Home - Gardening in Summer

Sign in

#Home - Gardening in Summer

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>To celebrate National Heritage Week 2026, Head Gardener’s House at Fota will be open on August 16 from 10am-4pm. Picture: Dan Linehan</p>

home and gardens

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

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

<p>In summer, the same glass that brings in winter light can turn a room into a greenhouse. The same paved patio that looks clean and contemporary can bounce heat and glare straight back into the house, according to Peter Dowdall. File pictures </p>

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: Garden planting and design ideas to keep your home cool in summer

<p>It is worth thinning overcrowded fruit, as a tree carrying too much fruit is more likely to shed some under stress. File picture</p>

home and gardens

Garden Q&A: When stress makes apple trees drop fruit too soon

Shallow focus of summer flowers seen in a back garden.

home and gardens

Home Q&A: Your guide to the new planning rules for garden cabins

Gardening Concept. Landscaped Garden. Flowers and Plants composition. very decorative gardening picture.

home and gardens

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

Floral arrangement in spring

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: What to do in the garden before setting off on holiday

Beautiful backyard floral garden

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

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

Fri, 17 Jul, 2026

Nature photography with tablet

Peter Dowdall: Summer shows us exactly what we need to do in our gardens

July is the perfect month to walk around our rooms outside, see what’s going on, make notes and take pictures

Fri, 17 Jul, 2026

Biochar made from charcoal and "charged" with nutrients and beneficial microbes.

Garden Q&A: I found little green and brown pellets in my garden. What are they?

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

Tue, 14 Jul, 2026

wooden garden bench in summer with curvy stone pathway and blooming day-lily

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

Sun, 12 Jul, 2026

Garden Q&A: Can I change the colour of my hydrangeas by altering the soil?

Garden Q&A: Can I change the colour of my hydrangeas by altering the soil?

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

Mon, 06 Jul, 2026

Balcony through the sliding glass door

Jennifer Sheahan: Ideas for beautiful balconies this summer

Eat your heart out, Romeo and Juliet

Sun, 05 Jul, 2026

Close up photo of Sharp gaze of a cat's eyes confined within an iron cage, peering out into the world from behind the iron bars.

Home Q&A: How GPS trackers can keep our pets safe and healthy

At home and on staycation, this tech is offering more and more ways to provide us with vital peace of mind

Fri, 03 Jul, 2026

Colorful garden

Garden Digest: July diary dates to make the most of our room outside

Check out all the garden visits, tours, talks, events, campaigns and online resources for our green spaces

Fri, 03 Jul, 2026

Spraying weed killer herbicide to control unwanted plants and grass on a backyard. Building exterior

Garden Q&A: What's the safest and best way to get rid of weeds?

Kya deLongchamps explores organic weed suppression methods in favour of controversial chemical sprays

Fri, 03 Jul, 2026

Stachys byzantina (Lamb's Ears) flower in the summer garden

Peter Dowdall: Let's hear it for lamb's ear and other remarkably resilient plants

Some plants have evolved so that they not only survive conditions that leave everything else wilting but also look their best while doing so

Wed, 01 Jul, 2026

Red Fence

Garden Q&A: Why are some trees in my beech hedge dying?

I've noticed a white substance on the leaves, which appears to be a form of mildew. How should I treat this disease?

Tue, 30 Jun, 2026

Everything from follies to fountains and gazebos to gates at Glantelwe Gardens sale

Everything from follies to fountains and gazebos to gates at Glantelwe Gardens sale

Architectural salvage from private collections and country houses will be on offer, including 19th-century turnstiles converted to tables

Sat, 27 Jun, 2026

Sweet peas

Garden Digest: Outdoor painting, vibrant visits and fabulous foraging

We check out the garden tours, fairs and online resources available give you ideas to boost your room outside this summer

Sat, 27 Jun, 2026

Gardening

Peter Dowdall: Why almost every gardening problem starts and ends with soil

When soil is healthy, plants are more resilient to drought, better able to access nutrients, and less vulnerable to pests and diseases

Thu, 25 Jun, 2026

Garden flowers # 53 XXXL

Garden Digest: Super summer events to boost your room outside

We check out the garden visits, tours, festivals and fairs taking place in June and July

Wed, 24 Jun, 2026

Peter Dowdall: The structures that add balance to any garden

Peter Dowdall: The structures that add balance to any garden

Without a destination, the gaze slides over a space regardless of how well the plants are growing. A focal point fixes that

Thu, 18 Jun, 2026

Beautiful flower garden scenery with a variety of flowers in bloom

Garden Q&A: Should I divide and move plants in summer?

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

Tue, 16 Jun, 2026

Image of timber decking, garden table with parasol, UPVC-conservatory, maples

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

Fri, 12 Jun, 2026

Peter Dowdall: We always remember the best gardens for how they made us feel

Peter Dowdall: We always remember the best gardens for how they made us feel

The gold medal-winning design by Oliver and Liat Schurmann felt less like a showpiece and more like a woodland, writes Peter Dowdall

Wed, 10 Jun, 2026

English Domestic Garden

Garden Q&A: What climbing plants work best on a wooden pergola?

'The main criteria would be plants that are pollinator-friendly and low-maintenance, with bonus points for some nice scent'

Tue, 09 Jun, 2026

The best solar outdoor lighting that will shine brightly season after season

The best solar outdoor lighting that will shine brightly season after season

Solar and wireless USB-charged outdoor lighting offers unique creative freedom around our patios, driveways and landscaping.

Sat, 06 Jun, 2026

Gardening tools and flowers on soil

Garden Digest: Events to help you boost the room outside

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

Sat, 06 Jun, 2026

Small downtown Toronto urban back yard garden in summer.

