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Gardening

Your home for gardening tips, inspiration, news and features.

<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

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

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

Peter Dowdall: Winter is an ideal time add the wow factor to gardens

'Winter strips the garden back. The bones of the garden are suddenly visible, and the space naturally feels more relaxed.

Sat, 31 Jan, 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

Beautiful red amaryllis flowers on table in room

Garden Q&A: How can I perk up my amaryllis flowers?

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

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

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