Person: Peter Dowdall

Sign in

Person: Peter Dowdall

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>The single-flowering primrose (Primula vulgaris) plant in spring woodland. File picture</p>

home and gardens

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'

<p>Leaving grasses and perennials uncut over winter is not a mistake, it is good garden practice, writes Peter Dowdall. File picture</p>

home and gardens

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

<p>Shorter days, darker evenings are transitioning us into the winter world as garden shifts into rest mode. File picture</p>

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: How to enjoy your room outside this winter

A sweet purple cosmos flower blossom in a garden

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: Cosmos is in the pink for autumn

A beautiful summer garden, featuring a spectacular display of vibrant blue, pink and purple hydrangea flowers.

home and gardens

Garden Q&A: What's the best season to move hydrangea?

Allotment Garden with Flowers and Compost Bin

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: How to turn summer garden waste into compost

Cottage garden at Bibury

Peter Dowdall: The many reasons to love cottage gardens

When designing any garden, you can decide to create a formal or informal garden

Sat, 16 Mar, 2024

Cutting the hedge

Garden Q&A: Should I treat soil before planting a new hedge?

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

Mon, 11 Mar, 2024

Colorful Flower Fields in Countryside

Peter Dowdall: How climate change is shifting when flowers bloom

As temperatures warm plants, including wildflowers, may respond by adjusting the timing of life-cycle events such as flowering

Sat, 03 Feb, 2024

Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill'

Peter Dowdall: My pick of the scented winter-blooming bunch

Gardens should appeal to all the senses and fragrant plants blossom to the fore at this time of year

Fri, 26 Jan, 2024

bamboo fence

Garden Q&A: How can I get rid of bamboo that's spreading?

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

Mon, 08 Jan, 2024

single red camellia.

Garden Q&A: Can camellia go from pot to ground if in bud?

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

Sun, 17 Dec, 2023

Pink and purple hydrangea flowers, lacecap hydrangea bush, shady garden

Garden Q&A: My hydrangea is still flowering. When will I cut it?

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

Sun, 10 Dec, 2023

beekeepers in white protective suit holding bees and beeswax in wooden frame

Peter Dowdall: How gardening connects us and grounds us

'As we get older, loneliness can become a serious issue. It's not exclusive to the older generation, but many of us may face it'

Sun, 03 Dec, 2023

Rose and rose buds

Garden Q&A: Should we prune roses still flowering in winter?

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

Fri, 17 Nov, 2023

Japanese Maple at Westonbirt Arboretum

Peter Dowdall: Why I love the Japanese maple in November

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

Fri, 10 Nov, 2023

Colorful Tulip Meadow close up

Garden Q&A: Will rain ruin the bulbs I planted in September?

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

Mon, 06 Nov, 2023

Garden Q&A: Have I left it too late to plant my autumn bulbs?

Garden Q&A: Have I left it too late to plant my autumn bulbs?

Peter Dowdall: 'This year, because the temperature is still above average, now is the right time for planting'

Sat, 04 Nov, 2023

Colorful flower pot suspended in the air with small chains

Garden Q&A: What are the best plants to add winter colour?

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

Sun, 22 Oct, 2023

Dahlia

Peter Dowdall: Winter quarters beckon for frost-tender plants

You’re taking a gamble by allowing frost-tender plants remain the ground at this time of year

Sat, 14 Oct, 2023

Amaryllis

Garden Q&A: Will my amaryllis flower again this December?

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

Sun, 08 Oct, 2023

English country garden

Peter Dowdall: How to take care of your lawn in autumn

As he steps in and out between the rain showers, Peter Dowdall shares his seasonal garden secrets

Sun, 08 Oct, 2023

the perfect backyard

Peter Dowdall: The garden pond is a sanctuary for biodiversity

And water features also provide us with the opportunity to grow aquatic and marginal plants

Thu, 28 Sep, 2023

See the city centre green space planted in the heart of Cork

See the city centre green space planted in the heart of Cork

Peter Dowdall visits St Aloysius' School where young urban gardeners cultivate their creativity in their room outside

Sun, 24 Sep, 2023

Magnolia stellata or star magnolia white flowers in the garden design

Peter Dowdall: What the September heatwave means for your garden

This month often has fine weather but rarely has the mercury reached close to 30C

Sun, 17 Sep, 2023

Asplenium scolopendrium or Phyllitis scolopendrium, Europe

Peter Dowdall: How the fern can be used in many garden styles

'Ferns encompass a vast array of species, each with its own unique characteristics and growing requirements'

Sun, 03 Sep, 2023

Garden Q&A: How do I go about getting rid of an invasive plant?

Garden Q&A: How do I go about getting rid of an invasive plant?

