Planting the seed - gardening need not cost the earth

Peter Dowdall remembers a garden of his youth whose plants are still giving him pleasure.

Many years ago I enjoyed a walk around a beautiful garden in Killeagh in east Cork. The garden was created by someone who had discovered a love of gardening in late middle age and had become obsessed.

He was a great friend of my father’s and was one of nature’s true characters. Both have now unfortunately left us and whilst my Dad is no doubt holding court in the mansion with many rooms, Jack is probably enjoying the great garden in the sky.