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Gardening

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Community Gardens Ireland is operated on a voluntary basis and is currently a free resource for community gardeners everywhere. Contact Community Gardens Ireland at info@cgireland.org</p>

outdoors

Donal Hickey: More allotments wanted — there's a 2-3 year waiting list in Cork

Community Gardens Ireland has written to Minister James Browne to call for a new survey of local authorities to be issued following a lack of engagement from local authorities

<p>Wilted plants, browning lawns and crispy plants — here's how to revive your garden and how to prepare it for the next time it's hot</p>

outdoors

Even plants that look terminally crispy can revive: How to rescue your garden after a heatwave

<p>A meditation space can help you to not only connect with your outdoor room but lower your cortisol levels. File pictures</p>

home and gardens

Get grounded: Connect with the garden to boost your wellbeing

Contemporary house adjacent to tree-lined sidewalk and grassy lawn

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: Fifty shades of this super shrub to select

This mulch I know: it’s good for your garden any time of year, but particularly in winter

outdoors

This mulch I know: it’s good for your garden any time of year, but particularly in winter

Donal Hickey: Urban allotments and community gardens growing in popularity

outdoors

Donal Hickey: Urban allotments and community gardens growing in popularity

Fallen autumn leaves in the park

Anja Murray: So-called 'leaf litter' doesn't mean gardens need a clean sweep

There is a very good biodiversity case for leaving the leaves alone

Wed, 09 Oct, 2024

Donal Hickey: Why have the birds abandoned my garden?

Donal Hickey: Why have the birds abandoned my garden?

Some readers have been in touch to say that the wild birds seem to have deserted the area despite full feeders and birdbaths

Thu, 29 Aug, 2024

Responsible gardening for peak plant health

Responsible gardening for peak plant health

Simple actions such as sourcing plants from trusted home producers, avoiding taking plants, flowers and fruit back to Ireland from holidays abroad or cleaning your boots after a forest walk all contribute to maintaining plant health and biosecurity

Sun, 28 Jul, 2024

Donal Hickey: Here's how schools can sign up to get free growing packs

Donal Hickey: Here's how schools can sign up to get free growing packs

And families looking to start their own growing journey can pick up a GIY GROWBox at their local supermarket — they will be available in selected SuperValu stores across the country

Thu, 02 May, 2024

Alan Titchmarsh: Slugs are never going to be my friends

Alan Titchmarsh: Slugs are never going to be my friends

The gardener who turns 75 next week says that "nobody gardens more responsibly than I do"

Tue, 23 Apr, 2024

Snail on a concrete slab. Background with copy space for text or inscriptions.

Richard Collins: Slug-inspired glue could even work for heart surgery

Harvard scientist David Mooney has been researching slug mucus. This has led to the development of a new glue which is immensely strong and non-toxic to humans, properties which make it ideal for medical applications

Thu, 28 Mar, 2024

GARDENING Gardening Column 4

Donal Hickey: Is there a spud-planting deadline?

St Patrick’s Day has traditionally been seen as the middle day of spring, with hopes of better weather and improved growing conditions afterwards

Thu, 14 Mar, 2024

Great blossoms on trees and shrubs this year — here's why...

Great blossoms on trees and shrubs this year — here's why...

The conditions for a great display of blossom have been building since last spring

Wed, 28 Feb, 2024

Great and Blue Tit Feeding

How to help birds survive in winter and why cleaning bird feeders can prevent disease

The BirdWatch Ireland advice is to clean bird feeders thoroughly at least once a week to control the trichomonas parasite which has impacted many finches

Wed, 17 Jan, 2024

Pea 'Douce Provence' pods growing on plant

Sow peas now for an early harvest, but beware mice, slugs and birds

Some varieties of garden pea can be sown in autumn — if you’re patient enough to nurse seedlings through winter

Sat, 14 Oct, 2023

Amaryllis

Garden Q&A: Will my amaryllis flower again this December?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Sun, 08 Oct, 2023

