Dublin in a Week, Part 3: The Japanese Gardens (Not actually Dublin at all)

The third part of my home-tourism week looks at the Japanese Gardens in Kildare, which is obviously not in Dublin but is only a 45 minute drive from my house, so I'm cheating slightly. We'll all get over it, I'm sure. The gardens were created between 1906 and 1910 and are designed to symbolise the "life of man". God forbid that women, the givers of life, should have a garden dedicated to their existence, but whatever. Ahem.
Anyways, the gardens portray the paths of birth, childhood, marriage, parenthood, old age, death (fun times on that particular path) and the afterlife with an exploration of Eastern and Western traditions. You can also check out the stud farm, where race horses are conceived, born and raised.

Famous Bridge, Waterfall and statue of St Fiachra (the patron St of gardeners), having the craic on his lake.

Beautiful flowers everywhere, dotey little Japanese House.

The "Marriage Bridge", Being soppy on said bridge

St Fiachras gaff, outside and inside

Lots of open green spaces

And this is Margo, possibly the cutest foal of all time.

If you're interested in visiting the Japanese Gardens yourself, it's open all year round, admission prices range from 7 euro to 29.50 (family ticket) and tours are available.

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