Rowallane Garden facts for kids
Rowallane Garden is a beautiful place in Northern Ireland, near a town called Saintfield. It is looked after by the National Trust, which is a group that protects special places. This garden is famous for its amazing collections of colorful flowers like azaleas and rhododendrons. It also has a special collection of flowers called penstemons. The garden first opened its doors to visitors on May 16, 1956. The National Trust started caring for it in July 1955.
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What You Can See at Rowallane Garden
Rowallane Garden is huge, about 50 acres in size! That's like 50 football fields. It has many different areas to explore. You can find a special walled garden, which is a garden surrounded by walls. There's also a natural Rock Garden Wood, where plants grow among rocks.
Exploring the Outdoors
The garden has pretty wildflower meadows, full of different kinds of wild flowers. You can also go for a walk on the Farmland Walk. This path takes you to the top of Trio Hill, where you can see great views. There is also a peaceful Woodland Walk through the trees.
Places to Relax
After exploring, you can visit the tea-room. It's in the old farm stables and even has a bell-tower! The main house on the estate is also important. It is where the National Trust has its main office for Northern Ireland.
The History of Rowallane Garden
The story of Rowallane Garden began a long time ago, in the mid-1860s. A man named Reverend John Moore started creating the garden. He built the walled garden and made the Pleasure Grounds, which were areas for people to enjoy. He also planted many trees.
How the Garden Grew
In 1903, the garden was passed to Reverend Moore's nephew, Hugh Armytage Moore. Hugh loved plants and worked hard to make the garden even better. He connected with plant experts and botanic gardens all over the world. Because of his efforts, Rowallane Garden now has plants and trees from many different countries. You can find plants from North and South America, Japan, China, Tibet, and New Zealand!
