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Visit Top of the City Garden

Location Rules FAQ
  • Location:
  • Top of the City Community Garden
  • St. Carthage's Avenue
  • Waterford, X91 X3TR
  • (around the corner from BoyleSports on Barrack Street)

  • Opening hours:
  • Saturdays (June–August): 11am–5pm
  • Saturdays (September): 11am–3pm

Supervise children, pets, and vulnerable companions at all times.

We’ve done our best to ensure safe access, but there are a few potential hazards:

  • Low outer wall: Our garden is located in a 200-year-old former military site designed for defense. Sections of our exterior wall, especially near the chicken coop, are lower to the ground than others. Falling over this section of the wall and down into the plot below would cause certain injury. Please take care near this area.
  • Natural woodchip pathways: Our pathways are accessible for strollers, as well as walkers, wheelchairs, and other mobility aids. However, please use caution while navigating the garden.

Keep dogs on a lead and clean up after them.

We love dogs! We’re delighted to welcome our four-legged friends to enjoy the sights and smells of the garden.

Dogs must be leashed and on their best behaviour. This rule is in place for everyone’s safety and comfort, for a few reasons:

Many of our garden features are designed to encourage wildlife, from bats to bees to bugs. It only takes a moment for a dog to chase after a critter and harm them. Please help us avoid any incidents by keeping your pup on a non-retractable lead and under your control.

Cleaning up after your pup is essential. Since dog poop is an environmental hazard, it’s not ideal to leave on our woodchip pathways, where it can leach pathogens and other icky stuff into the earth. Please clean up after your dog while in the garden (preferably using a biodegradable bag). Pro tip: Dog poop is technically compostable, but only in compost used for non-edible plants!

Not all visitors are able to tolerate close contact with dogs due to things like disabilities and pet allergies. Please be respectful of the invisible needs and boundaries of other people you’re sharing the garden with.

Take all rubbish and belongings with you.

Top of the City Garden members who supervise the garden on public opening days may not be held responsible for any items lost by our visitors. Please take care to ensure you don’t leave anything behind.

Littering is a major problem at our garden. Although a low stone wall topped with a metal fence protects our garden, people still throw rubbish through the bars from the car park above. We already have our hands full cleaning up their litter; please don’t make us clean up after you, too!

There is no bin at the garden. This is an intentional decision made by our committee and reviewed each year. We do not have a bin for several reasons: We want to discourage people from dumping or bringing household waste, and we also don’t use or have access to paid waste collection services.

Avoid smoking, vaping, consuming alcohol, and engaging in anti-social behaviour.

The garden is strictly a smoke-free zone. Cigarettes and vapes harm wildlife, pollute the earth, increase risk of fire, and disrupt the comfort of garden visitors.

To ensure everyone can access and enjoy this space safely, we enforce a zero-tolerance policy for any kind of substance use within our gates. This includes alcohol and (obviously) drugs. No exceptions, not even for private events.

In the last decade, Waterford has lost a considerable number of formerly public greenspaces due to excessive littering and anti-social behaviour. Our members work hard to ensure Top of the City’s gates stay open for all for years to come, particularly the most vulnerable members of our community.

Be kind, and treat the garden, its members, and its visitors with respect.

All of the rules we’ve listed so far revolve around this main one. As long as you treat our space and everyone visiting it with respect, you’ll be grand!

Top of the City Garden does not tolerate verbal or other abuse toward our committee, bedholders, volunteers, friends, and members. Any abusive behaviour may result in offending visitors being banned temporarily or permanently.

Please do not take any plants, cuttings, fruits, or vegetables from our garden beds or planters without permission. Our bedholders and friends pay a yearly fee to reserve their allotments.

Frequently asked questions about visiting Top of the City Garden in Waterford

Are you open on rainy days?

Generally, yes. Since we have 4 covered shelters on site, there are a good few places to duck in from the rain.

We may adjust or reduce our opening hours or days due to rough weather conditions. If it’s only drizzling out, we’ll likely be open; if it comes a roaring storm, we’ll likely close early.

It’s always a good idea to check the weather, plus our site and socials for any updates, before visiting.

Bring and/or wear suitable attire, including a jacket, umbrella, and comfy shoes.

Can I bring food / coffee for a picnic?

Yes, you’re welcome to have a nibble at any of our available picnic tables or benches during our opening season — as long as you follow our rules and clean up after yourselves.

(We highly recommend Sunny South Yeast, a cozy bakery just up the road from us, for a light bite or a sandwich on fresh sourdough bread.)

Our garden is an outdoor space, so bees and bugs may fly by and visit you during your meal. Please don’t hurt any of our insect friends, as they all play an important role in our garden’s ecosystem.

Remember, no alcohol or smoking allowed. This rule is strictly enforced with no exceptions.

Can I host an event at the garden?

While Top of the City Garden is an ideal place to host a private event, we have limited availability for the 2026 season.

That said, if you’re interested in hosting an event here, reach out to us on social and let us know what you’re thinking. While we can’t guarantee anything, we’re always open to brainstorming!

Who can use the pizza oven?

Only garden members, volunteers, and others cleared to use the pizza oven may use it to cook food for garden events. This is due to health and safety reasons. If you’re interested in using the pizza oven for an event, let us know as far in advance as possible.

Is the garden suitable for babies and children?

Yes! Top of the City provides endless opportunities for nature education and sensory enrichment. It’s the perfect kid-friendly spot in Waterford for families seeking an afternoon adventure in the great outdoors.

Our woodchip pathways are accessible for strollers. Just mind your step, as there may be the odd bump in the natural terrain.

Please discourage your child(ren) from running while in the garden. Our garden is a small, narrow space, and we’re keen to prevent any falls and scrapes.

Please refrain from bringing adult-sized e-scooters or bicycles into the garden. Small, toddler-sized tricycles are okay. Kid-sized, non-motorized scooters are also okay. However, please leave all adult-sized bikes and scooters in the car park above the garden to conserve space. There’s a bike rack where you can secure them.

How are the chickens housed? Can I pet one?

Our 4 egg-laying hens live in a spacious, fully enclosed coop, with a wooden outdoor “patio” protected with sturdy metal wire. Because they have this designated space, you won’t have to worry about being chased by any chickens during your visit!

Only our specialized chicken caretakers led by Dumitru, Collete, and Conor are allowed to enter the coop and its patio. Even though our girls are docile, our expert “hen handlers” have got all their needs covered.

Please do not touch the hens through the fence. Curious little fingers (or daring bigger ones) that poke through the gaps in the wire fence do so at their own risk. Our hens tend to play nice, but they’re capable of a mighty bite. Please respect their space by keeping your hands to yourself.

Avoid feeding the hens. As much as our girls like to give out around dinnertime, we assure you they’re all fed very well with a top-quality organic diet. They also get to snack on food scraps like fresh kiwi!

Can I buy eggs?

As of 2026, only members of the garden are allowed to buy eggs laid by our chickens. This is due to the high demand for our eggs compared to the small number of hens available to lay.

Do you have a waitlist for the garden beds?

As of 2026, all our allotments are reserved. We also do not maintain a waitlist.

We encourage you to start growing at home, or check out other community gardens like Wyse Park and GIY.

I’d like to volunteer with the garden. How can I get involved?

We’re always keen to hear from folks who want to contribute their time and talents to this special place!

As of May 2026, we’re currently finalising a new process for welcoming volunteers, friends, and supporters.Thanks a million for your patience as we juggle this, alongside maintaining this website and our socials, plus preparing for the garden’s opening season!

Check in with this page periodically. We should have an update soon!