Days Out NI
Garden & Parkland Saintfield, Co. Down

Rowallane Garden

A National Trust garden of spring rhododendrons, a walled garden and rolling parkland near Saintfield.

4 photos
Check timesOpen most days
Paid entryNT members free
SaintfieldCounty Down
Get directions
Half-full dayHow long
All agesBest for
OutdoorsMostly out
On siteParking
On leadsDogs

A spring garden that lights up with rhododendrons and azaleas, a hidden walled garden, a rock garden and acres of rolling parkland to wander. Said to be one of Northern Ireland's finest spring gardens — and the National Trust's home in NI.

  • What you'll see — the spring blaze of rhododendron and azalea colour, a walled garden of borders and blooms, a rock garden of outcrops and low planting, wildflower meadows, and woodland and parkland walks through the wider demesne. It holds a National Collection of large-leaved rhododendrons.
  • How long — a couple of hours to half a day. All ages welcome, with family nature trails and plenty of open ground for little ones to roam.
  • Spring is the star. The rhododendrons and azaleas peak in late spring — thought to be the best time to come. Other seasons are quieter and greener, still lovely for a walk but without the big colour.
  • Paid entry — members free. It's a National Trust garden, so there's an admission charge, but National Trust members go in free. Check current prices and opening times before you set off.
  • Food — a café on site for tea, coffee and a bite. Worth a stop after your walk round.
  • Getting there & dogs — near Saintfield, County Down, with parking on site. Dogs welcome on leads. Some gentle slopes and grass paths.
Plan your visit

Can I visit? Yes — it's open to the public.

Rowallane is a National Trust garden, open to visitors through the season. There's an admission charge (National Trust members free), a café on site and parking at the gate. It's most spectacular in late spring when the rhododendrons and azaleas are out — check current opening times and prices on the day before you travel.

Parking on site Café Toilets Dogs on leads Family nature trails Woodland walks
Worth knowing:

Opening times and admission prices change with the season, and the big rhododendron colour is a late-spring show. Check the current times before you set off so you catch it at its best.

Before you set off

What to wear & bring

  • 👟Comfy shoes or welliesGrass and gravel paths, with a few gentle slopes — soft underfoot after rain.
  • 🧥A coat or a layerIt's County Down — a shower or a breeze is never far off, even on a bright day.
  • 📷A cameraThe spring rhododendron and azalea colour is worth catching. A quiet visit gives you the run of it.
  • 🧺A picnic, maybeOpen lawns to spread out on when it's dry, or the café when it's not.
What's on

Coming up while you're there

The National Trust runs seasonal events, family trails and garden walks through the year — most in spring and summer. Check the current programme before your visit for what's on the day you go.

Good to know

Everything before you go

Opening hours
Open to visitors through the season, most days. Hours change with the time of year, so check the current times before you travel.
Getting in
A National Trust garden, so there's an admission charge — free for National Trust members. Confirm the current price on the day.
Food
A café on site for tea, coffee and a bite. Handy for a warm-up after a walk round the gardens.
Toilets
Yes — toilets near the visitor entrance.
Dogs
Welcome on leads across the garden and grounds.
Parking
Parking on site at the entrance.
Getting around
Grass and gravel paths with some gentle slopes. Sturdy footwear helps, especially after rain.
Best season
Late spring for the rhododendron and azalea colour, though the walled garden, meadows and parkland make it attractive year-round.
How long
A couple of hours for the gardens; add the woodland and parkland walks for a longer visit.
Questions

Before you go

When's the best time to visit?
Late spring is the star, when the rhododendrons and azaleas are in full colour — thought to be the finest show of the year here. The walled garden, meadows and parkland are lovely in summer and autumn too, just quieter and greener.
How much does it cost?
It's a National Trust garden, so there's an admission charge — and National Trust members go in free. Prices change over time, so check the current rate before you go.
Is there a café?
Yes — there's a café on site for tea, coffee and a bite. A good spot to warm up after a walk round the gardens.
Can I bring the dog?
Yes — dogs are welcome on leads across the garden and grounds.
Is it good for little ones?
Plenty for them — family nature trails, open lawns and meadows to roam, and woodland walks. All ages welcome; note there are some gentle slopes and grass paths.
How long should I set aside?
A couple of hours does the main gardens comfortably. Add the woodland and parkland walks and you can happily stretch it to half a day.
Getting there

Rowallane Garden, Saintfield, County Down, BT24 7LH — just outside Saintfield village, about half an hour south of Belfast.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make a day of it

Saintfield villageSaintfield · nearby Delamont Country ParkKillyleagh · 7 miles Castle EspieComber · 8 miles Strangford LoughKillyleagh · 8 miles
The story

A garden built plant by plant

Rowallane began in the 1860s, when the Reverend John Moore laid out the demesne, planting trees and building the stone cairns and mounds that still dot the parkland. But the garden as it's known today is largely the work of his nephew, Hugh Armytage Moore, who inherited the place in 1903.

Over the next half-century Armytage Moore gathered plants from around the world — many from the great plant-hunting expeditions of the day — and coaxed them into the acid soil and sheltered folds of the land. The rhododendrons and azaleas that draw the crowds each spring trace back to that patient, decades-long work.

Some plants were raised at Rowallane itself, including the well-known Hypericum 'Rowallane' and a chaenomeles that carry the garden's name. The walled garden, rock garden and wildflower meadows all grew out of the same lifelong project.

The National Trust took Rowallane on in 1955, and it has since become the Trust's home in Northern Ireland. Today it's cared for as one of the region's most celebrated spring gardens — a place shaped, plant by plant, over the best part of a century.