Our gardening noticeboard

The Plant Fair, which take place on Sunday September, 14 at Fota House, will be hosted by the Irish Specialist Nursery Association. 

The ISNA was established to represent the smaller, specialised nurseries in Ireland and these nurseries offer a wide variety of plants, services and advice. Most of the stock produced is propagated by members or sourced from other artisan producers. The group offer a wide selection of plants ranging from the more common species to the rare and obscure cultivars not normally found in the bigger retail outlets in Ireland. Well known gardening expert Brian Cross will be on site from 11.30am to 2.30p.m. to give suggestions on autumn planting combinations and advice on gardening matters. The Fair will run from 11.00am to 4.00pm and catering facilities will be available in Fota House and on-site throughout the day. Admission €5 includes parking. Conducted tours of the newly restored Frameyard at Fota House will also be available in the afternoon at a cost of €5.00.

Dungarvan Flower and Garden Club will have Clare and Donal Coughlan to talk on ‘The Tranquil Garden’ and a ‘Stress Free Endeavour’ at the Park Hotel, Dungarvan, September 3 at: 8pm. Admission: Non-Members €10; Members: €5. Queries to [phone] or [phone]

Bantry Flower and Garden Club will begin the 2014/2015 season on Monday, September 1 with a talk by gardeners from Future Forests at the Westlodge Hotel at 8pm — new and old member are invited on the night. Visitors also welcome.

A Garden Festival on the grounds of Ballymaloe House will take place next weekend, August 30/ 31 and will combine garden walkswith garden talks. Specialist nursery and garden equipment stalls will be in place and the event costs €5 per adult, with children under 16 free. Garden lectures and workshops held in the Grainstore/ Walled Garden will be priced individually and tickets will be available on the day and on the Ballymaloe website: www.ballymaloe.ie  or by email at [e-mail]

Peter Dowdall will give a talk at the Pavilion Garden Centre, Ballygarvan this Wednesday at 10.30 am. Peter will discuss propogating plants for free and will demonstrate collection and sowing of seeds and cuttings from existing plants. Cost €5

The September schedule for the Nano Nagle Centre at Ballygriffin, Mallow includes a garden walk and demonstration on Friday September 26 from 10am to 1pm and costs €40.