The grounds surrounding Blarney Castle are substantially more interesting than most visitors expect. Ticket entry covers both the castle tower and the entire estate, and the gardens deserve more time than most people give them.
The Poison Garden is a formal garden planted exclusively with toxic species — wolfsbane, mandrake, belladonna, hemlock, and others, each labelled with its effects. The planting is dense and the signage educational rather than dramatic. The Fern Garden occupies a shaded hollow and was originally created in the Victorian era, when collecting ferns was a fashionable hobby.
The Rock Close is the most atmospheric section: a landscape of large glacial erratics and standing stones, with winding paths through dense vegetation. Whether or not the druidic associations are genuine (most are 18th-century romantic invention), the atmosphere is compelling. The Wishing Steps — descended backwards with eyes closed for the wish to work — are part of the folklore that surrounds the site.
The estate also contains the ruins of a later Blarney House (a 19th-century Scottish baronial mansion), assorted estate buildings, and lakeside walks. Spring visits are particularly good for wildflowers; autumn for colour in the woodland sections.