Kilgar Gardens

Kilgar Gardens in Co. Meath is both a beautiful and interesting garden to visit at this time of year.

Paula and Thomas Byrne purchased a 23 acre site in Co. Meath in 2005. Once their house was built in 2007, they moved in and Paula’s love affair with her surrounding gardens began.

Covering an area of three acres, over the years Paula has lovingly designed and maintained a series of gardens within a garden set around her stunning stone built house.

‘Once the house was built I was eager to get started on the exterior,’ says Paula. ‘The first thing I did was add the boundary hedging and over the years I have divided the space into a flower farm and seven garden rooms. I did my final garden last year,’ she adds.

Previously a dressmaker, Paula’s creative side led her to study interior design and the principles of this she has applied to her garden. ‘I wasn’t a gardener before I started,’ explains Paula. ‘In fact I had no gardening experience whatsoever, but I was determined to get stuck in and using my interior knowledge I applied the same rules when it came to scale, proportion, focal points, colour and so on to my gardens.’

Paula works at her gardens every day. They are her passion and she loves getting up and enjoying the freedom of working outdoors, and of course, seeing the results of all of her hard work as the gardens come into their own throughout the course of the year.