About Iveagh Gardens
The hidden Iveagh Gardens, backing onto St Stephen's Green in the Merrion Square area, is a walled Victorian paradise among best parks in Merrion Square Dublin. Designed in the 1860s by Ninian Niven as a private garden for the Dublin Exhibition, it's now a public secret, gifted by the Guinness family. Enter via unassuming portals on Hatch Street — step into another world of yew mazes and cascades.
Cascading water tumbles over rocks, roses riot in colour, and boxwood hedges form playful mazes. It's quieter than its neighbours, with birdsong dominating over traffic hum — ideal for mindfulness amid urbanity.
What to Expect
Features include a woodland walk, rosarium with 100+ varieties, sunken formal panels, and a ringfort-inspired maze. Benches invite repose; no café but nearby options abound. Excellent accessibility, peaceful paths for all.
Insider Tips
Dubliner's nudge: the northwest portal from St Stephen's is stealthiest. Spring for tulip displays; summer for maze games. Pair with National Concert Hall gigs (adjacent). Locals jog loops here pre-rush hour. Lesser-trafficked than Merrion, it's your insider pick for secluded green in the heart of Georgian Dublin.