Peter Dowdall extols the virtues of lavender, which when in full bloom comes alive with the buzzing of bees and butterflies, and fills the air with an aroma which can’t truly be replicated.

The world of showbusiness collides in London this week with the world of gardening in the form of the colourful explosion that is the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Peter Dowdall on the work that goes on behind Chelsea Flower Show, organised by designer, Tom Harfleet.

A father whose four-year-old daughter died found himself facing sentencing yesterday on a charge of assault causing harm to a man he met in Cork City in the hours after the funeral.

A two-day stand-off between police and a man said to be in possession of dangerous items including petrol and combustibles has ended.

The expert group charged with reviewing Cork’s local government will have access to all documents compiled by the committee that recommended the controversial merger of the city and county councils.

Peter Dowdall took in the first few days of the international flower show this week and spent time talking to the some of the best and brightest gardeners and designers in the world of horticulture.

It’s the world championship of gardening and Ireland has just won gold.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

An Irish gardener has won a gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The Irish have two hot shots at glory on Main Avenue for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, writes Peter Dowdall.         

The Republic of Ireland finished their Uefa U17 Championships Qualifying Round group in pole position after a 1-1 draw with Sweden in Lohja, Finland, yesterday.

Its motto is “choose to live a little” and after one of its staff had a scare last year, Lidl is making sure its staff can live longer by checking out their hearts and setting them a fitness challenge.

The imprint of a shoe or a boot was found on the face of a man whose head was stamped on in the smoking area of a city centre pub in a violent attack.

IRISH horticulture is in rude health at the moment. We are still coming down from the excitement and buzz of Bloom and Mallow shows and there are more to come.

* The award-winning garden of Gertie and Maurice O’Donoghue at Dromboy, Carrignavar, will open this Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 6pm in aid of the Friends of Marymount.

An eight-year-old girl in Scotland is in hospital with serious facial injuries after being mauled by two bulldogs.

MOTHERS and babies inspire one of the large show gardens at Bloom in the Park this bank holiday weekend.

Model Rozanna Purcell was crowned the first winner of Celebrity Come Dine With Me Ireland earlier this year. “I love cooking and I knew I’d produced an excellent meal,” says the 21-year-old, who was up against Brian Kennedy, Paul Martin, Noel Cunningham and George McMahon.

SATURDAY

Unarmed soldiers caught up in the deadly Fort Hood shooting rampage as they were preparing to leave for Afghanistan went into combat mode, playing dead to avoid direct gunfire and refusing to leave their fallen comrades behind, a court heard.

A BRITISH journalist jailed a month ago in Gaza by Hamas was released yesterday.

A British journalist jailed a month ago in Gaza by Hamas was released today.

Gardaí in Dublin are seeking the public's help in tracing the whereabouts of a 20-year-old man missing from his home in Tallaght.

Gardaí have arrested five people in connection with two gun murders in Dublin during the past seven months.

Murder squad detectives were tonight hunting a three-man gang after a shooting left one man dead and another injured.

POTTERING about in the garden has long been regarded as a health-enhancing activity for people of all ages.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp insisted last night that the City of London Police investigation into corruption in football – which led to his arrest - does not “directly concern” him.

DRAGONFLIES and Flutterbys was the winning entry at Bloom, Ireland’s largest gardening showcase in the Phoenix Park, Dublin yesterday.

TELEVISION gardening ace Diarmuid Gavin was pipped to the post in his quest for a prestigious gold medal yesterday at London’s Chelsea Flower Show.

Elton John fears gay marriage will be banned in his partner David Furnish's native Canada, by new less-liberal prime minister Stephen Harper.

THE winner of Canada’s election began facing the challenge yesterday of pushing his agenda of tax cuts and more defence spending through a parliament he does not control.

Conservative leader Stephen Harper won a victory today in Canada’s election, ending 13 years of Liberal rule, pushing the country rightward on social and economic issues and bolstering ties with the US.

Paul McCartney has written an angry letter to Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin over the country's harp seal hunting, only days after the premier was criticised by Bono over the country's foreign aid.

EUROPEAN UNION veterinary experts yesterday approved an EU-wide ban on the import of exotic birds to help counter the threat of bird flu.

WORLD leaders stood shoulder to shoulder with Tony Blair at the G8 summit yesterday to condemn the “barbaric” London bombings.

World leaders stood shoulder to shoulder with Tony Blair at the G8 summit today to condemn the “barbaric” London bombings.