Our gardening noticeboard

An tIonad Glas, The Organic College in Dromcollogher, Limerick,is hosting an open day tomorrow, Sunday, July 20, from 2pm to 5pm.

Everyone is welcome — prospective students, those interested in organic growing, in eating organic food, or just looking for an afternoon out for the family. There will be tours of the gardens in the afternoon, plus organic vegetable and plant stalls and organic food/light refreshments. Admission is free. Call 063-83604 for more details, or check out http://organiccollege.com

Flower Festival today, Saturday, July 19, from 10am to 6pm and Sunday, 10am to 5.30pm, at Shanagarry Church, Shanagarry, East Cork.

Peter Dowdall will host a gardening class for children at the Pavilion Garden Centre on Thursday next, July 24, at 10.30am. For more information, see www.thepavilion.ie

There was a big turnout for last week’s Blarney in Bloom, at Blarney Castle, a fundraiser for the Irish Guide Dogs..Families, gardeners, visitors and guest lecturers, including Diarmuid Gavin, browsed the tent village, where a selection of plant and garden-related stalls were laid out. There were some very rare and unusual plants on offer, as well as good-value bundles of herbaceous perennials, and more. With the entire estate of Blarney Castle’s grounds at the visitor’s disposal, the busy event never became crowded. The fundraiser was deemed a great success by visitors — one to diary for next year.