There is something profoundly moving about an Irish garden. It breathes in gentle tones and reveals itself slowly, a bloom at the bend in the path, a rusted gate softened by climbing roses, a bench perfectly placed under an old pear tree. In our last exploration, we drew inspiration from the bold colours of Ireland’s best-loved landmarks. This time, we look inward, at the quiet, powerful beauty of real Irish gardens. These are places that invite pause, and as we pause, we begin to notice the palettes that surround us, and the potential they hold to shape our own outdoor spaces.
This summer, we invite you to explore six remarkable Irish gardens, not through their planting plans or layouts, but through the colours they whisper. And we’ll show you how those same hues can transform garden furniture, pots, pergolas, and paths into design features that echo their surroundings, all with our expertly crafted exterior paint range.
National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin
Where architecture meets the wild
Tucked into the north of Dublin city, the National Botanic Gardens are a curated contrast between cultivated order and natural abundance. The Victorian Palm House, with its soaring glass curves and iron detailing, anchors the experience and sets the tone for a garden steeped in architectural heritage and botanical storytelling. There’s a sense of formality here, but not rigidity; the paths gently curve, and the colour reveals itself in waves, from the fuchsia borders to the deep, leathery greens of the fern house.
Inspired by this unique interplay between structure and softness, we’ve drawn a palette that feels both refined and botanical. A warm, Arctic Blonde evokes the luminous quality of glasshouse light, perfect for giving outdoor seating a bright, clean lift. Paired with a deep botanical green like Sweet Caper, taken from mature palm fronds and fern canopies, it lends depth to verticals such as trellises or fences. Finally, a subtle bronze tone like Nude Bisque, inspired by the weathered iron of the greenhouse framework, brings cohesion to metal garden furniture or ornate detailing.
Rather than overwhelm the garden with colour, these tones work in harmony with planting. A bench painted in a soft garden white placed beneath a canopy of trees becomes a restful focal point. Trellis painted in deep green dissolves into climbing plants. And bronze accents offer a sense of timeless craftsmanship. In essence, Glasnevin reminds us that in garden design, paint should never shout, it should invite.
Wexford Lavender Farm, County Wexford
Fragrant fields and the art of soft colour
Set against the gentle hills of County Wexford, the Wexford Lavender Farm is a sensory experience like no other in Ireland. As you approach, rows of purple unfold in waves, not the sharp, tropical purples of summer bedding plants, but a soothing haze of lavender that shifts with the wind and light. The scent alone is enough to slow your breathing. It is both cultivated and poetic, a working farm, yes, but one rooted deeply in atmosphere and calm.
What’s most striking here is the serenity of the palette. Unlike the riotous colours of some summer gardens, the tones at Wexford Lavender Farm are muted, harmonious, and deeply connected to nature. The lavender itself is a complex colour, part grey, part blue, part violet, and it dominates the visual field without overwhelming it. Beneath it, the soft earth tones of gravel paths and natural wood, and beyond it, the silvery greens of foliage and the soft pastel skies of the Wexford landscape.
This environment offers the perfect colour direction for those looking to create a garden space that feels like a retreat. Begin with the obvious: a soft, dusky lavender tone like Iris Bloom. This tone, when used on seating, painted fencing, or plant containers, adds a gentle pop of colour while remaining restful and elegant. It pairs beautifully with pale, chalky greys, like Lorelei or Oslo, reminiscent of bleached driftwood or sun-weathered decking, for tables, sheds, or pergola frames. Finally, to warm the scheme and reflect the earth beneath the blooms, bring in a gentle clay beige or warm taupe like Valkriss ideal for planter borders, benches, or low rendered walls.
Used together, these colours create a palette that invites rest. A lavender-painted Adirondack chair beneath a flowering tree becomes a haven for a quiet afternoon. A soft grey trellis allows climbing roses to shine. And warm neutral accents ground the space without competing with the garden’s natural beauty.
Wexford Lavender Farm reminds us that colour doesn't have to be bold to be transformative. In the garden, as in nature, softness can be its own kind of luxury, and when paired with thoughtful design and quality materials, it creates an atmosphere that soothes, calms, and endures.
Garinish Island Gardens, Co. Cork
Subtropical theatre on the Wild Atlantic Way
Approaching Garinish Island by boat feels like stepping into a dream. Located in Glengarriff Harbour, this extraordinary garden is shaped by the Gulf Stream, its microclimate nurturing plants that feel almost impossible in Ireland: Italian cypress, palm, bamboo, and flowering exotics. But more than the planting, it’s the design that captivates, a theatrical blend of Italianate structure, Mediterranean terraces, and romantic walkways flanked by clipped hedging and warm stone.
This garden sings in rich, sun-warmed tones, apricot walls, terracotta steps, and a particular shade of blue caught in the sky, the sea, and the tiled mosaic of the Italian garden itself. These are the colours of southern Europe, made all the more surprising and striking in a West Cork setting.
To echo this warmth in your own garden, look to soft peachy renders like Palladian White, perfect for raised beds or garden walls. These tones bounce light and offer a beautiful contrast with greens and purples in the planting. A deep, cypress-inspired blue like Dragonfly Wing is ideal for painting metal bistro sets or wooden shutters, elegant, cooling, and intensely evocative. Finally, terracotta browns ground the scheme and add rustic charm to pots, path edging, or even timber pergolas.
