Ireland’s gardeners are gearing up for the spookiest night of the year

Ireland’s gardeners are gearing up for the spookiest night of the year as Hallowe’en approaches, with lots of spooky activities on offer from pumpkin carving to witchy treasure hunts.

Ghostly goings-on at Mount Stewart

There are ghostly goings-on daily at Mount Stewart, in Co. Down, where the kids can enjoy fiendishly wicked craft activities, listen to scary stories and follow a Hallowe’en treasure hunt around the grounds. Rowallane Garden in Saintfield, Co. Down, has a ghost trail, poison chocolate apple dunking and pumpkin carving; and at Kilruddery, Co. Wicklow, you can choose your own pumpkin from the Walled Garden, and have your design carved on it.

Halloween in Ireland

The annual Autumn Harvest display at Glasnevin Botanic Gardens in Dublin is packed with pumpkins, gourds and other fruits – guess the weight of the giant pumpkin for your shot at a prize. And of course now is the perfect time to harvest that pumpkin you’ve been cossetting all summer and carve a fearsome face in it ready for the big night. Get ambitious and you could take part in one of Ireland’s famous pumpkin carving competitions. The 4 th annual pumpkin carving competition kicks off at Bundoran, Co. Donegal, on 1 st November, with a parade shortly afterwards – fancy dress compulsory!