A living library’: a bid to save rare plants from extinction

A living library’: a bid to save rare plants from extinction

Volunteers wanted to grow rare pollinator-friendly plants in their homes or gardens

Sun, 10 Sep, 2023

Anja Murray: Making hay and enjoying a 'messy' garden while the sun shines

Anja Murray: Making hay and enjoying a 'messy' garden while the sun shines

For anyone thinking of making a long meadow in part of their land, now is a good time to collect wildflower seeds, especially with all this good weather — and here's a link to a how-to guide with loads of info

Wed, 06 Sep, 2023

Asplenium scolopendrium or Phyllitis scolopendrium, Europe

Peter Dowdall: How the fern can be used in many garden styles

'Ferns encompass a vast array of species, each with its own unique characteristics and growing requirements'

Sun, 03 Sep, 2023

sun flower

Peter Dowdall: Why sunflowers shine in our autumn gardens

A member of the helianthus species, these blooms not only look good, they also attract pollinators

Sun, 06 Aug, 2023

Beautiful foxglove in the garden.

Peter Dowdall: Welcome to Ireland's very own rainforest

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Sat, 29 Jul, 2023

Small square chalkboard with inscriptions Herbs on wooden table among green plants in clay pots straw hat and metal watering can

Mint in your mojito, coriander on your curry: Here's how to create your own kitchen herb garden

'There is nothing more enjoyable than nurturing your plants, watching them grow and seeing the pollinators they attract'

Tue, 18 Jul, 2023

Save or Splurge? Two trending tinted glassware choices

Save or Splurge? Two trending tinted glassware choices

Living in hope for the return of summer, we might still get to indulge in some outdoor tablescaping

Mon, 17 Jul, 2023

Peter Dowdall: All roads will lead to Mullingar as it hosts plant fair

Peter Dowdall: All roads will lead to Mullingar as it hosts plant fair

It's even got a Jealous Wall: Belvedere House and Gardens will turn the horticultural world green with envy on July 22

Fri, 14 Jul, 2023

Stylish and luxurious outdoor room garden design in London

How to make even a tiny garden look and feel larger this summer

The experts and pros share their secrets to making the most of the smallest of outdoor spaces

Wed, 12 Jul, 2023

Garden Digest: Summer events to enjoy our rooms outside

Garden Digest: Summer events to enjoy our rooms outside

Check out all the garden visits, tours, talks, events, campaigns and online resources

Fri, 07 Jul, 2023

labyrinth

Garden Q&A: Why does my hedge have brown patches?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Tue, 04 Jul, 2023

Close-up image of high overgrown hedge in back garden, Leylandii hedging (Leyland cypress) branches

Garden Q&A: What hedge plant will offer shelter and privacy if I remove leylandii?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Sat, 01 Jul, 2023

Gray tabby cat sniffing catmint in the summer garden

Peter Dowdall: How to ensure a garden is catnip for biodiversity

Irish Examiner garden columnist Peter Dowdall shares his secrets to creating a haven for all creatures great and small

Fri, 23 Jun, 2023

Lupines on the shore of Lake Tekapo

Garden Q&A: My lupins have finished flowering. What should I do with them?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Mon, 19 Jun, 2023

The Nurture Landscapes Garden. Designed by Sarah Price. Sponsored by Nurture Landscapes. Show Garden. RHS Chelsea Flower Show 20

Peter Dowdall: 'Pristine lawns were once the only way gardens could be beautiful. Now it's the opposite'

And 'no mow' campaigns have been successful in calling attention to the beauty of wildflowers growing in our lawns

Thu, 08 Jun, 2023

Pure imagination: How to grow edible and incredible plants

Pure imagination: How to grow edible and incredible plants

Ellen O'Regan got advice from Willy Wonka (Gareth Snook) and garden designer Tom Leavy during their visit to Bord Bia Bloom

Wed, 07 Jun, 2023

Garden Digest: Events to help you to enjoy your green spaces

Garden Digest: Events to help you to enjoy your green spaces

Here are some ideas on what to do in the room outside right now

Fri, 19 May, 2023

Allium in a large garden

Peter Dowdall: How to plan ahead for summer in the garden

Peter Dowdall presents his post-Scaraveen survival guide for gardeners as they plan ahead for summer

