Wonder of Trees

Weekend Samhain Tree Experience

The “Wonder of Trees” experience will take place at Powerscourt Estate on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd of November. Join nature and conservation experts for morning tree, biodiversity & wellbeing walks in the gardens and afternoon panel discussions.

“Tree & Walks” – Saturday the 1st of November

From 10:00 – 11:30 am, explore the gardens with Alex Slazenger, Head Gardener at Powerscourt Estate, or Rosemary O’Flynn, horticulturalist and member of the Powerscourt Gardens team.

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At 11:00 – 12:30 pm, you can also immerse yourself in a restorative Forest Bathing Walk with Forest Bathing Wicklow.
At 11:00 – 12:30 pm, you can book a tree walk with Wildacres.

Places are limited and walks run concurrently, so please choose your preferred option when booking. Reserve your tickets below.

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“Tree & Biodiversity Walks” – Sunday the 2nd of November

From 10:00 – 11:30 am, join Alex Slazenger, Head Gardener at Powerscourt Estate, or Rosemary O’Flynn, horticulturalist and member of the Powerscourt Gardens team, for an inspiring morning walk among the trees.

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From 11:00 – 12:30 pm, you can also enjoy guided walks with some of our distinguished afternoon panellists, including broadcaster Éanna Ní Lamhna, renowned ecologist Faith Wilson, and Seamus O’Brien of Kilmacurragh National Botanic Gardens.

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Places are limited, and walks run concurrently, so please select your preferred option when booking. Secure your place below.

Saturday 1st Mini Panel Discussions - “Working with Nature – In Practice”

2- 4 pm | Free entry but registration required.

Join us for an inspiring afternoon celebrating the Working with Nature Awards shortlist, the people and projects transforming Ireland’s relationship with the natural world.

In this relaxed, fireside-chat-style event you’ll hear from community gardeners, rewilding pioneers, storytellers, educators, and biodiversity champions. Across four themed mini panels (Pollinators, Rewilding & Biodiversity, Nature & Storytelling, and Nature Education & Wellbeing) they will share their journeys, challenges, and successes in protecting and restoring nature.

Expect uplifting stories, practical insights, and plenty of audience connection as we showcase the grassroots work that is making a difference for biodiversity, community, and wellbeing across the country.

Come be inspired, meet the changemakers, and discover how you can work with nature where you live. Free to attend – registration is essential.

Sunday 2nd Nov Panel Discussion - "Trees & Biodiversity"

From the towering majesty of champion trees to the intricate web of life they support, this panel will explore the vital role trees play in sustaining biodiversity.

The discussion will open with a keynote from Tony Kirkham MBE VMH, former Head of the Arboretum at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, whose decades of expertise in tree care and conservation have made him one of the most respected voices in horticulture. Tony will reflect on the importance of arboreta and legacy trees in preserving biodiversity, and the lessons they offer for the future of our treescapes.

Facilitated by Catherine Cleary of Pocket Forests, the panel will delve into “the tree as ecosystem,” revealing how different species create unique habitats — from the microscopic life in their roots to the birds, mammals and insects that find food and shelter in their canopies.

Panellists:

Tony Kirkham (Keynote), Former Head of Arboretum, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Éanna Ní Lamhna, Botanist and Broadcaster
Seamus O’Brien, National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh
Faith Wilson, Ecologist

Together, they will share scientific insight, conservation strategies and hopeful stories that underline why protecting and planting trees is one of the most powerful ways to safeguard biodiversity — and our own future.

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