Home Q&A: How to create a good relationship with your neighbours

There are many practical ways to regulate these relationships over the garden fence and be the best of friends this summer

Fri, 05 Jun, 2026

Garden Q&A: Our griselinea hedge is dying. What should we do?

Garden Q&A: Our griselinea hedge is dying. What should we do?

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

Wed, 03 Jun, 2026

Bord Bia Bloom 2026

Peter Dowdall: We might not have the budget or space for a show garden, but Bloom winners like this show us what is possible

Native plants alongside drought-tolerant species reflect the need for resilience and sustainability in modern Irish gardens

Tue, 02 Jun, 2026

Garden inspiration: All invited to coastal RHSI garden at Seanabea Cottage in Cloyne

Garden inspiration: All invited to coastal RHSI garden at Seanabea Cottage in Cloyne

Whether you are a keen gardener, a plant enthusiast, or seek a fun family day out, this open garden event offers something for everyone

Tue, 02 Jun, 2026

Outdoor sitting area fire pit in a chilly New York backyard in the fall. Enjoy landscaping, foliage and beauty while staying war

Home Q&A: The sustainable way to enjoy a fire pit or chiminea in your garden this summer

If you fancy the ultimate nostalgia experience, a fire pit, fire basket or a chiminea can perform multiple duties

Sat, 30 May, 2026

Three top picks: Small-space garden design at Bloom, luxe loungers and sweet treats

Three top picks: Small-space garden design at Bloom, luxe loungers and sweet treats

Home Editor Eve Kelliher sources a trio of ideas for inside and out this June bank holiday weekend

Fri, 29 May, 2026

'We no longer see a garden as a patch of green space outside the window'

'We no longer see a garden as a patch of green space outside the window'

Fresh from Mallow Home & Garden Festival, Peter Dowdall is at Bord Bia Bloom this weekend and looks forward to an inaugural celebration of the room outside in Killarney event in June

Fri, 29 May, 2026

Peter Dowdall: What to see and do at Bloom as festival celebrates its 20th birthday

Peter Dowdall: What to see and do at Bloom as festival celebrates its 20th birthday

'When visiting the show gardens, let me give you one piece of advice, and that's to move slowly through them'

Wed, 27 May, 2026

Great and Blue Tit Feeding

Garden Q&A: Should we change our bird-feeding practices in summer?

Is it time to change to safe, seasonal bird-feeding in our gardens? Kya deLongchamps looks at the latest advice

Thu, 21 May, 2026

Peter Dowdall: What to see and do at Mallow Home & Garden Festival this weekend

Peter Dowdall: What to see and do at Mallow Home & Garden Festival this weekend

'Long before social media, gardeners swapped plants and advice over fences. Festivals like Mallow continue that tradition on a larger scale'

Tue, 19 May, 2026

Living in a Harmony Lifestyle Concept. Wooden House Model on Green Grass. Close to Nature

'Garden homes might seem promising, but could negatively impact vulnerable individuals and families'

Kya deLongchamps has reservations regarding proposed changes to Irish planning law in its current form

Fri, 15 May, 2026

black wooden garden house in wild overgrown garden

Home Q&A: How to paint, stain and maintain a modular wood building

Every three to five years, backyard wood buildings (residential or otherwise) will require light repair, sanding, and painting or staining

Fri, 15 May, 2026

Two female friends are enjoying some relaxing time together, sitting at table on porch of traditional wooden chalet in mountain

Home Q&A: Should I include a deck with an overhang on my timber-framed cabin?

A deck with an overhang or some type of porch protection offers shelter as well as no-fuss flooring on which to leave boots, bikes and more

Fri, 15 May, 2026

Gray tabby cat sniffing catmint in the summer garden

Peter Dowdall: Why these plants are catnip to every gardener

Alliums are bulbs we plant in autumn and come spring, they make us realise we've done rather well. They combine beautifully with catmint, nepeta, and geraniums

Wed, 06 May, 2026

Garden Q&A: Our hedge has black, withered leaves. What will help?

Garden Q&A: Our hedge has black, withered leaves. What will help?

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

Tue, 05 May, 2026

European wool carder bee

How well do you know your garden bees?

They are important pollinators and key to biodiversity and ecosystem health, so perhaps it’s time to observe the bees that visit your garden more closely

Tue, 05 May, 2026

Friends eating lunch at backyard

Your guide to sustainable outdoor entertaining and barbecues

We have the recipe for sustainable swaps when it comes to alfresco dining and hosting this summer

Fri, 01 May, 2026

Garden Q&A: My rhubarb has thrown up a flower spike. Should I cut it off?

Garden Q&A: My rhubarb has thrown up a flower spike. Should I cut it off?

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

Wed, 29 Apr, 2026

Hedgerow of wild Montbretia on the Wild Atlantic Way West Cork Ireland.

Peter Dowdall: Beware the beautiful bullies when choosing garden plants

Because some plants are virtually impossible to eradicate once established in your border or lawn, and will colonise every corner

Mon, 27 Apr, 2026

Hot stuff: Top picks of gas barbecues and portable grills

Hot stuff: Top picks of gas barbecues and portable grills

Kya deLongchamps offers a sizzling selection of the latest gas barbecues and portable grills for summer

Thu, 23 Apr, 2026

Save or Splurge? Two gas barbecues with the recipe for success

Save or Splurge? Two gas barbecues with the recipe for success

Should you pay a standard or scorching price for that outdoor cooker? Bear in mind that additions can also cost more

Mon, 20 Apr, 2026

Close up of perennial sweet pea flowers

Garden Q&A: Why didn't my perennial sweet pea bloom this year?

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

Tue, 28 Oct, 2025