A charming pink house with a tiled roof, wooden window frames, and a lush garden filled with various green plants, grasses, and blooming red flowers.
This is a small cozy bedroom with a wooden bed frame, white comforter, two windows, light walls, green towel, and a peaceful outdoor view.
A smiling older couple takes a selfie by a scenic waterfront. Colorful buildings, a pier, and clear blue water create a beautiful, sunny, vacation atmosphere.
This image shows the inside of a greenhouse filled with numerous potted plants, gardening supplies, a work table, various tools, and a person tending plants.
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new host  

Community ornamental gardening in Balbriggan, Dublin, Ireland

Availability

  2026 

 Min stay requested: 1 week or less

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    When a visitor asked if we’d ever thought of opening the garden to the public, the question sowed the seed of a dream. Following retirement in 2017, construction of hard landscaping and creating exciting new planting schemes commenced. Today, there are over 250 metres of paths, numerous sitting areas, water features and a glasshouse. There's a potting shed and nursery area, home propagation activities. A large project currently in progress is a handcrafted, Victorian-style, three-quarter span, timber glasshouse.

    The garden here has become a place of select trees and shrubs, grasses and herbaceous perennials, and some exotic and interesting botanical specimens. Many of the early plant introductions to the garden have matured, and while the range of plants continues to expand, there are always new plants on the wish list. A detailed plant database is currently at over a thousand entries.

    We open our private garden to visitors on selected dates over the summer. This year (2026) we will be open on Friday and Saturday from June to August. While we do charge a small entrance fee to cover some of our costs, visitor numbers are impossible to predict, so we just keep working away in the garden and wait for the bell to ring. We are not a business.

    There is always much more we would like to do to improve the garden. Hosting is a new venture for us, so we are on a learning curve. Please contact us if you might be interested in giving some of your time and effort in exchange for accommodation and a warm welcome.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Light gardening
    Creative DIY projects
    Help around the house
    Light maintenance
  • Interests

    Interests

    DIY & crafts
    Carpentry
    Architecture
    Music
    Photography
    Gardening
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Spend time with us, lets get to know about each other ...

    Opening our garden to visitors and guests has been a rewarding experience. It's made us realise that a garden is so much more than just a collection of plants and structures.

  • Help

    Help

    What might you be doing here ....gardening, plant care, propagation, weeding, maintenance, garden projects ... it's an endless list! I'll work with you and show you how to do things.

    I have spent many years gardening and studied horticulture as a mature student. I have gardening skills to share and am also interested in photography and playing guitar. What do you like to do?

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    You will sleep in a bedroom in our house and you can eat with us. The room has a double bed. We've high speed internet, lots of books, a big kitchen and living area.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We are in an excellent location with good access to public transport. A 5 min walk to a bus stop to Dublin, 20 mins walk to train station. And we're only 15km or so from Dublin airport (a bus to ours is regular and runs through the night). And we're 800m from the sea, with lovely coastal walks. There is much to see and to do in the eastern regions of Ireland.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • My animals / pets

    My animals / pets

    Profile photo of Jeff

    Jeff (10 years)

    A gentle mixed breed terrier and your new best friend (if you give him a treat!)

Host ref number: 142923978735

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Photos

This is a small cozy bedroom with a wooden bed frame, white comforter, two windows, light walls, green towel, and a peaceful outdoor view.
A smiling older couple takes a selfie by a scenic waterfront. Colorful buildings, a pier, and clear blue water create a beautiful, sunny, vacation atmosphere.
This image shows the inside of a greenhouse filled with numerous potted plants, gardening supplies, a work table, various tools, and a person tending plants.
A charming pink house with a tiled roof, wooden window frames, and a lush garden filled with various green plants, grasses, and blooming red flowers.

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