What a beautiful place I discovered in the centre of Carlow Town on the Old Dublin Road. It is called “An Gairdín Beo” what means an Irish saying that literally translates to ”The Garden Alive”.
So An Gairdín Beo is a living garden for Carlow community which has a two-acre space. And it is located just next to St Leo’s Convent of Mercy.
In 2014 Sisters of Mercy offered a lease on a two acre wilderness that sits next to St Leo’s College and Convent, giving the community an opportunity to create a garden. In 2015 a Board of Directors was established and An Gairdín Beo has since registered as a Charity. The garden activity are by the Volunteers. An Gairdín Beo welcomes volunteers from across the community.
An Gairdín Beo is a community garden what means a place where people come together to enjoy the nature and the green space, to grow food, herbs, flowers and other plants, to learn new skills, meet other people and be part of their local community and to take part in organised events or activities.
In An Gairdín Beo there are:
- the stables,
- pizza oven,
- growing area,
- biodiversity area,
- geo-dome,
- wetlands,
- healing garden,
- St. Joseph`s walk,
- wildflower meadow,
- native heritage orchard,
- native grove
- and meditation garden.
This place and its idea is brilliant. A peaceful green space in a centre of town where visitors can walk and browse through the garden, rest and admired on the beauty of nature. It is also gardeners paradise.
An Gairdín Beo is open Monday to Friday: 9.30am – 4.30pm and Saturday and Sunday by arrangement. Admission is free.
I invite you to visit official website of An Gairdín Beo: angairdinbeo.org
“Our ethos is based on valuing diversity, sustainability, organic methods and indigenous species. The overall vision of the garden is of a space where people can connect more with nature, with the growing and making of food and with one another”.
Location of An Gairdín Beo:
