Days Out NI
Gardens · Butterfly House Seaforde, Co. Down

Seaforde Gardens & Tropical Butterfly House

A historic walled garden and hedge maze on an old County Down demesne — with a warm glasshouse full of free-flying exotic butterflies.

5 photos
Mon–Sat 10–5Sun 12–5 · check the day
Combined £13.70Adult · child £7.80 · under-3s free
SeafordeCo. Down, near Downpatrick
Get directionsOfficial website
2–3 hoursHow long
All agesBest for
Indoor + OutHouse & gardens
On siteParking
From £5.35Price

A historic walled garden and a hedge maze on an old County Down demesne — with a warm glasshouse full of free-flying exotic butterflies that land on the leaves, the flowers and, if you stand still, sometimes on you.

  • What you'll see — two things in one visit: the Tropical Butterfly House, a heated glasshouse where exotic butterflies fly free among the plants (with insects and reptiles too), and the historic gardens — a walled garden, mixed borders, rare trees and shrubs, and a hedge maze to get pleasantly lost in.
  • Don't miss — standing still in the butterfly house until one settles near you, and finding the centre of the maze. The demesne is said to be around 400 years in the making, and the planting shows it.
  • How long — most people give it two to three hours across the garden, the maze and the butterfly house.
  • Cost — you can pay for one attraction or both. Either one on its own is adult £7.95, child (3–16) £5.35; the combined ticket is £13.70 adult, £7.80 child, with under-3s free and a family ticket at £36.70. Confirm the current rate when you arrive.
  • When — open in the main season, Mon–Sat 10am–5pm and Sun 12–5pm. Hours can change out of season, so check the day before you travel.
  • The butterfly house is seasonal. It's a warm-weather attraction and doesn't run all year, so check it's open on the day on seafordegardens.com before you set off — especially if the butterflies are the reason you're coming.
  • The combined ticket saves. If you want both the garden and the butterflies, the joint ticket works out cheaper than paying for each — ask for it at the desk rather than buying two singles.
Plan your visit

Two attractions, one afternoon

Seaforde is really two days out on one site — the gardens and the butterfly house — and you choose whether to do one or both. In the main season it opens Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday from 12 noon to 5pm. Prices are £7.95 adult and £5.35 child (age 3–16) for a single attraction, or a combined ticket at £13.70 adult and £7.80 child for both, with under-3s free and a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) at £36.70. Season passes are available if you plan to come back. The butterfly house is a heated, seasonal attraction, so if the butterflies are your main reason for coming, ring or check the website first — hours and the butterfly-house season can vary through the year.

Tearoom & plant sales Warm tropical butterfly house Hedge maze & walled garden Parking on site Check dog policy before you go
Worth knowing:

The butterfly house is warm and seasonal — it isn't open every day of the year. Opening times and prices can change with the season, so check seafordegardens.com or ring 028 4481 1225 before you travel, and ask for the combined ticket if you want both the garden and the butterflies.

