Rothe House Garden is the only urban garden of this period open to the public.

The long, walled burgage plot runs from the rear of Rothe House on Parliament Street to the city wall. Archaeological excavations in 2008 uncovered the original layout of the garden. Over 2,000 artefacts, including the seeds and pollen of 17th century plants, were also discovered.

A well-designed garden reflected the status and taste of its owner and would have been a place relating to food, business and pleasure. After a careful restoration, the garden now boasts heritage varieties of the vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers that would have been grown in the 17th century and is laid out in a similar style to what John Rothe and his family once enjoyed.

Fruits
Pear, fig, quince, damson, medlar, cherries and apples such as Blood of the Boyne and Scarlet Crofton

Flowers
Sunflower, lily, lavender, rose, violets, jasmine, anemone, tulip

Vegetables
Cabbage, onion, leek, turnip, artichoke, borage, carrot, spinach

Herbs
Chamomile, parsley, fennel, mint, rosemary, dill, tansy, wormwood, sage, mustard

Today, the garden is an oasis of calm away from the hustle and bustle of Kilkenny’s busy streets and a true hidden gem on the Medieval Mile.

Entrance to the garden is included in all admission tickets.