Month: March 2017
Ireland’s Blue Book has announced that gardening expert Gareth Austin will be conducting a two-day workshop at Rathmullan House, Co Donegal on the 6 and 7 April. Topics include: plant propagation, soil health and growing fruit. Guests can stay at the luxurious Rathmullan House where two nights’ bed and breakfast, including the workshop, start at €200 per person based on sharing a standard bedroom. From more information, see www.irelandsbluebook.com, or contact Rathmullan directly on 074-9158188.
Antrim Castle Gardens will be bursting with colour from 5 to 7 May 2017 as Allianz Garden Show Ireland returns to the beautiful venue for a three-day festival of flowers, food and fun.
The Show promises to be a real treat for gardeners with stunning gardens to enjoy as well as opportunities to purchase plants from specialist nurseries. Expert advice abounds with Joe Swift of BBC’s Chelsea coverage joining the Show on Friday 5 May as well as Geoff Stebbings and GIY founder Michael Kelly. For information and tickets: www.gardenshowireland.com
Irish Specialist Nursery Association continues to hold its series of Plant Fairs with the second event of the year taking place on 9 April, from 9.30 to 5pm, at Airfield Gardens, Drundrum, Dublin 14. Admission to the Plant Fair will also include entry to the Gardens and Farm. The third ISNA Plant Fair will take place on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday,16 and 17 April, from 10am to 5pm, in the Farmleigh Estate, Phoenix Park Dublin. Contact: Susan Harford 053-9383629.
Hygeia Garden Care manufactures and distributes a range of garden care products from Oranmore, Co. Galway. The newest product range is Lawn Gold, an organic-based, three-step lawn care program that is child-safe, pet-safe and won’t turn moss black, and no raking out or scarifying is required. This product won the Innovation Award for Best Garden Product at the HAI President’s Ball in March. The judges were impressed with “the quality of the Lawn Gold product and Hygeia’s passion for lawn care.” For more, www.mygardenexpert.com
The Gabriel Ash Rosemoor Combi features a 6ft x 8ft greenhouse at the front and a 7ft x 4½ft shed at the rear and other lengths are available. The shed is split from the greenhouse by a cedar gable with a door sized opening, allowing heat through to the shed, and has a glazed single swing door at the front. The Rosemoor Combi is equipped with the unique automatic roof vents, and 4 vertical face vents. The shed section has a roof made of hardwearing powder-coated corrugated aluminium. For more details, call 087-2306 128.
Spring courses at Altamont Garden, Co. Carlow, include Spring/Easter flower arrangements with Marie O’Leary on 1 April, cost €60 for a one-day masterclass including lunch and morning coffee;
Organic Vegetable Growing with Paula Pender on 8 April at €35 for a half-day including morning coffee and materials. Fionnuala Fallon’s growing cut flowers course will be repeated on 15 April.
Booking and further details for all courses and events available from sales@altamontplants.com or Phone: 087 982 2135.
Bakker’s new range of ready-made border packs are designed to remove the hassle from garden planning and design. Mix n’ match borders are available for gardens of all shapes and sizes, and includes combinations such as a butterfly border full of plants to attract butterflies, bees and other useful insects, as well as a wild flower border with a mix of hardy perennials and annuals. For customers with a particular colour in mind, there are colour themes and there’s even a Bohemian border. See www.bakker.com
Parks Symposium at Farmleigh House
There is a Parks Symposium at Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, Dublin on 7 April. In collaboration with The Royal Parks, London, this Symposium gives a behind-the-scenes look at these magnificent royal parks, including St James’s Park, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park and Richmond Park. The formation of Ireland’s only royal deer park commenced in 1662, and Phoenix Park is a unique natural and cultural landscape both historic park and an urban park, managed by The Office of Public Works. This contemporary international exhibition shows artefacts, images, maps and paintings spanning over three centuries of park history. The symposium is free, but booking is essential to raychel.coyle@opw.ie or 01 820 5800.