Fri, 12 May, 2023

Garden Digest: From Bloom to rare fairs to boost rooms outside

Garden Digest: From Bloom to rare fairs to boost rooms outside

Check out all the garden events, tours, talks, campaigns and online resources

Thu, 11 May, 2023

Red rose bloom in garden on background of blue sky

Garden Digest: Events to help you to enjoy your room outside

Check out all the upcoming garden visits, tours, talks, events and campaigns

Fri, 05 May, 2023

Here’s why we should stop weeding. Learn to love our dandelions and brambles

Here’s why we should stop weeding. Learn to love our dandelions and brambles

Weeds protect the soil and nurture insects and birds — now they are finally having their time in the sun

Mon, 01 May, 2023

The Edible Flower: Grow your flowers, and eat them too

The Edible Flower: Grow your flowers, and eat them too

Learn how to grow and cook edible flowers with The Edible Flower, a cookbook that encourages you to be more engaged with the seasons and to appreciate flowers in whole new way

Fri, 14 Apr, 2023

Sustainable gardening: How to make your garden a multilayer food forest

Sustainable gardening: How to make your garden a multilayer food forest

Tom Massey promotes natural ‘forest gardens’ with biodiverse planting to create wildlife havens

Wed, 05 Apr, 2023

Synthetic Lawn Side Strip

Plastic grass: Low-maintenance fuss-free greenery — or a menace to the environment?

CAROLINE DELANEY examines the backlash against synthetic lawns, and asks environmental experts for their observations

Mon, 03 Apr, 2023

Chervil herb in an ornamental pot

6 unusual herbs to grow this year

Some fun alternatives to parsley and thyme...

Thu, 02 Mar, 2023

Hedgehog in Summertime, inside a clay drainage pipe with colourful flowering herbs

7 ways gardeners can help wildlife and make a difference

Ahead of World Wildlife Day on March 3, here are some actions that really do benefit our regular garden visitors

Mon, 27 Feb, 2023

Garden trends 2023: Seaweed compost, bean manure, and xeriscaping

Garden trends 2023: Seaweed compost, bean manure, and xeriscaping

Soil health, regenerative gardening and gravel gardening will all be on gardeners' to-do lists this year

Mon, 09 Jan, 2023

Behave like pigs in your garden to attract robins

Behave like pigs in your garden to attract robins

And when it comes to 'love', it is the female who assesses all the factors and makes the final choice of mate

Wed, 14 Dec, 2022

Hoverfly on Yellow Dandelion Flower

Donal Hickey: These pollinators 'dress up' like bees for their own protection

We have 180 species of hoverfly which play a critical role in pollinating plants and getting rid of waste

Thu, 17 Nov, 2022

'Each garden has to be different': Cork landscaper wins top prize for future-proofed urban garden

'Each garden has to be different': Cork landscaper wins top prize for future-proofed urban garden

Shane Murphy has won the International Garden category in the 'Pro Landscaper' Small Project Big Impact awards

Wed, 02 Nov, 2022

Juanita Browne: Brighten things up with bulbs for bees

Juanita Browne: Brighten things up with bulbs for bees

Plenty of tips on how to get the most out of your bulbs here — but remember that in terms of value for wildlife, tulips or daffodils are like planting plastic flowers outdoors

Tue, 01 Nov, 2022

Rewilding is not always the answer — says Alan Titchmarsh

Rewilding is not always the answer — says Alan Titchmarsh

"I'm not embarrassed about being a gardener," says the gardening guru and broadcaster who has mixed views about the rewilding trend

Mon, 31 Oct, 2022

Sowing seeds: Grow it yourself to nourish body and mind

Sowing seeds: Grow it yourself to nourish body and mind

GIY founder Michael Kelly has written an accessible and informative book that encourages everyone to sow a seed for delicious and nutritious results

Fri, 28 Oct, 2022