities running between 11am and 3pm. See Visit Mourne Gullion Strangford

Highlights of the Annesley Walled Garden restoration include:

• The three Victorian glasshouses on the Terrace, ranging in size from 63m² to 145m². They are in the process of becoming a home once again to heat-loving and tender plants and will be completely planted up with new plants by early summer.
• The Mermaid and Heron fountains, which are playing again after eight years of silence.
• The double herbaceous borders, the longest in Northern Ireland, flanked by cobble stones. Long-established plants include Crinum x powellii ‘Album’, Rodgersia sp. Nova ‘Castlewellan’ and Persicaria amplexicaulis.
• The reopened paths within the Rhododendron Wood, which had been ‘lost’ for decades under fallen trees and dense undergrowth. The project cleared the dead trees and undergrowth before restoring the paths. The area has also been planted with new varieties of rhododendron, set to be a highlight when in bloom during April.
• Over 600 new trees, which were planted within the garden and the surrounding area, including the endangered Glyptostrobus pensilis (Chinese swamp cypress) and Taxodium distichum (Swamp cypress), new to the collection.

The project has also funded two successful apprenticeships. Aidan Murphy (26), from Rostrevor and Marc Johansen (35), from Maghera, Co. Down, have benefited from the expertise of onsite Head Gardener Alwyn Sinnamon and Gardener Kevin Dolaghan. Following the completion of their training, Aidan and Marc’s work with Council has continued, taking the lead on labelling the collection and leading the volunteer work parties.

The Annesley Walled Garden restoration is the first step in the overall Castlewellan Historic Demesne project. The Grange and courtyards at the heart of the park are also in the process of being transformed into a new visitor hub, which will open this summer.

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.

“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, 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.

The extensive work in the Walled Garden and Arboretum has preserved its natural environment and built heritage ensuring it can be enjoyed across the seasons for years to come. Thanks to National Lottery players, we’ve been able to support this work and provide training opportunities for trainee gardeners and volunteers. We would encourage people to visit, take in the sea and mountain views and experience its history and cultural heritage on a guided walk. We also look forward to the forthcoming completion of works at The Grange.”

John Joe O’Boyle, Chief Executive of Forest Service, said, “We welcome the reopening of the historic and prestigious gardens here at Castlewellan Forest Park following substantial investment and refurbishment. 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 and have supported the Council’s funding bid to The National Lottery Heritage Fund which has enabled the works to be completed. I would encourage visitors to Castlewellan Forest Park and this wider Mournes landscape to take in this special garden experience as part of their time spent in this area.”

The family focused entertainment during the opening two weekends at The Annesley Walled Garden will run between 11am and 3pm on 7-8 March and 14-15 March, including storytelling, circus skills, face painting and crafts. Pre-booking is required for the daily guided walks on these dates. During that time, a free shuttle service will also be available running between the car park and Walled Garden, to assist those with limited mobility or small children to access the Walled Garden, during these weekends only. Full details can be found on Visit Mourne Gullion Strangford