Clare Garden Festival
Clare Garden Festival is a treat for gardeners and a great day out for all the family. Over 70 garden and food stalls from all over Ireland attend the festival. The festival offers a series of garden expert talks from an accessible stage and has much to offer and discover for young and older gardeners from demonstrations to show gardens. In 2017, the festival will take place on Sunday, 30 April at Ennis Showgrounds, Co. Clare, and Festival Fringe includes Mary Reynolds and her film ‘Dare to be Wild’. For more details see www.claregardenfestival.com
Tulips Extravaganza
The Bay Garden, Camolin, Co. Wexford opens early in middle of April when, in conjunction with Mr. Middleton Garden Shop, it showcases the range of tulips available from them. Over 5,000 bulbs were planted for the Tulip Extravaganza in 2016 and another 10,000 have been added for the 2017 display. Flowering season varies with the weather but mainly from late March to late May, and a succession of tulip colour will light up the garden. The Tulip Extravaganza at The Bay Garden is open on weekends form 15 April to 14 May. Other times by appointment for groups or individuals.
www.thebaygarden.com
Fota House Plant and Garden Fair
On Sunday, 23 April, Fota House and Gardens, Cork, hosts its annual Fota House Plant and Garden Fair in the new Car Park of Fota House. Eighty specialist nurseries will attend, providing an opportunity for visitors to purchase unusual and special plants, including rare trees, shrubs, alpine, herbaceous and water plants at reasonable prices.
Retailers of other garden products will attend and competition for the most attractive stand will also be held, the winner to receive the inaugural Brian Cross Memorial Prize, sponsored by Mrs Rose Cross. The Fair will run from 11am to 4pm and catering facilities will be available.
June Blake’s Month of Tulips’ at June Blake’s Garden.
A Month of Tulips will take place at June Blake’s Garden, Blessington, Co. Wicklow from 14 April to 14 May. June begins the season in style with her largest display of tulips to date and will give a free guided tour each Sunday at 2 pm during this time. Tea/coffee is available in the tea-room, plant sales in the courtyard and Back Avenue Books offers new, rare and vintage garden books.
Best in Fest ICON
Tom Harfleet, show manager of RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and other experts from the international festival and events scene speak at Best in Fest ICON on 27 April. Moderated by Dave Fanning, this event will include Michael Eavis, founder of the Glastonbury Festival. Event details and tickets available at bestinfest.ie
Kells Bay lecture
A lecture by Sir Tim Smit on Kells, Eden and the Art of making Magic takes place on 8 April in The Dining Room at Kells Bay House, commencing at 10.30 am. He will highlight various aspects of his career, including the discovery of the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the launch of The Eden Project, and will take questions and be available to guests from 10.30 am through to conclusion of the buffet lunch. There are a very limited number of places available for this event. Cost €50 includes coffee, talk and lunch.
Gardening and mussels!
Connemara Mussel Festival, Co. Galway, on 28 to 30 April, features west of Ireland gardener Klaus Laitenberger who will conduct a workshop to demonstrate among many other things, how to grow the humble potato. Author of the book Vegetables for the Irish Garden, Klaus’s talk on growing your own vegetables is on29 April in Tullycross, Connemara.
Tendence Outdoor Living
Tendence in Frankfurt am Main from 24th to 27th June 2017 will show a host of ways in which life can be breathed into outdoor areas of all kinds, from mini-balconies and roof terraces to park-like gardens. Under the title Outdoor Living, the international trade fair is devoting a prominent special area to this future-oriented subject. The location at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre has also been chosen for its thematic proximity – the spacious outdoor area in front of the entrance to Galleria 0 opens up to visitors when they walk through the Japanese Gate.
Versailles pewter planters
Stewart Garden has extended its decorative range with the Versailles family of pewter-effect planters. While desireable, real lead pewter planters are heavy, expensive and rare. However, with the Versailles range, Stewart Garden has created a collection of three pewter-effect planters that are lightweight, visually stunning and affordable, and ideal for laurels, olive trees, privet, hedging, walkways and door features.
Fruitlawn Garden spring course
Fruitlawn offers a one day spring gardening course with garden designer Arthur Shackleton on Saturday, 1 April, starting at 10.45 with coffee and scones. There is a delicious organic lunch and an informal gathering to relax, chat and discuss the morning’s work until 4pm. The cost including lunch is €75. See www.arthurshackleton.com, a deposit is required.
