On the Eastern side of the Rosemount complex lies the UCD Horticultural Society garden and polytunnel. The horticulture society has a membership of over 200 people including students and staff from many of the different schools within UCD.
The mission of the Horticulture Society is to promote all things related to horticulture; to help people develop a range of practical, theoretical, and social skills for the benefit of humans and nature alike. In doing this the gardens and polytunnel sponsored by Bord Na Mona Horticulture are an essential resource for the society. It allows them to practice the practical side of horticulture and foster a community spirit while working together.
The garden is 440 m² in size and consists of four separate planting beds surrounded by beech hedging which provides protection from the wind. The large size gives ample space for members to grow a wide variety of plants such as vegetables, herbs, soft fruit and some flowering plants to aid a declining pollinator population.
The polytunnel is 6.7 x 15 m in size and was constructed in 2014. It allows the society to grow plants that normally would not thrive in our climate such as tomatoes and chilli’s and enables the early sowing of certain plant varieties that will later be planted outdoors. It also acts as a great space for a cup of tea and a chat when the weather in the garden is not so favourable!