Gardenig in Ireland. Tips & Guides

I actually have no certain diagnosis; so many of these issues look somewhat alike, unless you are a plant pathologist, and so far I only have a relative few affected leaves. I nevertheless love Cornell’s diagnostic tool, a photo-driven system arranged by plant part (leaves, stem, fruit).What I do not seem to have, thankfully, is the late blight that’s been the source of the most dramatic headlines, and of a thorough story by Adrian Higgins of The Washington Post, late last week. This dramatic outbreak has also prompted warning bulletins from Cornell and other extension services. My plants have none of its characteristic early sign: dark stem lesions.This is the affliction (affecting tomatoes and potatoes) that caused the 1840s Irish Potato Famine, and it has never been recorded this early in the United States, apparently, nor this extensive

You know me: I like to know my weeds—rather than just have a fit about some infestation or other, to actually find out what they are, and where they are native to, and what their role for better or worse is in the bigger picture is (other than to irritate me).I don’t know which liverwort I have, but it is what’s called a thallose species—made up of flattened tissue that looks almost rubbery to me. You might think at first they were some kind of moss or algae, and in fact like those other Bryophytes the liverworts have no vascular system, and they repro

THE “WE ARE ALL CONNECTED” aha’s of gardening—the window it provides into the natural order of all living organisms—is the very best part, better even than the mere aesthetics. But perhaps you, like I do, lack confidence in details of biological systematics, jumbling Phylum with Class or otherwise forgetting who fits where, exactly. No worry; I’ve found us really good backup (and the kind of backup who even sings).

Many fruit, nut, and landscape trees can succumb to root rot caused by three types of fungi and a group of water molds (that used to be considered fungi); these include the fungi Armillaria, Phymatotrichum, and Xylaria and the water mold Phytophthora.The trees show varying symptoms from these different di

Planting a hedge is one of the friendliest ways to put a border around a property.Unlike fences, shrubs take time to grow

If you grow tomatoes, you have almost certainly run afoul of the fungus that causes the disease known as early blight.This ubiquitous tomato disease

In a world shaken by the cost of living crisis, growing some of your own food has never made more sense. For Laois man Brendan Sheppard, whose impressively productive, pretty 0.2 hectare plot, is situated on the edges of Durrow village, it’s also second nature.

Like dear friends, sometimes the dahlias that stretch towards the sky to lofty heights in our gardens could use a little support.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from

It seems strange, I know, to talk of growing winter crops for the polytunnel or glasshouse, smack-bang in the middle of a very sultry Irish summer. But the simple truth is that the secret to making the best, and most productive use, of these valuable covered growing spaces throughout the year has always been to plan and propagate very far ahead.

A former AIB banker-turned-gardener says he feels “like a five-year-old getting presents” after winning a major award as well as a prestigious gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in London.

Bloom is the biggest annual event in the Irish gardening calendar featuring show gardens of all sizes, themed floral displays, nursery displays, plant sales and a range of interactive platforms where visitors can get professional advice from a host of gardening experts. Before you go here’s what you need to know, along with some of the highlights of this year’s show.

Phormium Firebird from New Zealand

Auricula, an evergreen primrose found in the mountainous regions of Southern Europe. Perhaps requiring a little cosseting, but well worth it.

It's springtime here and I'm busy getting my garden and apple tree ready. I get those pesky rabbits, squirrels, voles, aphids, and more in mine during gardening season — how about you? I thought I would share a few tips on things I use to keep those pests out of my garden. You can see more of my crazy creations here

We shared this on Chemistry Cachet several weeks ago, and we are already having readers write in saying they love it!

Oleksandra Iablochnikova / Getty Images

As the late summer sniffles simmer down and crisp fall winds begin blowing through the air, it is time to think about preparing for the impending cold and flu season – which, for me, includes harvesting and preparing my favorite winter remedies.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy

For a funky-looking annual that’s just unusual enough to be totally awesome, how about giving some bells of Ireland a ring?We link to vendors to help you find relevant products.

Late blight is a serious disease that may affect tomatoes and potatoes. It can rapidly destroy entire fields and ruin a farmer’s income for the year. And it may affect crops in home gardens severely as well.You may not realize it, but you are probably already familiar with the

Hi, it says.  We see you.  Looking out the window.

