Fota Gardens & Arboretum

The name "Fota" comes from the Irish "Fód te" meaning warm soil. In addition to the Arboretum, there is the Victorian Fernery, Walled Pleasure Gardens, Ornamental Pond and Orangerie. From 1997 to 2000, the walled Fruit and Vegetable Garden was converted to a formal Rose Garden with themed borders of Monocot, Shade and South American plants. With extensive walls a large selection of climbers have been planted. Also within this garden is a collection of Irish bred daffodils. Fota is famous for its trees, most of them planted by the Smith-Barry family from the middle of the nineteenth century onwards. The collection also includes many tender plants that could not be grown at inland locations, with many examples of exotic plants from the Southern Hemisphere.