Rowallane Garden near Saintfield in County Down grew from the 19th-century plantings of the Reverend John Moore and his nephew Hugh Armytage Moore, who laid out formal and informal spaces across the drumlin landscape. The walled garden, once for fruit and vegetables, now holds an ornamental collection, while paths through the pleasure ground pass specimen trees, farmland views and a bandstand that once stood on the Newcastle promenade; rhododendrons and azaleas peak in spring. Families can borrow free balance bikes, there is a second-hand bookshop in Rowallane House, and a resident potter sells work made on site. Reviewers praise the helpful staff and the relaxed walking, and note that dogs are welcome almost everywhere on a lead, including the house and cafe, with an off-lead exercise field near the car park. Parking is free with a one-way system; the lower garden is only partly accessible, and the gravel and grass paths undulate.
