John F. Kennedy Arboretum, Botanical garden in New Ross, Ireland

The John F. Kennedy Arboretum in New Ross is a botanical garden that stretches across a large area and contains more than 4,500 types of trees and shrubs. The plants are arranged according to botanical characteristics and come from different parts of the world.

The arboretum was founded in 1968 and serves as a memorial to an American president who had previously visited Ireland. Its establishment was closely tied to his family history in County Wexford.

The site carries the name of an American president and received plant donations from many countries with ties to Ireland to honor his memory. These trees and shrubs tell a story of international friendship and the significance this historical figure holds for the region.

A panoramic road climbs from the southern boundary at 36 m to the summit of Sliabh Coillte at 271 m, where a memorial stone marks the end of the 1798 Irish Rebellion in County Wexford. The grounds are open all year. The site lies 12 km south of New Ross on the Hook Head peninsula.

The ericaceous garden holds over 500 rhododendrons and azaleas, but the arboretum's largest single planting is a 2022 grove of 1,300 trees from 24 endangered conifer species, the biggest collection planted under the International Conifer Conservation Programme. A memorial stone at the Sliabh Coillte summit recalls the 1798 Irish Rebellion, which ended in County Wexford.