"Charming hidden gardens with a personal touch, great for kids, also cafe and play options"
Tucked away in western Wexford, the gardens at Kilmokea have been developed over decades, and are clearly a labour of love for the current owners. GPS will help in discovering this quiet spot, and then there is plenty of parking, and nice maps to show the way around. A casual and pleasant café is also where you can pay in (unless, as we were, you are staying in the house already :-)), and in case of sudden rain (always a risk in Ireland) there is an indoor play area. In a kind of cave in the café, there is also a nice little shop, with classic kids toys, rocks and crystals, souvenirs and more, and for the grown-ups, there are some intriguing local artworks around. We found all staff pleasant, and some excellent.
The first part of the garden is more formal, with lots of little paths, and multiple "reading nooks" - a great idea! There is also a real kitchen garden. But the best bit comes when you open a discreet door and go further.. across a quiet road (but it is a real public road, so go carefully) and on into the main woodland garden. This is beautiful, with a wide range of planting, a pond and streams, multiple recreations of old housing (Viking, Native American, etc.), bridges, and, the kids' favourite, many fairy houses. The owners have devised excellent information panels, and you can wander around for a good chunk of time. Recommended (by the way, near the Waterford-Wexford Ferry, and multiple other Hook Head attractions).