Travel Information

The first thing that a visitor notices upon first laying eyes on Annes Grove in County Cork is the lush greenery. It is very rare for a garden anywhere in the world to have rare trees and shrubs grown with such success and, more than that, to harmoniously grow with other beautiful plant life to present a seamless look. Set on a sloping area of land around an early eighteenth-century house that overlooks the Awberg River, the thirty-acre Annes Grove garden is a sight to behold with its thousands of healthy plants that have been expertly laid out to blend with the landscape. The front of the house has a parkland that is home to many trees, while a walled garden houses a yew walk, rock garden, water garden, and a herbaceous border. Beyond these attractions is a woodland garden that is planted with rhododendrons. Walk a little further and visitors will gain access to a secluded wooded limestone gorge that has a river garden dotted with an island as well as stony rapids. It even has rustic bridges, which perfectly complements the lush foliage. The original layout for the garden was much more formal, and in fact some of the trees from that previous incarnation, then called Ballyhemock, still survive to this day. The place was originally built by Lt. General Grove Annnesley on land he inherited from the Grove family. The place, which became an informal park, was constructed in the late eighteenth century and only minor alterations were done on the area until 1900 when Richard Grove Annesley inherited the property. He would spent sixty years of his life continually developing the place until it became one of Ireland’s great gardens. Annes Grove is one of those Irish destinations that a traveller must see. The place is very accessible by car. In fact, a car trip through Ireland is the best way to see the country. Renting a car in Ireland is an easy process because of the number of car hire companies that cater to tourists.