Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Yesterday we made a welcome return to the magical Seaforde Gardens and Tropical Butterfly House -The broshure says, 'Welcome to a Little Slice of Heaven'. Well maybe,- for here, found half way between Ballynahinch and Dundrum on the road to Newcastle, we find the butterfly house in huge grounds at the end of a long driveway in the middle of rural Co Down.
It's all here folks to see and enjoy,
easy parking,
good toliets,
ice cream cafe,
gift shop
spacious manicured lawns,
multiple picnic areas,
play park,
woodland walkways -with so many trees to climb,
peacocks galore strutting about,
tropical butterfly house,
exotic rescue birds and animals including snakes, terrapins, scopions tarantulas and creepy crawlies.
The oldest maze in Ireland
( And as an added bonus a few Austin Healy cars arrived! )
It reminded me so much of a, Harry Potter world. You enter the walled garden and you enter step back in time. A world where colourful butterflies land on your shoulder and then zoom off again. Our grandchildren has a super time! We stayed for hours and hours exploring and climbing, until we had to go home again. It was a long day and even the rain stayed away.
It was well worth the entrance fee! Real value for money. We did unwind. We will be back.
'Discover. Explore. Unwind.
Seaforde Gardens, Maze and Tropical Butterfly House promises a truly plant rich and nature-filled experience for visitors. Situated in the historic Demesne of Seaforde in County Down, which has been a family home for almost 400 years, visitors will discover an historic walled garden that has something for everyone. The perfect place in which to unwind for an afternoon or to hunt out your favourite spot.
The Walled Garden
The 5-acre walled garden, which today contains the tropical butterfly-house and maze garden, is comprised of two halves. The northern half, where the butterfly-house and café are located, was originally the kitchen garden for the main house, as evidenced by the massive curved northern side to maximize the exposure to sunlight and radiated heat.
The southern half of the walled garden, which is now the maze garden, was formally an expansive ornamental garden. Photographs from the 1860’s suggest a high-Victorian ornamental style with bold axial paths, Italianate urns and formal beds.
The Butterfly House
A tranquil jungle home to myriad species of free-flying butterflies and exotic plant life.
The Tropical Butterfly House is the atmospheric, jungle home to myriad species of free-flying butterflies from the Blue Morpho to the King Page Swallowtail, the Malachite to the Scarlett Peacock and the Tree Nymph, to name a few. All peacefully at home surrounded by exotic and tropical plant life.
A Butterfly feast
Follow the meandering anthropods as they feast on nectar from the special fruit tables, flit around the lush plant life and float close to the turtles and terrapins hiding in the pond.
Pass through to discover a world of mini-beasts. From our friendly python (!) to glow-in-the-dark scorpions, tropical fish to talkative parrots, and not forgetting our little community of terrapins, tarantulas, giant hissing cockroaches, bugs, stick insects, and snakes. Not for the faint-hearted!
The Maze and Gardens
A truly remarkable botanic and nature-filled experience
The historic gardens at Seaforde are situated both within and adjacent to the old walled garden, whose structure dates from the early half of the 18th century. The hidden, micro-climate gardens boast Ireland’s oldest living maze and support an renowned collection of plants, many semi-tender and collected from distant corners of the world thanks to the travels of keen plantsman Patrick Forde. The gardens also include an arboretum containing champion trees and rare species.
The Maze
The centrepiece of the Seaforde garden is Ireland’s oldest living maze, planted in 1975 to mark the occasion of Patrick and Lady Anthea Forde’s 10th wedding anniversary and growing in both reputation and stature since then. Planted with hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) hedges and providing maze lovers with a beautifully confusing challenge to the centre. With access from north and south, find an opponent and challenge them to maze triumph.
Nearby and planted against the central wall are a noteworthy range of uncommon trees and shrubs carefully collected from the wild by Patrick Forde or lovingly sourced from other growers.
