Japanese Garden

The Japanese Garden looks wonderful in spring when the azaleas are in full bloom and their blossoms perfume the air, and in autumn with the vibrant colours of the Japanese maples. Stone lanterns will guide you through the winding paths of the garden, bringing you to its innermost circle.

Here you will find a Pagoda and a trickling stream under pretty Japanese bridges. The next circle is marked by a ring of Chinese Fortune Palms, which have been cultivated in China and Japan for thousands of years and were first brought to Europe in 1830. The upper circle provides stunning views of the Japanese Garden and the Sugar Loaf Mountain in the distance. There is a beautiful concept behind each of these circles: working inwards, we discover our inner selves; working outwards and upwards we gain greater knowledge of the world around us.

The Grotto

Take your loved one and go to one of the oldest features of Powerscourt gardens, next to the Japanese Garden. This is an elaborate grotto dating from the 1st Viscount’s garden in 1740. An air of 18th century romance still pervades here, with its secret pathways and romantic atmosphere. The grotto is made from fossilized sphagnum moss, taken from the banks of the nearby river Dargle. Listen to the sounds of water trickling down the grotto’s moss covered walls – it is truly refreshing! Before you leave the Japanese garden, toss a coin into the wishing well for good luck!