Almost fifty acres of gardens, whimsical towers and spangled halls make Powerscourt the “Biltmore” ofIreland. It seemed like kind of a conservative day trip from Dublin, especially for an unkempt college student like myself, but I had heard of its beauty and illustrious history, and I’m a sucker for fairytale gardens. The drive from Dublin offered a nice taste of the Irish countryside, as well as a lesson in wild Irish highway habits (could the roads be any narrower? I’m shocked I didn’t lose a side mirror!).

Tucked into the mountains of Wicklow and boasting a striking panorama of Sugar Loaf peak in the distance, Powerscourt looked both ancient and stately. Fully remodeled to its Palladian majesty in the early 1700s, the house has actually been there since 1300. I couldn’t wait to play Disney Princess within the gilded halls and meandering gardens! Wedding bells started jangling in my head and I went starry-eyed for the immaculate Georgian ballroom, tastefully festooned in centerpieces and fine china for a lucky couple’s reception.

I thought my best bet would be to hit the gardens and look as charming and eligible as possible, in hopes of reeling in a handsome, roguish Irishman (who would obviously fall in love with me instantaneously and insist that we wed in the spring, overlooking the terraced ItalianGarden). While that plan didn’t go exactly as I hoped, the grounds were still romantic.

The serene  Japanese Garden, hidden down a verdantly lined stone staircase, was my favorite. The path wove among ornamental ponds spanned by dainty curved bridges and drooping Japanese Maple branches to the enchanting, mossy grotto.  Feeling fanciful, I plopped a coin in the wishing well before making my way to the Dolphin Pond. The view back up to the manor was extremely picturesque from here, and between that and the Giant Wellingtonia trees, I shot almost a whole roll of film.

For a moment I channeled Rapunzel from the Pepper Pot Tower, a stout little rampart offering a lovely view of the grounds. In 1911 the tower was built to honor the visiting Prince of Wales, but if there were any princes in the vicinity that day, they were ungallantly ignoring my damsel in distress wails from the tower’s top.

Reluctantly forsaking my hopes for an Epic Irish Love Story, I peeked into one of the oldest of Powerscourt fixtures, the Walled Garden. Splendid with herbs, roses and weatherworn statues, this was another goldmine of photo opportunities. Since 1740 the Walled Garden has been a haven for strolling ladies and gentlemen. Taking a turn around the path made me feel quite European and altogether classy, even in my scuffed hiking boots and worn college-kid jacket.

After a tasty lunch at the Terrace Café I browsed the gallery of shops and fawned over the soft wool sweaters, handmade pottery and upscale souvenirs. I settled on my entry ticket stub as memento enough and wistfully left the beautiful kingdom I’d commanded for the day.

Noella Schink writes from Portland, Maine, but she wishes she was back in Irelandwith a fortifying Guinness in hand. For your own road trip through Ireland, hiring your own car is the only way to go! Noella recommends Auto Europe for your car hire in Ireland.

This Article was originally published for Holidays Around Ireland at <a title=”Powerscourt, Wicklow.” href=”http://holidaysaroundireland.com/2011/11/looking-for-prince-charming-at-powerscourt-house-and-gardens/” rel=”canonical”>Powerscourt, Wicklow</a>.

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