The National Botanic Gardens: A Halloween Adventure

This morning we set off to one of our favourite weekend morning spots, The National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin. We are really lucky to have this gem on our doorstep. Fresh air, space for kids to run around and most appealing of all, it’s free! One of our favourites places for family days out in Dublin. The Botanic gardens has so much to offer for families, from toddlers to teens, and it’s hard not be impressed by the stunning greenhouses surrounded by beautifully kept gardens all year round.

Though many people long for summer days in the Botanic Gardens, Autumn for me, is when the magic happens. If you have time over the festive Halloween period to make your way to the gardens, you won’t be disappointed as there are beautiful displays of pumpkins, a gigantic spider web hidden amongst the trees, and a witches garden filled with magical plants. Today there was a beautiful display of painted pumpkins, for a competition, in one of the greenhouses that was really spectacular.

The Harvest display near the cafe was awash with all the beautiful autumnal colours and really was a sight to behold. There was such thought and care put into the display and we were delighted to have gotten the opportunity to see it this year. Children were passing by in absolute awe pointing out all the different elements, and trying their best to sneakily climb over the rope barrier! Today was also dress up day at the Gardens (though we kind of missed that memo, #parentingfail) and so there were plenty of children about all dressed up which only added to the spooky atmosphere.

There are lots of sculptural pieces around the gardens which are really interesting and engaging for all ages. Luke absolutely loved ‘The Magic Door’ and enjoyed jumping out from behind it whilst we feigned surprise and shock. We also saw lots of birds on our travels along with a cheeky grey squirrel which was the highlight for Olly.

When it comes to family days out in Dublin, whether living in Dublin or visiting from afar, the National Botanic Gardens are well worth a visit. The cafe is a nice spot to rest your feet and warm up afterwards with a coffee or hot chocolate. It’s well worth keeping on eye on the Office of Public Works (OPW) website for upcoming events in the year and the Botanic Gardens and other sites around Dublin.