Great gardens reflect the people that create them. This statement is something which I think of every time I visit a new garden. Particularly those gardens that make you stop for a moment and admire their uniqueness, gardens truly are an expression of the creators personality. Much like people’s homes, gardens are spaces where people can continue to express their style and lifestyle in a unique and interesting way and
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Why our roadside perennials make more than just pretty borders Thought you knew the plants that grow on our roadsides? Well, I certainly thought I was familiar with most of them. That was, until I started to look a little closer and realised that our native roadside perennials are anything but simple. The other day, as part of my research for my ‘Native hedgerows’ series, I looked a little closer
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Embracing the grassy wilderness in our landscapes and gardens The landscape of Ireland is fascinating one to study with its many different geographical habitats. From our native coastlines to our open waters such as rivers and lakes and all the way to our country’s two major habitats- and bogland and grasslands, there is a mind-blowing diversity of flora and fauna, all of which come together to make up our unique
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Celebrating the great Irish hedgerow Is there a more ubiquitous element of the Irish landscape than the hedgerow? That softly mounding linear dissection of our fields, often accompanied by stretches of native walling, is something so uniquely Irish and found everywhere from the northern tip of Rathlin island to the South of Bantry. Today, after returning from a recent trip abroad, I find myself smiling happily out the train window at
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Take some time to admire our valuable native trees and shrubs and see how they shape our landscape Who doesn’t love our landscape in Summer? The wild Irish landscape which surrounds us in countryside and even the city, is truly unique. The rich tapestry of layers and textures of our native trees, shrubs and roadside planting rewards us daily with its splendour but how often do we actually consciously take
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It’s time. Looking out my window today at the streaming May rain day I decided to give up on waiting for Summer vibes to come and instead bring some of my own to the garden. It’s been a hard start to the year and most of us are craving the lush greens and explosions in the garden that we associate with this time of the year. So yes, it’s time
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There is something immensely satisfying about planting a flower that self seeds easily. Allowing plants to self seed feels like the antitheses of high maintenance gardening, a relaxed and informal way of the garden evolving on its own. To me, planting self-seeders is as though you are allowing the garden to play. In these instances it is nature that decides where to lay down roots, the wind carrying seeds in
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One of my earliest memories as a child is being awestruck by the beauty of fireworks. To this day the magical display of explosive fire, controlled to form so many incredible shapes in endless colours, takes my breath away. Fireworks were invented in China, where the celebration of letting off these beautiful displays forms part of the welcoming the new year. In China they are believed to ward off evil
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Every year, at the start of December the excitement of Christmas comes over me. December is that time of the year when I feel like I’m able to slow down a little, light the fire and start reflecting on the year gone by. I love the start of the festive season and almost like the build up to Christmas more than the actual day. Decorating the house, baking
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Is there any colour more elegant than black? When it comes to fashion black has long been a favourite of many designers, bringing an understated chic style to any outfit or collection. It is a truly timeless colour-think of the little black dress, the black suit and the black t-shirt, staples I can’t ever see going out of fashion. Within garden design the colour black is used in various
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