Now more than ever, school gardens can contribute to primary education, as a foundation for integrated learning and a resource for children's wellbeing and health. The primary aim of this study was to build a picture of the many ways school gardens are used and valued in Irish primary schools. A qualitative approach, incorporating site visits and interviews with key drivers of school garden programmes, enabled a detailed and colourful picture to emerge. Schools use their gardens in a variety of imaginative ways to encourage children's development. Key factors drive garden success, and enable schools to meet and overcome associated challenges. Teachers value their school gardens because they provide an arena for learning, space for pastoral care, a focus for school and community involvement and a source of pleasure for the school community. Insights from this study may prove useful to teachers, education professionals and policymakers internationally.