Opening times
Gardens & Maze
Mon-Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: 12noon - 5pm
Tropical Butterfly House
Mon-Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: 12noon - 5pm
Ticket Prices
Yesterday we made a welcome return to the magical Seaforde Gardens and Tropical Butterfly House -The broshure says, 'Welcome to a Little Slice of Heaven'. Well maybe,- for here, found half way between Ballynahinch and Dundrum on the road to Newcastle, we find the butterfly house in huge grounds at the end of a long driveway in the middle of rural Co Down.
It's all here folks to see and enjoy,
easy parking,
good toliets,
ice cream cafe,
gift shop
spacious manicured lawns,
multiple picnic areas,
play park,
woodland walkways -with so many trees to climb,
peacocks galore strutting about,
tropical butterfly house,
exotic rescue birds and animals including snakes, terrapins, scopions tarantulas and creepy crawlies.
The oldest maze in Ireland
( And as an added bonus a few Austin Healy cars arrived! )
It reminded me so much of a, Harry Potter world. You enter the walled garden and you enter step back in time. A world where colourful butterflies land on your shoulder and then zoom off again. Our grandchildren has a super time! We stayed for hours and hours exploring and climbing, until we had to go home again. It was a long day and even the rain stayed away.
It was well worth the entrance fee! Real value for money. We did unwind. We will be back.
'Discover. Explore. Unwind.
Seaforde Gardens, Maze and Tropical Butterfly House promises a truly plant rich and nature-filled experience for visitors. Situated in the historic Demesne of Seaforde in County Down, which has been a family home for almost 400 years, visitors will discover an historic walled garden that has something for everyone. The perfect place in which to unwind for an afternoon or to hunt out your favourite spot.
The Walled Garden
The 5-acre walled garden, which today contains the tropical butterfly-house and maze garden, is comprised of two halves. The northern half, where the butterfly-house and café are located, was originally the kitchen garden for the main house, as evidenced by the massive curved northern side to maximize the exposure to sunlight and radiated heat.
The southern half of the walled garden, which is now the maze garden, was formally an expansive ornamental garden. Photographs from the 1860’s suggest a high-Victorian ornamental style with bold axial paths, Italianate urns and formal beds.
The Butterfly House
A tranquil jungle home to myriad species of free-flying butterflies and exotic plant life.
The Tropical Butterfly House is the atmospheric, jungle home to myriad species of free-flying butterflies from the Blue Morpho to the King Page Swallowtail, the Malachite to the Scarlett Peacock and the Tree Nymph, to name a few. All peacefully at home surrounded by exotic and tropical plant life.
A Butterfly feast
Follow the meandering anthropods as they feast on nectar from the special fruit tables, flit around the lush plant life and float close to the turtles and terrapins hiding in the pond.
Pass through to discover a world of mini-beasts. From our friendly python (!) to glow-in-the-dark scorpions, tropical fish to talkative parrots, and not forgetting our little community of terrapins, tarantulas, giant hissing cockroaches, bugs, stick insects, and snakes. Not for the faint-hearted!
The Maze and Gardens
A truly remarkable botanic and nature-filled experience
The historic gardens at Seaforde are situated both within and adjacent to the old walled garden, whose structure dates from the early half of the 18th century. The hidden, micro-climate gardens boast Ireland’s oldest living maze and support an renowned collection of plants, many semi-tender and collected from distant corners of the world thanks to the travels of keen plantsman Patrick Forde. The gardens also include an arboretum containing champion trees and rare species.
The Maze
The centrepiece of the Seaforde garden is Ireland’s oldest living maze, planted in 1975 to mark the occasion of Patrick and Lady Anthea Forde’s 10th wedding anniversary and growing in both reputation and stature since then. Planted with hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) hedges and providing maze lovers with a beautifully confusing challenge to the centre. With access from north and south, find an opponent and challenge them to maze triumph.
Nearby and planted against the central wall are a noteworthy range of uncommon trees and shrubs carefully collected from the wild by Patrick Forde or lovingly sourced from other growers.
Opening times
Gardens & Maze
Mon-Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: 12noon - 5pm
Tropical Butterfly House
Mon-Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: 12noon - 5pm
Ticket Prices
