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#Home - Gardening in Spring

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Alpine wallflower or Erysimum golden gem: 'We must remember we are still in spring and not let recent pet days fool us into thinking of summer too early,' warns Peter Dowdall. File picture</p>

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: Don't be fooled by the pet days of March and early April

What happens at night still matters more than what happens at midday. Temperatures are still fluctuating, and cold snaps, even light frosts, are still very much part of the picture

<p>Plantswoman, broadcaster and author Sarah Raven. Picture: Jonathan Buckley/PA</p>

home and gardens

Five top garden flowers to grow for cutting and how to make them last in a vase

<p>The pink and white Viburnum tinus laurustinus 'Lisa Rose' in flower. File picture</p>

home and gardens

Garden Q&A: What's eating my viburnum, and what can I do about it?

Green Ivy Climbing Old Timber Fence

home and gardens

Garden Q&A: Should I cut back the ivy on my hedge?

White crocus blooming

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: Crocus, narcissus and anemone signal it's spring

Garden Digest: Ideas to make the most of our green spaces

home and gardens

Garden Digest: Ideas to make the most of our green spaces

Garden Digest: Ideas to make the most of our green spaces

Garden Digest: Ideas to make the most of our green spaces

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

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Primrose in woodland

Peter Dowdall: Why so many of us love primroses

'I can't tell you how many people I have spoken to recently who have told me their favourite flower at this time of year is the simple yet beautiful, common wild primrose, Primula vulgaris'

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Fresh Potato Harvest

Spring is in the air — here's how you can take biodiversity action from your garden

With spring in the air, more people are getting out into the garden and keeping wildlife in mind by opting for eco-friendly and organic products

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Beautiful garden with ornamental grasses

Garden Q&A: Is it too late to cut back grasses and perennials in March?

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

Mon, 09 Mar, 2026

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

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

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

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026

Garden Q&A: Is March too early in the year to sow grass seed?

Garden Q&A: Is March too early in the year to sow grass seed?

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

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

It's time for social media and relax.

Peter Dowdall: Reconnect with nature and boost your wellbeing in the garden

'It isn’t just about tidying borders or sowing seeds; it’s deeper than that. After months of short days and damp air, we have been living at a remove from the natural world'

Mon, 02 Mar, 2026

File photo dated 23/05/22 of Dame Mary Berry during the RHS Chelsea Flower Show press day, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London

Mary Berry: 'My garden is a great solace and a place I love to be'

We know her best as a food writer, chef, and TV presenter. Now the former 'Great British Bake Off' judge has penned a book on her love for her room outside

Mon, 02 Mar, 2026

Garden Digest: Ideas to make the most of our green spaces

Garden Digest: Ideas to make the most of our green spaces

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

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Purple and Pink Hydrangea Flowers

Peter Dowdall: When to cut back hydrangeas and how to prune ornamental grasses

'Both are signs in February that the switch is going off within us, and we need to get outside to the garden once more'

Thu, 26 Feb, 2026

Camellia japonica / Japanese camellia Flower: Red, Pink and White

Garden Q&A: Why are my camellia buds dropping before opening?

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

Mon, 23 Feb, 2026

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, 20 Feb, 2026

Five of the best gardening jobs to boost wellbeing in spring

Five of the best gardening jobs to boost wellbeing in spring

Kathy Slack found solace in gardening after she left her fast-paced job in advertising. Here she shares the tasks she believes boost wellbeing this season

Wed, 18 Feb, 2026

Hummel flies over Heath

Peter Dowdall: Winter-flowering heather adds life to every garden

Year after year, this plant earns its keep. Right now, it's in full colour, glowing against the dark, wet soil and bark, asking for nothing more than to be left alone

Wed, 18 Feb, 2026

Overgrown grass in a garden

Garden Q&A: How should I deal with rushes growing in my lawn?

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

Mon, 16 Feb, 2026

Pruned rose bushes in a country rose garden after winter. Leafless rose stems await summer. Soil insulation with sawdust

Garden Q&A: My rose bush is still bare in February. Is it alive?

