Tel: +44 (0)28 4481 1225
Seaforde Gardens and Tropical Butterfly House is now closed.
We will reopen Easter 2025
The Tropical Butterfly House is the atmospheric, jungle home to myriad species of free-flying butterflies from the Blue Morpho to the King Page Swallowtail, the Malachite to the Scarlett Peacock and the Tree Nymph, to name a few. All peacefully at home surrounded by exotic and tropical plant life.
Up Close
Visitors to the Tropical Butterfly House are encouraged to wander around or sit quietly in a corner of this heated jungle and enjoy a close-up experience of these colourful and exotic butterflies as they dart here-and-there amongst the tropical plants, searching for nectar sources, and performing what appear to be aerobatic dances to attract mates.
As you wander around the house or sit quietly in a corner, you may find that some of the butterflies come to land on you, perhaps attracted by colourful fabrics of your clothes or more likely, seeking out the salt that humans produce on their skins' surface, sucking it up with their proboscis (the handy straw-like ‘device’ butterflies unfold to use as a mouth).
Look into the life cycle
In one corner of the house, you can observe the pupae hatch into butterflies and learn about the life cycle of these fascinating animals. From hatching from a tiny egg as larva (in the form of a caterpillar) and then transforming into pupa to hatch again, but this time as a butterfly. How the butterfly then enjoys weeks or months searching for a mate before finding a place to lay eggs and begin the beautiful life cycle once again.
A butterfly feast
Follow the meandering anthropods as they feast on nectar from the special fruit tables, flit around the lush plant life and float close to the turtles and terrapins hiding in the pond.
Pass through to discover a world of mini-beasts. From our friendly python (!) to glow-in-the-dark scorpions, tropical fish to talkative parrots, and not forgetting our little community of terrapins, tarantulas, giant hissing cockroaches, bugs, stick insects, and snakes. Not for the faint-hearted!
Visitors can also look forward to perusing gift shop favourites in our Seaforde Shop and letting their little ones burn off some energy in our children’s playground.
Seen at #Seaforde
Whether you’re an expert or a novice, Seaforde Gardens are the perfect setting for budding photographers. Enjoy cosying up to the butterflies, zooming in to the gardens and marvelling at the peacocks and we’ll delight in featuring your beautiful shots.
Explore the hidden paths and vistas at Seaforde Gardens this bank holiday weekend #seafordegardens @discoverni @discoverireland.ie #rareplants #irishgardens #irishcountryhouse @gardenhousecafe_ #mazegarden #walledgarden #irishdemesne
There are always rewards if you look closely. Come and visit Seaforde Gardens #seafordegardens #irishgardens #walledgarden #irishcountryhouse #mazegarden #irishdemesne @discoverni @discoverireland.ie @gardenhousecafe_ #mazegarden #tropicalbutterflies #rareplants
The Maze Garden - Seaforde Gardens #seafordegardens #seafordegardensandbutterflyhouse #irishgardens #discoverni @discoverni @discoverireland.ie @gardenhousecafe_ #walledgarden #irishdemesne #irishcountryhouse #mazegarden #maze
Late June displays in the Maze Garden - #seafordegardens #roses #cornuskousa #Tropaeolumspeciosum #irishyew #tetrapanax #irishgardens #walledgardens #rareplants #mazegarden #irishcountryhouse #gardendesign #maze @discoverni @discoverireland @seafordegardens @gardenhousecafe_
Wonderful May weather…time to explore Seaforde Gardens #seafordegardens #seafordebutterflyhouse #raretrees #rareplants #irishgardens #irishdemesne #mazegarden #discoverni #discoverireland_ #walledgarden
View from the Mughal tower leading into the Maze Garden together with a variety of April colours to be found at Seaforde Gardens this weekend @seafordegardens #seafordegardens #seafordebutterflyhouse #camellia #magnolia #butterflies #irishgardens #irishgarden #irishdemesne @gardenhousecafe_ #discoverni #discoverireland #mazegarden #maze #mughaltower #rareplants
Easter Day sunshine at Seaforde Gardens & Tropical Butterfly House - come and explore the rare plants and butterflies @seafordegardens @irishgarden #irishcountryhouse #walledgarden #mazegarden #maze #discoverni #discoverireland @lunacoffee_co @discoverni @discoverireland.ie #gardendesign #rareplants #magnolia #rhododendron #camellia
Seaforde Gardens and Tropical Butterfly House open again for the 2024 season and finally some sunshine!! Come and see the amazing magnolias, rhododendrons and camellias in flower and enjoy coffee @lunacoffee_co #seafordegardens #seafordebutterflyhouse #flowers #inflower #seafordegardensandbutterflyhouse #magnolia #camellia #rhododendrons #irishgardens #irishcountryhouse #walledgarden #discoverireland #lunacoffee #discoverni #rareplants #irishdemesne #gardendesign
