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Gardening

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

<p>Mahonia bealei, commonly known as leatherleaf mahonia or Berberis bealei or Beale's barberry, is an evergreen shrub with large, leathery leaves. File picture</p>

home and gardens

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'

<p>A Rewilding Britain Landscape' designed by Lulu Urquhart and Adam Hunt, speakers at the 2026 GLDA seminar, was the overall winner at Chelsea Flower Show 2022. </p>

home and gardens

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

<p>In suburban gardens, you might want to open out your garden into the wider landscape, or you may want to soften or obscure it. File picture</p>

home and gardens

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

bloming gladiolus field

home and gardens

Garden Digest: Events to enjoy your green space in February

Modern loft style concrete patio for sitting and drinking coffee.

home and gardens

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

planting broad bean seeds west sussex allotment in February

home and gardens

The 10 must-do gardening jobs for February

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

Clematis 'Montana rubens.' Grows to 9 - 10 metres. Flowers in May. Needs moist, fertile soil. Chalk is beneficial.

Gardening: A beginner’s guide to pruning clematis

With good choices and sensible pruning, you can enjoy clematis all year round — but when it comes to pruning, you need to know your groups

Wed, 14 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

Peter Dowdall: Trees like this oak in Rochestown in Cork root us in the wider story

Peter Dowdall: Trees like this oak in Rochestown in Cork root us in the wider story

'To stand in front of a tree that has lived far beyond our lifetime is to be reminded that what we do now will shape the world long after we’re gone'

Thu, 25 Dec, 2025

Cat wearing scarf walking on the snow

Peter Dowdall: Walk on the wild side and seek out sustainable winter garden bling

'Real garden sparkle comes from those tough, generous, wildlife-friendly beauties that actually belong outdoors in our climate'

Thu, 11 Dec, 2025

How to make your Christmas bulbs last longer

Gardening: How to make your Christmas bulbs last longer

If you're considering buying bulbs to add to your yuletide decor, think carefully about when you buy them and where you put them

Thu, 11 Dec, 2025

Backyard after a Week of Rain

Garden Q&A: My lawn looks a mess this winter. What can I do?

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

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

A Jack Russell Terrier running in backyard with steel fence and green lawn.

Home Q&A: I want to adopt a dog, but my garden is not fenced

My garden is very rural and not enclosed, but I am at home most of the day. What can I do to change the animal charities' minds?

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Interior design decor with potted orchid flowers and bookcase next to window

Peter Dowdall: How to keep your houseplants happy this winter

'Houseplants can be high maintenance, but the good news is not all of them are prima donnas, and some actually love winter — or will at least tolerate it'

Sat, 06 Dec, 2025

Close-up of frost on plant leaves in the Fall

Garden Q&A: What's the best way to protect trees and shrubs from frost?

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

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

I hated leaf blowers, now I love them: A convert's guide

I hated leaf blowers, now I love them: A convert's guide

What you need to know to blast bothersome leaf fall into submission

Sun, 30 Nov, 2025

First autumn frost in the garden. Dahlia flower bed damaged after first killing frost of the season. Frozen dahlia plants, end o

Peter Dowdall: Frost signals season's end for certain plants. Here's how to manage their downtime

The first real cold snap of the season always seems to catch us the same way, no matter how many years we’ve been gardening or how often we reassure ourselves that we’re ready for winter

Fri, 28 Nov, 2025

Wild Mushrooms On The Forest Floor

Garden Q&A: Mushrooms are popping up in my lawn and flower beds. Why?

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

Wed, 26 Nov, 2025

Darmera peltata pink flowers with green background

Work with the weather: The dogwoods, willows, and irises that thrive in waterlogged Irish gardens

Some plants are happy in the wet weather

Mon, 24 Nov, 2025

Verbena Bonariensis flowers

GARDEN Q&A: Is it okay to cut back perennials

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

Sun, 23 Nov, 2025

Snowdrop flowers blooming in winter

Garden Digest: Winter flower demos and gala club events

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

Sun, 16 Nov, 2025

Camellia flower fallen leaves

Peter Dowdall: Stars of November shine brightly in our gardens

All the fluff and fuss of summer has gone now, and what’s left is structure, scent, and some real top performers

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

How to create the perfect winter garden

How to create the winter garden of your dreams

From frost-hardy plants to bright-coloured foliage, here's how to grow a winter wonderland outside your own home

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Planting spring flowers in the garden

Garden Q&A: Is there still time to plant spring bulbs in November?

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

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill'

Garden Digest: Winter flower demonstrations and gala events

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

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Blue spring flowers (Scilla siberica) blooming in fresh soil amidst a garden setting

Peter Dowdall: Get out in the garden and get planting this weekend. Your future self will thank you in spring

If those bags of bulbs are still sitting by the back door, don’t feel guilty. November is the perfect time. The soil is still soft, and the temperatures are cool enough. Bulbs are wonderfully forgiving, and there’s still time for them to settle in

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025

Hemlock Water-dropwort - Oenanthe crocata

Revealed: The deadly plants gardeners and foragers need to know about

From the poisonous yew to beautiful blooms and the garlic lookalikes with lethal powers, here's what you need to look out for

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Autumn portrait of the little kitten wearing the pink-gray knitted scarf. Cat sitting outdoors on fallen yellow leaves in a gard

Garden Q&A: Should I still cut the grass on my lawn in winter?

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

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

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

Autumn panorama in the mountains, in a remote rural area

Peter Dowdall: Compost turns fallen leaves from what we once called rubbish into riches

'In the wild, no one gathers up the fallen leaves or hauls them to the dump. They’re left to return to the soil. By spring, they’ve become humus that feeds roots, fungi, and insects'

Sat, 25 Oct, 2025

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