Mount Congreve receives prestigious international gardening award

Mount Congreve Gardens has been recognised with a distinguished honour from the International Dendrology Society (IDS), marking a historic first for the Republic of Ireland.

The award acknowledges the garden’s collection of woody plants and its significant contribution to horticulture and conservation.

The 70-acre estate is home to one of the world’s finest collections of rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias, and other woody plants, set within richly planted woodlands. 

Widely regarded as one of the great gardens of the world, the International Dendrology Society, founded in 1952, is one of the most respected global organisations devoted to the study and appreciation of trees and shrubs.

It brings together a worldwide network of dendrologists, horticulturists, botanists, and plant enthusiasts who are united by a passion for woody plants and their conservation.

Members of the IDS have visited Mount Congreve many times over the years and always found the collection and the garden's commitment to plant conservation exemplary.

Their findings praised the estate’s exceptional horticultural standards and the breadth and quality of its curated specimens.

Speaking at the award presentation, Ray Sinnott, Estate Director at Mount Congreve, expressed pride in the recognition, stating that the award is a tribute not only to the current team’s daily dedication but also to the generations of gardeners who have nurtured the estate over time.

The honour included the presentation of an official IDS plaque, marking the gardens as a site of outstanding dendrological significance and the first to hold such an honour in the Republic of Ireland

With this honour, Mount Congreve Gardens joins a select group of internationally celebrated gardens acknowledged by the IDS for their botanical excellence and contributions to global plant heritage.