Explore the Maze Garden and Pheasantry @seafordegardens #irishgardens #eucryphia #gardenpaths #irishgardens #walledgarden #hiddenireland #irishcountryhouse #gardendesign #discoverni #discoverireland
Come and see the Hydrangeas @Seafordegardens #seafordegardens #hydrangea #hydrangeas #mazegarden #irishgardens #walledgarden #discoverni #discoverireland #irishcountryhouse
Rambling roses and other June blooms at Seaforde Gardens #seafordegardens #seafordebutterflyhouse @seafordetropical @discoverireland @irishhardens @irishdemesnes @walledgardens @cornus_kousa @mazegarden @echiumpininana
Irish Yew wearing its June jewels of climbing rose with flowering sorbus flanks in the Maze Garden at Seaforde Gardens #climbingrose #irishyew #seafordegardens #mazegarden #gazebo #irishgarden #walledgarden #discoverireland #discoverni #irishdemesnes #irishcountryhouse #peacockgardens #peacock
Explore the paths in Seaforde Gardens #gothickiosk #vista #walledgarden #irishgardens #mazegarden #discoverni #discoverireland #irishgarden #irishcountryhouse #irishdemesne #gardendesign #gardenpaths #seafordegardens #seafordebutterflyhouse #seafordegardensandbutterflyhouse #seafordegardensandtropicalbutterflyhouse #rareplants #historicgardens
The Herb Garden at Seaforde Gardens #herbgarden #peacocks #gazebo #cornuskousa #mazegarden #discoverireland #irishgardens #irishgarden #irishcountryhouse #maze #walledgarden #discoverni #seafordegardens #seafordegardensandtropicalbutterflyhouse #rareplants
Fresh leaves on the beech avenue to Seaforde Gardens #seafordegardens #beechtrees #freshleaves #irishdemesne #beechavenue #mazegarden #discoverireland #discoverni #irishgardens #limegreen #beechgreen #maydays
Shapes, silhouettes and shadows in Seaforde Gardens #seafordegardens #irishgardens #discoverireland #discoverni #irishdemesnes #walledgardens #shade #leaves #drimys #cornuscontroversa
Seaforde Gardens - come and explore #seafordegardens #seafordebutterflyhouse #seafordegardensandtropicalbutterflyhouse #mazegarden #walledgarden #maze #butterflies #raretrees #gardens #irishdemesne #irishgarden #irishgardens #discoverireland #discoverni @lunacoffee_co
Seaforde Gardens & Tropical Butterfly House is now open for 2023 - welcoming another season of plant discovering, tree hugging, maze running, butterfly watching, history absorbing, cafe relaxing fun with friends and family #seafordegardensandtropicalbutterflyhouse #seafordegardens #irishgardens #irishgarden #irishdemesne #walledgardens #mazegarden #maze #discoverireland #discoverni #rareplants #raretrees
Discover the maze garden @seafordegardens #seafordegardens #maze #irishgardens #irishcountryhouse #walledgarden #dew #magnolialeaf #gardendoor #discoverni #discoverireland #cornuscontroversavariegata
Form and foliage in Seaforde Gardens - explore the gardens and tropical butterflyhouse this August bank holiday #seafordegardens #mazegarden #urn #relief #foliage #treefern #kniphofia #discoverni #discoverireland #walledgarden
Escape the sun and discover hidden paths under mottled sunlight in Seaforde Gardens #seafordegardens #Irish garden #discoverni #discoverireland #walledgarden #crimeanpine #eucryphia #urn
Paths and vistas always add a bit of drama to a garden. Come and explore the hidden paths in Seaforde Gardens #seafordegardens #seafordegardensandtropicalbutterflyhouse #irishgardens #walledgarden #irishcountryhouse #mazegarden #discoverni #discoverireland #secretgardens
Cornus Kousa providing dramatic effect in the Maze Garden #cornuskousa #seafordegardens #irishgardens #irishdemesnes #walledgarden #mazegarden #discoverni #discoverireland
Davidia involucrata, otherwise known as the dove-tree or handkerchief tree, flaunting its handkerchief flowers in the Pheasantry #seafordegardens #irishgarden #irishgardens #irishcountryhouse #discoverni #discoverireland #rareplants #walledgarden @railwaystcoffee #mazegarden #comeandfindus
Maze time at Seaforde Gardens #seafordegardens #irishgardens #irishgarden #irishcountryhouse #discoverni #discoverireland #mazegarden #maze #gardens @gardendesign @railwaystcoffee #walledgarden
Evening light on the rhododendron arboreum #seafordegardens #mazegarden #rhododendronarboreum #irishgardens #irishgarden #walledgarden #oak #oakbranch #gardendesign #discoverni #discoverireland #countydown #irishdemesne #maygarden @seafordetropical @railwaystcoffee #garden
Great view of Seaforde Gardens and the Maze this evening #seafordegardens #maze #walledgarden #irishgardens #irishcountryhouse #discoverni #discoverireland #gardendesign #countydown #rareplants #raretrees @railwaystcoffee #irishgarden @seafordetropical #butterflies #tropicalbutterflies #rhododendron #magnolia #mazegarden #walledgardens
Get lost in the maze - Seaforde Gardens - #seafordegardens #mazegarden #hornbeam #urns #discoverni #discoverireland #irishgardens #irishgarden #walledgardens #irishdemesne #irishcountryhouse #gardendesign #countydown @railwaystcoffee #rareplants
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