Jewels of the West
Galway Flower & Garden Club has announced a Flower Festival: Jewels of the West in St. Nicholas Church, Galway. It takes place on 5 to 7 May 2017. Opening hours: Friday and Saturday, 10am to 6pm; Sunday 1pm to 6pm. Admission is €8. The Opening Ceremony takes place on5 May, 7pm. €10 Closing Ceremony, 7 May, 7pm €10, in aid of Galway Hospice.
Howth Sutton Horticultural Society: 1 April Annual Spring Show. Entry forms and show rules are available on www.hshs.ie or from the secretary Ann Campbell at 086-8183709. Open to public viewing from 2.30-4.30pm. All welcome: €2. The show is held in St Nessan’s community school, Moyclare Road, off Warrenhouse Road, Baldoyle, Dublin 13.
Ballinasloe Flower and Garden Club: 12 April, at 8pm, Gullanes Hotel, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway.
Flower Arranging Demonstration by Rosemary Mulchrone, Navan, AOIFA.
Macroom Flower & Garden Club: Spring Floral Demonstration, 27 April with Angela Heffron AOIFA Cobh, at Coolcower House Macroom, Co. Cork. New members and visitors most welcome, enquiries 087-9821708.
Alpine/Hardy Plant Society: Phil Haversoft, Leamore, Co Wicklow will lecture on Herbaceous peonies: four thousand years of cultivation from ancient China to modern day on 27 April. Plants for sale. Lavanagh Centre, Blackrock, Cork at 8 pm. All welcome
Clontarf Garden Society: on 30 March, at 8 pm, in St. Johns Parish Centre, Seafield Rd, Clontarf, by Sharon O’Sullivan, a practical demonstration of flower arranging for Easter. Admission: €10 includes tea/coffee and home-made cakes.
Dublin Five Horticultural Society: 6 April, at 8pm, a talk on St.Anne’s Estate by Joan Sharkey. On 8 April, at 2pm, Spring Show in Chanel College, Coolock Village. On 20 April, at 8pm, a talk on Dahlias by Pat Thornton. The talks are in The Artane Beaumont Family Recreation Centre, Kilmore
Road, Dublin 5. Adm: €5. Ring 087-2423020 for more details.
Maghera & District Gardening Group: Angela Jupe from Bellefield House & Gardens, Birr to the Maghera Leisure Centre on 18 April, at 7.30pm, for Interesting and dramatic plants for the garden. Plant sale and all are welcome.
Irish Garden Plant Society: on 20 April, at 8 pm in the National Botanic Gardens, Professor Jane Stout will give a talk on Paradise for Pollinators.
Dublin Group Alpine Garden Society: Show on 8 April, 1.30 to 4 pm, at Cabinteely Community School, Johnstown Rd, Cabinteely, Dublin 18. Admission: €3. And on 22 April, Greenmount College, Antrim, the Ulster Group AGS Show will be held.
Galway Flower & Garden Club: Field of Dreams, a garden talk by June Blake in the Westwood Hotel, Galway on 18 April, at 8pm. Admission: €10 for non members, includes door prize and tea/coffee. Contact: mariancolohan@gmail.com
Kenmare & District Garden Club: Horizons: Finding Inspiration From Beyond The Garden Gate by Verney Naylor, at 7.30 pm, in The Gateway, Killarney Road, Kenmare on 6 April. All welcome. For directions contact Geraldine 086-3935965.
Templeogue Horticultural Society: Yvonne O’Connor of personalisedlandscapes.ie will talk about what to do in the garden this month in Our Lady’s School, Templeogue, Dublin, on 19 April, at 8pm. Admission: €7 non-members. All are welcome.
Foxrock and District Garden Club: on 25 April, Shrubs for a Small garden by Mary Keenan, Gash Gardens, Co. Laois, at Foxrock Church Pastoral Centre, Dublin 18, at 8pm. Admission €7 for non-members.
Waterford Regional Gardening Club: on 20 April, at 8pm, in The Edmund Rice Centre, Barrack Street, Waterford. Gardening with Sensational Plants by Deborah Begley of Terra Nova Gardening School & Gardens. Non-members €5. Refreshments and raffle to follow. Contact: 086-4083419