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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I love Autumn! The crisp cool days, the fun of Halloween and the general calming down of the landscape around us. It’s a time when I often find myself reflecting on the year and taking time to re-evaluate and recharge my batteries. One of my favourite things about this time of the year is the transformation that happens in our gardens. The quieting down of colours and gentle dying down
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I know Autumn is fast approaching when the leaves start to drift off the trees and perennials are starting to turn delicious shades of gold and orange. It is at this time every year I always get the urge to start planning for next years flower display in the border. The look of this years design is still fresh in my mind and I always think Autumn is a
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I love autumn in my garden. Though many plants are preparing for dormancy, and most of the stronger summer colour is gone, there is something so restful and beautiful about the garden at this of the year. With temperatures becoming cooler we also tend to get some lovely crisp, sunny days which draw us outside and with a little thought we can create lovely spaces to enjoy even in the
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