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

Mon, 28 Aug, 2023

White Swan Echinacea with Butterfly

Peter Dowdall: Echinacea and verbena are stars of the show this autumn

'Over the last number of years, I have fallen deeply in love with all the verbenas and many of the echinaceas'

Wed, 23 Aug, 2023

Sweet pea (Lathyrus Odoratus)

Peter Dowdall: Why I associate August with hydrangeas, sweet peas and asters

While there may be more to be done, your garden is already a beautiful place and somewhere where you can unwind

Sat, 19 Aug, 2023

Water Lily

Garden Q&A: How can I get my waterlilies to flower again?

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

Mon, 14 Aug, 2023

Serene couple of farmers collecting roses

Peter Dowdall: How to treat and cure your plants' ailments

Just what the doctor ordered: Maintain your plants' healthy immune systems and treat infection with appropriate 'medicine'

Fri, 11 Aug, 2023

potatoes in the farm.

Garden Q&A: How often should I use bluestone on potatoes?

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

Mon, 07 Aug, 2023

sun flower

Peter Dowdall: Why sunflowers shine in our autumn gardens

A member of the helianthus species, these blooms not only look good, they also attract pollinators

Sun, 06 Aug, 2023

Garden Q&A: Should I use peat moss or non-peat compost?

Garden Q&A: Should I use peat moss or non-peat compost?

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

Mon, 31 Jul, 2023

Beautiful foxglove in the garden.

Peter Dowdall: Welcome to Ireland's very own rainforest

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

Sat, 29 Jul, 2023

Clematis

Garden Q&A: Why has my clematis failed to bloom well?

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

Wed, 26 Jul, 2023

Lupines on the shore of Lake Tekapo

Garden Q&A: Could anti-fly spray be causing my lupins to die?

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

Tue, 18 Jul, 2023

Bee on colorful rose petals isolated in garden with copy space. Rose isolated background wallpaper.

Garden Q&A: What's eating my roses and can it be stopped?

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

Sun, 16 Jul, 2023

Peter Dowdall: All roads will lead to Mullingar as it hosts plant fair

Peter Dowdall: All roads will lead to Mullingar as it hosts plant fair

It's even got a Jealous Wall: Belvedere House and Gardens will turn the horticultural world green with envy on July 22

Fri, 14 Jul, 2023

African lily flower with sea and mountain background

Peter Dowdall: When I think of agapanthus, I think of summer

The plant likes warm sunny conditions and free-draining soils in which to thrive

Thu, 06 Jul, 2023

labyrinth

Garden Q&A: Why does my hedge have brown patches?

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

Tue, 04 Jul, 2023

Close-up image of high overgrown hedge in back garden, Leylandii hedging (Leyland cypress) branches

Garden Q&A: What hedge plant will offer shelter and privacy if I remove leylandii?

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

Sat, 01 Jul, 2023

Some salmon pink flowers of garden rose

Peter Dowdall: These are the roses that benefit pollinators

Because not all roses are created equal when it comes to helping pollinators carry out their work in your garden

Fri, 30 Jun, 2023

Gray tabby cat sniffing catmint in the summer garden

Peter Dowdall: How to ensure a garden is catnip for biodiversity

Irish Examiner garden columnist Peter Dowdall shares his secrets to creating a haven for all creatures great and small

Fri, 23 Jun, 2023

The Nurture Landscapes Garden. Designed by Sarah Price. Sponsored by Nurture Landscapes. Show Garden. RHS Chelsea Flower Show 20

Peter Dowdall: 'Pristine lawns were once the only way gardens could be beautiful. Now it's the opposite'

And 'no mow' campaigns have been successful in calling attention to the beauty of wildflowers growing in our lawns

Thu, 08 Jun, 2023

Peter Dowdall: All roads lead to Mallow Home & Garden Festival

Peter Dowdall: All roads lead to Mallow Home & Garden Festival

'The event, at Cork Racecourse, is not so much aspirational but about actual gardens you can visualise in your own space'

Sun, 21 May, 2023

Man riding bike in front of vertical garden

Garden Q&A: What should I plant in a living/green wall?

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

Tue, 16 May, 2023

Man riding bike in front of vertical garden

Garden Q&A: How do I create a green wall in my garden?

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

Tue, 16 May, 2023

Allium in a large garden

Peter Dowdall: How to plan ahead for summer in the garden

Peter Dowdall presents his post-Scaraveen survival guide for gardeners as they plan ahead for summer

Fri, 12 May, 2023

Colorful viola (violet) flowers in flower pots at the entrance to the building. Street urban gardening with colorful flowering p

Garden Q&A: Is May too early for planting out summer bedding?

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

Mon, 08 May, 2023