When someone says ‘happy’ what flower comes to mind? That’s right, for most it’s the cheery epitome of summer blooms, the Helianthus annuus, more commonly known as the sunflower. This hardy annual, which we found in the Kitchen Garden at Birr Castle, is one of the best plants for sowing in the garden and is a fantastic project to take on with younger kids. Easy to grow and with incredibly
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In late July every year, well planted borders everywhere are brimming over with colour and foliage. Having enjoyed masses of Spring bulb splendour and early summer Iris and Aquilegia, we come into a more substantial phase in the garden. In a symphony this phase would be called the crescendo, the time in a piece where everything comes to a dramatic climax. I think many gardens have this feel in August
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From as far back as I can remember have been designing. At the age of eight, my friend and I would glue together lots of A4 pages to make one large A1 sheet and promptly cover it in dreams. Dream houses, dream gardens, dream worlds. Design was absolutely limitless and no-one told us we couldn’t create our perfect worlds. That we didn’t have the tools, the knowledge, the talent. We
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