The classic view of Powerscourt looking down the immense staircase and across the gardens to the Wicklow mountains beyond.

There are wide lawns and formal gardens at the foot of the first part of the great staircase.

Formal rose gardens are set into the lawns on either side of the grand path.

The roses in these gardens were all either red or yellow.

Down another great set of steps, the large water lily covered pool is viewed through the symbols of Powerscourt, two winged horses.

The shell of the grand house of Powerscourt as seen from the far side of the pool.

Looking down into the ‘Japanese Garden’. It has some features of Japanese garden design but is very much a European garden.

A small rill and several small waterfalls are a feature of the “Japanese Garden’.

Another view looking down into this garden showing the Japanese style additions.. The view changes dramatically depending on whether you are down inside the garden or up on the edge.

Light and shade on the trunks of a grove of trees in another section of the garden – reached after a long climb up a hill in the park.

The long perennial borders in the walled gardens.

Evening or English Primrose makes a splash of colour in a predominantly green border. This may be seen as a common plant but the delicacy of its veins are beautiful.

As in most gardens we have seen, various types of geraniums are used as bed fillers in the long border gardens – each flower delicate and beautiful.

In amongst the more common plants are specimens like this prickly Eryngium.

Hydrangea villosa originates in China and is not the common garden Hydrangea. It’s totally deciduous and almost tree-like in form and flowers from late summer into autumn. It can withstand hot, dry conditions but, like us, was not so happy in the wet of this Irish summer!

This beautiful blue plant was unknown to us – and unlabelled in the garden.

The previous photo was just of the buds. Following our friend Ross’s clue that this was probably  a species of anaconitum or monkshood or maybe its a delphinium / larkspur.  I checked my photos again and found one with buds open. Together with the leaves shown in the previous photo it may be possible to make a more definite naming.

The sky – note the BLUE – and trees helped to set off the view of one end of the walled garden with its small pond.

Back on the house level is a formal garden – the ‘keep off the grass’ variety!

And on this level is a fairly extensive rose garden growing against a high and sheltering wall. The perfume was heady and at last some roses to really enjoy.

This rose has an apt Irish name – Whiskey Mac.

Back to the lawn in front of the house – the views are expansive of park and skies.

One of the features of this garden is the statuary.

Another, more classic view, of the gardens and the Wicklow mountains from the front of the house.

One of the less famous statues in Powerscourt gardens – a smaller, reflective style rather than the large brash ones used to make statements throughout this large park style garden.

And in quiet out of the way corners there is evidence of age and decay – such a huge old garden takes an enormous amount of maintenance.

A rain storm seen approaching over the cafe wing of the house sent us scurrying to put on our wet weather gear yet again and leave the gardens for a dry area – the plant nursery out near the car park.

Powerscourt has a fine nursery and garden shop – oh to have been able to take home some of these ready made hanging gardens! We have seen these in so many places throughout Ireland as people take great pride in their villages.

Choosing what we would buy if we could was fun. I loved this Hydrangea called ‘Bela’.

A small growing Cockscomb or Celosia called ‘Intenz’ was another favourite.