Before you set off

What to wear & bring

  • 👟Comfy walking shoesThe gardens are grass, gravel and bark paths across a good bit of ground — flat, easy shoes beat sandals here.
  • 🧥A light layer you can take offThe butterfly house is deliberately warm and humid, so a coat you can peel off at the door keeps you comfortable inside.
  • 📷A camera or phoneThe butterflies come close and the maze looks great from the middle — good spots for a photo. Move slowly so the butterflies stay put.
  • 🥤A hat and water on a bright dayMuch of the garden is open and sunny, so a hat, a drink and the shade of the trees make a warm afternoon a joy.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Single attraction (butterfly house or gardens): adult £7.95, child (3–16) £5.35, under-3s free. Combined ticket for both: adult £13.70, child £7.80. Family ticket (2 adults, 2 children, both attractions) £36.70. Season passes and group rates (10+) are available. Prices can change — confirm the current rate when you arrive.
Season & hours
Main season: Monday to Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 12 noon–5pm. The tropical butterfly house is a warm, seasonal attraction and isn't open every day of the year, so check before travelling, especially outside the summer.
What you'll see & do
The gardens — a walled garden, mixed borders, a collection of rare and unusual trees and shrubs, and a hedge maze to walk. The Tropical Butterfly House — a heated glasshouse where exotic butterflies fly free among tropical planting, with insects and reptiles to see too.
Butterfly house
Warm and humid by design, to suit the butterflies. Keep doors closed, move slowly, and don't touch the butterflies — but do stand still and let them come to you. A light layer you can remove keeps you comfortable inside.
Ages
Works for all ages. Small children love the free-flying butterflies and the maze; garden lovers get the walled garden and the rare planting. It's a calm, wander-at-your-own-pace kind of day rather than a playpark.
Food
A tearoom is on site for tea, coffee and something to eat. Refreshments and opening can vary by season, so check on the day if food is part of your plan.
Plants
Seaforde is a working nursery as well as a garden — plants raised on site are usually for sale, so it's a good place to pick something up for your own garden.
Dogs
Policies vary at gardens with a butterfly house and reptiles, so check the current dog policy on the website or by phone before bringing yours. Assistance dogs are normally welcome.
Parking
Parking is available on site.
How long
Allow two to three hours to take in the gardens, the maze and the butterfly house at an easy pace.
Questions

Before you go

Is the butterfly house always open?
No — it's a warm, seasonal attraction and doesn't run every day of the year. If the butterflies are the main reason for your visit, check seafordegardens.com or ring 028 4481 1225 first to be sure it's open on the day.
Do I have to pay for both attractions?
No. You can pay for just the gardens or just the butterfly house at £7.95 adult / £5.35 child, or take the combined ticket for both at £13.70 adult / £7.80 child, which works out cheaper than two singles.
Will the butterflies land on me?
They might — they fly free among the plants and are drawn to warmth and bright colours. Move slowly, stand still, and don't try to touch them; let them settle on the leaves and flowers, or on you.
Is it good for young children?
Yes — small children are usually delighted by the free-flying butterflies and love finding the middle of the hedge maze. It's a gentle, wander-at-your-pace day rather than a playground, so bring the pace right down.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There's a tearoom on site for a drink and a bite. As with the hours, refreshments can vary by season, so check on the day if food is part of your plan or bring your own.
Can I buy plants?
Usually, yes — Seaforde is a working nursery as well as a garden, so plants raised on site are generally for sale if you'd like to take a bit of it home.
Getting there

Seaforde, County Down, BT30 8PG — in the village of Seaforde, between Ballynahinch and Clough on the road towards Downpatrick, with the Mourne Mountains not far to the south. Parking is on site.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website

Book or check ahead: 028 4481 1225

See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

Castlewellan Forest ParkPeace Maze & lake · nearby Tollymore Forest ParkForest walks · near Newcastle Rowallane GardenNational Trust garden · Saintfield Dundrum CastleHilltop ruin & views · Dundrum
The story

A long-tended demesne, and a house full of wings

Seaforde sits in the quiet farmland of central County Down, with the Mourne Mountains rising away to the south. The gardens grew up around the old demesne here, and they carry the feel of a place that has been planted, replanted and cared for over a very long time — the demesne is said to be around 400 years in the making, and the mature trees, the walled garden and the sheer range of shrubs bear that out.

Wander in and you find a garden of two moods. There's the formal side — the walled garden, the clipped hedges of the maze, borders that peak through the summer — and there's the wilder collector's side, with rare and unusual trees and shrubs gathered over the years and a working nursery raising plants on site. Getting pleasantly lost in the hedge maze, and then finding your way to the middle, is the bit children make a beeline for.

Then there's the surprise at the heart of it. Step into the Tropical Butterfly House and the temperature jumps — it's kept deliberately warm and humid — and the air is full of colour. Exotic butterflies fly free among the leaves and flowers, close enough to watch the light through their wings, with insects and reptiles to see besides. Stand still for a moment and one may well come to rest beside you. It's the kind of small wonder that lands with a child and stays with them — and it turns a garden visit into a proper day out.