Days Out NI
Garden & Estate Dervock, Co. Antrim

Benvarden Garden

A historic walled garden and pleasure grounds on the banks of the River Bush, near Dervock.

5 photos
Seasonal openingCheck dates before you go
Paid entryChildren under 14 free
DervockCounty Antrim
Get directions
1–2 hoursHow long
All agesBest for
OutdoorsGarden & grounds
On siteParking
TearoomOn site

A two-acre walled garden with roses radiating round a fountain, deep flowering borders, an old glasshouse and a kitchen garden — then a path down to the River Bush and a beautiful white iron bridge. Benvarden is said to be one of the oldest walled gardens in Ireland, still tended by the family who made it.

  • What you'll see — the walled rose garden with its central fountain, herbaceous and mixed borders, a box parterre, the old kitchen garden and glasshouses, and woodland and riverside walks that lead to the graceful iron bridge over the Bush.
  • How long — a gentle 1 to 2 hours to wander the garden and grounds, longer if you settle in for tea. Lovely for all ages, and easy underfoot on the level walled-garden paths.
  • Cost — paid entry (a modest garden charge), with children under 14 free. Confirm the current price on the day; RHS members may get in free — check before you travel.
  • Tea & food — the Stableyard Tearoom, in the old converted stables, does teas, coffees and home baking. It runs its own days and hours, so check ahead if tea is the plan.
  • Parking & dogs — free parking on site. As a working family garden, check the dog policy before bringing yours.
  • Seasonal opening — check first. Benvarden opens only for part of the year and on certain days, and the days and hours change season to season. Always check the garden's own listing before you set off.
  • It's the garden that opens — the house is a private family home. You're visiting the walled garden and grounds, not the house, which the Montgomery family still live in.
Plan your visit

Can I visit? Yes — but check the season first

Benvarden is a private family estate whose garden opens to the public seasonally — for part of the year and on set days, with the days and hours changing through the season. Entry is paid, with a modest garden charge and children under 14 free; confirm the current rate when you go, and RHS members may enter free. There's free parking on site, and the Stableyard Tearoom serves teas and home baking on its own days. Because opening is seasonal, always check the garden's own listing before you travel.

Free parking Stableyard Tearoom Walled & kitchen garden Riverside & woodland walks Plant & tree nursery
Two things to check before you set off:

(1) Benvarden opens seasonally on certain days only, and the hours shift through the year — check the garden's own listing so you don't arrive to closed gates. (2) It's the walled garden and grounds that are open to visitors; the house is a private family home, not part of the visit.

Before you set off

What to wear & bring

  • 👟Comfy shoesThe walled-garden paths are level gravel; the riverside and woodland walks can be soft after rain.
  • 🧥A coat or a layerYou're out in the open on the banks of the Bush — a breeze or a shower is never far away, even in summer.
  • 📷Your cameraThe rose fountain, the borders and the iron bridge over the river are made for photos.
  • 💷A little cashHandy for the entry charge, the tearoom and anything you fancy from the plant and tree nursery.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Opening
Seasonal — the garden opens for part of the year and on set days, with hours that change through the season. It's typically a spring-to-autumn, closed-some-days arrangement, so always check the garden's own current listing before you travel.
Getting in
Paid entry with a modest garden charge; children under 14 free. RHS members may enter free. Confirm the current price on the day.
What's open
The two-acre walled garden, rose garden, herbaceous and mixed borders, box parterre, kitchen garden and glasshouses, plus riverside and woodland walks and the iron bridge over the River Bush. The house is a private family home and not part of the visit.
Food
The Stableyard Tearoom, in the converted old stables, serves teas, coffees and home baking. It keeps its own days and hours, so check ahead if you're counting on it.
Nursery
An on-site tree and plant nursery sells bare-root and potted trees and garden plants — a nice thing to take home.
Dogs
As a working family garden, check the current dog policy before bringing yours.
Parking
Free parking on site.
How long
Around 1 to 2 hours to enjoy the garden and grounds, longer if you stop for tea.
Questions

Before you go

Is Benvarden open all year?
No — it opens seasonally, on certain days, and the hours change through the year. Always check the garden's own current listing before you set off so you don't arrive to closed gates.
Can I go inside the house?
No — it's the walled garden and grounds that open to visitors. The house is a private family home, still lived in by the Montgomery family, and isn't part of the visit.
How much does it cost?
There's a modest paid garden charge, with children under 14 free, and RHS members may get in free. Confirm the current price on the day.
Is there anywhere for tea?
Yes — the Stableyard Tearoom, in the old converted stables, does teas, coffees and home baking. It runs its own days and hours, so check ahead if tea is the plan.
How long should I allow?
Around 1 to 2 hours to wander the walled garden, the borders and the riverside walk to the iron bridge — longer if you stop for tea or browse the nursery.
Is it good for children?
All ages are welcome. The walled-garden paths are level and easy, with plenty of space, the river and the bridge to keep little ones interested. There's no playground — it's a garden day rather than an adventure one.
Getting there

36 Benvarden Road, Dervock, Ballymoney, County Antrim, BT53 6NN — in the countryside near Dervock and Ballybogey, a short drive inland from the Causeway Coast.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make a day of it

Old Bushmills DistilleryBushmills · a short drive Giant's CausewayBushmills · on the coast Dark HedgesArmoy · nearby BallymoneyTown & shops · nearby
The story

Generations of one family's care

The estate is an old one — its land is said to have been enclosed as far back as the seventeenth century, when a walled bawn most likely guarded the livestock. In the late 1700s the Montgomery family bought the demesne, and Hugh Montgomery, a banker newly returned from Virginia, is said to have taken it on around 1798.

The two-acre walled garden is generally dated to about 1780, its old bawn wall faced in warm red brick and raised high to shelter the plants inside. It's said to be one of the oldest walled gardens in Ireland — and behind those walls the roses radiate round a fountain, the borders run deep, and old glasshouses still stand over the kitchen beds.

Down at the water, the family left their own mark. A graceful ornamental iron bridge — said to date from around 1870 — spans the River Bush, the same river that runs on to the famous distillery at Bushmills. It's linked to Robert James Montgomery, remembered as a survivor of a Crimean War cavalry charge.

What makes Benvarden special is that it has never left the family. It's still their home and their garden, opened up for part of the year so visitors can walk the roses, cross the bridge and see what generations of one family's care can grow. Get out and enjoy it while it's open.