Garinish invites us to rethink how we use colour outdoors. In a garden like this, the furniture is not just functional, it becomes part of the scenery. Colour becomes theatrical, layered, and expressive. It’s proof that the Irish climate, when embraced, doesn’t limit our palette, it enriches it.
Mount Stewart, County Down
Worldly beauty, rooted in the Irish landscape
Mount Stewart is not a typical Irish garden. It defies expectation in the most refined way, a palatial estate transformed by Edith, into one of Europe’s great gardens. With its Italian, Spanish, and sunken gardens, Mount Stewart blends classical design principles with the unique light, climate, and spirit of County Down. Paths are lined with yew and cypress, terracotta urns sit perched beside water lilies, and every turn reveals a new room, filled with structure and serenity.
What’s remarkable about Mount Stewart is its courage in colour. This is a garden that doesn’t shy away from vibrancy, from cobalt blue delphiniums and flaming dahlias to coral-painted walls and silver-green foliage. It invites a bolder approach to outdoor design, particularly when it comes to garden furniture and accents. Here, we find inspiration in a palette that balances aristocratic cool: deep blues, soft lavender-grey, and a muted blue that feels both historic and fresh.
Imagine painting a stucco garden wall or potting bench in a soft blue tone, like French Salt, a nod to the sunlit lake surface. Offset it with lavender-toned accessories in City Dusk. For focal pieces, such as a protruding capstone, consider a rich blue like Priory Wall, reminiscent of traditional Majorelle or Delft pigments. This unexpected touch of colour, when framed by greenery, becomes deeply grounding and luxuriously atmospheric.
Birr Castle Demesne, County Offaly
An ancient wildness with a scientific soul
There’s a grandeur to Birr Castle that’s impossible to ignore, not just in the architecture, but in the vast sweep of its landscape. The demesne surrounding the castle holds one of the finest arboretums in Europe, waterfalls hidden deep within woodland glades, and one of the oldest scientific telescopes in the world. Yet for all its scale and significance, the garden never feels aloof. There is a sense of immersion, a quiet wildness, where moss carpets stone steps and lichen softens the branches of ancient trees.
This deeply textural environment inspires a grounded and timeless colour palette: mossy green, weathered stone, and the silvery haze of morning mist. These aren’t high-gloss, exaggerated colours. They are muted, velvety, and complex, perfect for those who want their garden furniture and features to feel integrated with nature, rather than imposed upon it.
Imagine painting window shutters or panes in a rich Leafy Green, one that reflects the canopy. This tone works beautifully on areas where the light is dappled and movement is subtle. For sheds, walls, or storage units, a soft greige like Watch House, reminiscent of the warm tones stone of the historic structures present.
What Birr teaches us is that a garden doesn’t need bright colour to be richly expressive. By layering natural, organic tones in considered finishes, matte woods, brushed metals, chalky masonry paints, you can evoke a timeless elegance that feels as though it’s always been part of the landscape. In a modern garden, these colours bring calm and connection. In a historic one, they preserve harmony.
Iveagh Gardens, Dublin
A hidden gem of serenity in the heart of the city
Tucked quietly behind St. Stephen’s Green, the Iveagh Gardens are often described as Dublin’s “secret garden”, and rightly so. Despite their central location, they retain a rare sense of stillness, shielded by tall trees and sandstone buildings. Originally designed in the 19th century as a pleasure garden, the space has an enduring air of refinement and mystery. You’ll find formal fountains framed by statuary, wildflower meadows softened by long grasses, a gently cascading waterfall, and perfectly raked gravel paths that invite a slow stroll. It’s a garden of contrast: manicured and wild, structured and fluid, urban and timeless.
The colours that whisper through the Iveagh Gardens are sophisticated and subtle, shaped by stone, shade, and shadow. The soft grey of granite statues, the pale sand of gravel underfoot, the deep forest greens of the mature trees that encircle the space, all of these tones blend to create a palette that feels both serene and stately. It’s a masterclass in restraint, offering inspiration for those who want their garden features to exude calm elegance rather than overt colour.
For furniture and detailing, think of weathered stone neutrals and rich woodland greens. A pergola painted in deep ivy or hunter green shades like Bridle Path can tuck naturally beneath trees or along a hedged path. Garden furniture in soft limestone shades like Spinifex, reflect the pale gravel tones found throughout the garden’s layout. For a more refined accent, consider incorporating slate or charcoal, on a garden gate, a metal pergola, or the frame of a swing seat to echo the garden’s urban edges and give structure to softness.
What the Iveagh Gardens teach us is that colour doesn't need to be loud to be luxurious. In fact, when used with subtlety and care, quiet shades can elevate a space with timeless beauty. It’s a palette for those who seek contemplation in the garden, a refuge of elegance in a world that rarely pauses. And for those designing their own outdoor retreat, it’s a reminder that serenity is a colour story all its own.
The Art of Quiet Colour
Ireland’s gardens don’t announce themselves. They draw you in gently, one curve, one bloom, one rusted hinge at a time. And it is in these subtle moments that we find the most inspiring palettes: colours that have grown out of centuries of soil, softened by rain, and caught in low evening light. These are not fleeting trends, they are rooted, elegant, and enduring.
As you design your own garden this summer, consider not just the flowers, but the framework. The seat where you rest your coffee. The gate that welcomes you in. The pot that catches the last of the light. With the right paint, crafted for exterior longevity and finished with finesse, even the humblest features become part of a richer story. One that is yours, and one that echoes the whispered beauty of Hidden Ireland.