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

Sun, 15 Feb, 2026

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, 13 Feb, 2026

bleeding heart

Peter Dowdall: The Valentine's Day plant picks that make perfect gifts

'Sometimes the most thoughtful gestures are the ones that last beyond a single day'

Thu, 12 Feb, 2026

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

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

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

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Mahonia bealei / Leatherleaf Mahonia / Beale’s barberry / Berberis Bealei

Peter Dowdall: What to do in the garden this February

'Colour is scarce, flowers are fleeting, and what’s left standing has to earn its place. The plants that matter now are the ones that give shape, shelter and continuity'

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Peter Dowdall: Our garden isn't separate from the world beyond the fence

Peter Dowdall: Our garden isn't separate from the world beyond the fence

The Garden & Landscape Designers Association seminar on February 28 will focus on how plants boost everything from soil health and water quality to pollination, climate regulation and human wellbeing

Sun, 01 Feb, 2026

bloming gladiolus field

Garden Digest: Events to enjoy your green space in February

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

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

Modern loft style concrete patio for sitting and drinking coffee.

Garden Q&A: What's the best way to deal with moss on my lawn?

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

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

planting broad bean seeds west sussex allotment in February

The 10 must-do gardening jobs for February

And it doesn’t just have to be outdoors. If the ground is too hard, there’s plenty to do inside — from sowing seeds to tending plants

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Peter Dowdall: 'Cork showed real imagination in 1985 when it turned a derelict site into a public park'

Peter Dowdall: 'Cork showed real imagination in 1985 when it turned a derelict site into a public park'

Urban green areas are not just outdoor sitting rooms, writes Peter Dowdall as he contemplates the redeveloped Bishop Lucey Park

Fri, 09 Jan, 2026

Vibrant Colors And Beauty Of Springtime Flowers

Garden Digest: April ideas to make the most of our green spaces

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

Sun, 27 Apr, 2025

Urban gardening, fresh herbs in clay pots

Peter Dowdall: Container gardening creates miniature ecosystems

Container gardening isn’t just a compromise for those without space. It offers the opportunity to grow beautiful and ecologically important plants

Sat, 26 Apr, 2025

The best barbecues and outdoor kitchen kit for al-fresco life

The best barbecues and outdoor kitchen kit for al-fresco life

Kya deLongchamps grills the latest barbecues and outdoor cooking equipment

Sat, 26 Apr, 2025

colorful hydrangea

Garden Q&A: Is it too late to prune my hydrangeas in April?

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

Mon, 21 Apr, 2025

child girl planting flowers in spring garden

Peter Dowdall: Time is ripe to get children into the garden

Easter holidays offer the perfect opportunity to introduce budding gardeners to the room outside

Sun, 20 Apr, 2025

Wild flowers in an overgrown garden

Garden Q&A: If I let one patch of my lawn go wild, will it make a difference?

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

Wed, 16 Apr, 2025

Backgarden flower bed with fence

All you need to know about boundaries and why good fences make good neighbours

How often do we engage with the limits of our property front and back?

Mon, 14 Apr, 2025

How to create a great balcony escape this summer

How to create a great balcony escape this summer

Reach for the skies and flip a few square metres from a clothes-drying zone into a private paradise

Mon, 14 Apr, 2025

Garden Q&A: Is it too early to start planting out summer bedding?

Garden Q&A: Is it too early to start planting out summer bedding?

These plants have been grown indoors in protected environments

Sun, 06 Apr, 2025

Mountain biking between crocus blossoms

Peter Dowdall: The keys to success with spring bulbs

They require very little fuss yet reward you so generously

Sat, 05 Apr, 2025

Butterfly bush also known as buddleia

Peter Dowdall: The switch which drives us gardeners outside has gone off once more

Plants that bloom later in the summer rather than in spring can generally be pruned now

Sat, 29 Mar, 2025

Choisya in an English garden in summer

Peter Dowdall: Preparing your garden for the coming rapid growth

A garden should be a place of enjoyment not a source of stress or an ever-growing to-do list

Sun, 23 Mar, 2025

Vivid Green Irish Shamrock or the Three-leaf Clovers on the Field for Background

Peter Dowdall: How the shamrock became a symbol of Ireland

'Trifolium dubium's association with St Patrick is well known. But it doesn’t end with religion. Shamrock's creeping stems have spread into our very psyche'

Mon, 17 Mar, 2025

Solitary Hawthorn tree.

Garden Q&A: My whitethorn tree has never blossomed. Why not?

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

Wed, 12 Mar, 2025

10 things you didn’t know about hoverflies

10 things you didn’t know about hoverflies — our gardens' unsung heroes

Many go by the names the Footballer, Batman and Marmalade and hoverflies pollinate more than half the world's crops. Here's how to help them survive

Wed, 12 Mar, 2025