Almost every garden I know has some form of hedging in it. Whether for privacy at a boundary of a site, planted as a shelter-bed for windy sites or as formal surround and edging within a scheme, hedging plays so many different roles in our gardens. The plants featured this week are not necessarily in Bloom but nevertheless at their best this week. Some spectacular hedging can be found at
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There are not many plants as striking as the blue thistle like Eryngium planum. The evergreen amethyst coloured sea holly is a real show stopper with its pretty purple tint and fascinating silver foliage. This plant is native to central and southeastern Europe as well as Asia and its name comes from the Greek word hruggion which translates as ‘a spiny leaved plant’. This plant is one that does well in most
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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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You really know it’s sumer when you see the elegant tall spires of Salvia start to blossom in the border. These butterfly and bee friendly plants are part of the laminaceae family which is native to the Mediterranean region. Most people will probably recognize the name Sage as well known, culinary herb, whose slightly peppery flavour goes so well with fish dishes as well as our christmas Turkey, where
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The summer holidays are finally here and many of us are heading away on beachy sun-filled breaks. Lying on the beach is the ultimate way to relax but plant and nature based holidays are proven to be a great way to de-stress and rejuvenate. One lovely nature themed package deal can be found right here in our own beautiful country. Powerscourt Hotel and Spa have created a ‘Powerscourt in
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Many people consider the humble daisy a weed but to me there is nothing more cheery than a big, bold mass of daisies. Whether growing wild in a field or planted cheekily self seeding itself in containers this plant always reminds me of warm summer days looking up into a blue sky making daisy chains. Daisies have long been associated with purity, innocence and love and this particular daisy, which
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Over a year ago I was asked to design an outdoor space for a wonderful cafe in Strandhill, County Sligo, called Shells Surf Cafe. The popular artisan cafe and shop has a seafront location in a very exposed part of the Wild Atlantic, North-West of Ireland and designing an area of green at the front was indeed a challenge. The design brief had to take into account the cafe’s modern-vintage
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The hue of this week’s chosen plant is so recognizable that an actual colour has been named after the plant. Cornflower blue is a stunning shade of medium to light blue and was one of the favourite colours of the Dutch painter Vermeer. The flower that inspired the name Cornflower blue is the Centaurea, a fascinating plant with many uses and stories. Cornflowers is a common wildflower that is originally
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The first time I came across a Magnolia tree was as a child in my neighbours garden in County Leitrim. On a rural road, miles from the nearest town, a true plantsman had created a haven of beauty. To us as children finding this place seemed like we had stumbled upon a secret garden. Each cleverly separated space in the garden was like a little garden room and each was filled with it’s
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