Also known as Osage orange, this strange-looking fruit is native to North America and is primarily known for its large, round, and bumpy appearance with a greenish-yellow color. The fruit is believed to have insect-repelling properties and use as a natural pest control method. Let’s have a look at What is a Hedge Apple and Are Hedge Apples Edible or not.

A look back at our garden in 2012 and a glimpse of my blogging experience in the past couple of years.

When it comes to choosing plants for walkways, it is important to choose plants that are appropriate for the local climate and add natural beauty to what might otherwise be a bland or boring path. Read on to learn about the Best Plants For Walkways.

The Scourge of Alien Invasive Plants In Ireland I was struck by the ubiquity of non-native plants in the Irish countryside. It took me a while to realise that the lush green grass that lined nearly every lane was in fact the young foliage of crocosmia which must have completely overwhelmed the native species that grew there previously.

Impressions of Ireland I’ve just returned from my first ever visit to Ireland where I loved the landscape but in general found the gardens very disappointing. It may just have been the area we visited – the south west – or it may have been the general view that there’s no point in trying to compete with the surrounding natural beauty, but I’m not sure that vast stretches of tarmac and grass enhance the countryside.

Wildflowers of Ireland We were slightly late for most of the spring flowers, but there was still some loveliness to be seen. There were boggy fields of flag iris, cliffs and shoreline banks were vertical gardens smothered in sea thrift and orchids were everywhere.

A Gunnera of Monstrous Proportions If you want evidence of what the ‘soft’ Irish climate does for plant growth look no further than this vast gunnera leaf that makes my 6’4” husband looking like one of the ‘little people’.

The Colourful Charms of Kinsale We visited some wonderful villages and towns in Counties Kerry & Cork, but my favourite was Kinsale, a lovely Georgian town with many of the original houses still surviving and a decidedly colourful approach to decorating them. It was also a fine example of how Ireland has managed to resist chain stores – with a population of roughly 5,000 people (and many additional holidaymakers in the summer) it has three independent bookshops – oh that our town of 70,000 had even one! It was also the location of the best domestic garden we saw on our travels.

I had a memorable and hugely enjoyable day when I was invited to join one of the first workshops held by Shane Connolly at his London studio. He is the man behind the glorious avenue of trees and the array of British flowers at the wedding of William and Kate and is a master of ‘unarranged’ arrangements. This is right up my street so it was a real treat to be there. His studio is inside a utilitarian building on an industrial estate in west London, but the interior is an Aladdin’s cave of all things floral. One wall holds banks of the freshest, most diverse flowers imaginable, while the opposite wall stores serried ranks of containers of every shape and size. The day was divided into two – in the morning Shane

While I was confined indoors as ‘the beast from the east’ rampaged outdoors, I found myself –  more by chance than design – reading three books that centred on plants in one way or another.  As someone who finds that life is always better when plants are involved this was a happy state of affairs – if I can’t actually be gardening, then reading about it is the next best thing. First of the tri

Not-to-be-Ignored Road Signs of Ireland I defy anyone not to pause when confronted with these signs!

Irish Spring Soap Uses in Garden – you may not believe it, but trust us, there are many! The soap contains several ingredients that are known to repel pests, making it a natural and eco-friendly solution for gardeners who want to avoid using harsh chemicals. Let’s have a look at it in detail.

Often confused as the same growing material, but these both are not! Though they are two different parts of the same plant, their usages are vastly different. This article is going to guide you in-depth on Sphagnum Moss vs Peat Moss!

Roses are some of the most popular ornamentals for a good reason: They’re stunning. When they’re healthy, that is.But if you grow roses long enough, you’ll ine

What’s round, pear-shaped, or oblong, and often a rich purple color? If you live in the United States, English-speaking Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, you know it as eggplant (Solanum melongena).Or maybe “guinea squash,” if you

Purple foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, aka common foxglove or lady’s glove, is a biennial plant with tall flower stalks and tightly clustered, tubular, downward-facing blossoms.Blossom colors include cream, pink, purple, red, yellow,