Our gardening noticeboard

Terra Nova Gardens, Dromin, Kilmallock, Co Limerick, are having their last open day of 2015 on Sunday, August 30, from 2pm to 6pm.

This event will be run in conjuction with a local animal charity and all support is very much appreciated.

Refreshments will be available all afternoon and there will be a one-day-only, half-price plant sale. Phone Deborah on 086-0658807 for more details or go to website for directions www.terranovagarden.com

Macroom Flower & Garden Club will hold a Floral Art Demonstration by Orla McGrane (AOIFA Vice-Chairperson) on Thursday, September 10, at 8pm in Coolcower House.

There will be members’ competitions and a sales table supporting Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association. Further information 087-9821708. All exhibits raffled.

An open night of flower arranging classes including beginner, intermediate and advanced classes will be held by Dungarvan Flower & Garden Club on September 2.

The club president, Dina Walshe, has invited Mary O’Brien, AOIFA teacher and NAFAS Judge to the event at the Park Hotel, where Mary will demonstrate and teach four arrangements: A Table Arrangement; An Arrangement in a Basket; A Landscape Design and A Still Life.

Beginners should contact Dina on 087-6457400 to arrange materials and tables for the work night. Venue: Park Hotel Ballroom, Wednesday, September 2, at 7.30pm; admission: €10

Mitchelstown GIY: Irene Long will be the guest at a Cook & Taste get together at the Ozanam Centre, Thomas St, Mitchelstown at 8pm on Wednesday, September 2. All Welcome.

Blackrock Flower Club resume will on Tuesday, September 1, at 7.30pm at Ursuline School, Blackrock. Una Fleming will demonstrate.

We also have our ruby (40th) anniversary lunch on Tuesday, September 29, at Clayton Silversprings Hotel at 12.30 pm. Tickets available from committee past members — and other clubs welcome. Ticket numbers are limited.

Kinsale Garden & Flower Club meets on the second Thursday of every month at 8pm. Venue: St Multose Hall, Kinsale. We warmly welcome new members to our monthly demonstrations.

To find out more please come along on September 10 or contact [e-mail] .

Demonstration for September is ‘Autumn Bounty’ by Carmel O’Driscoll, AOIFA

Joanna Blythman, Alys Fowler, Mark Diacono and more top names are lined up for GIY GROW Fest Waterford from September 11 to 13.

On Saturday, September 12, the GROW Fest Marquee in the centre of Waterford City will host a series of guest speakers throughout the day including an in-depth exploration with internationally respected investigative food journalist Joanna Blythman on her latest book Swallow This — an expose of the food industry.

Afternoon talks and demos feature BBC broadcaster, author and journalist Alys Fowler; Head Gardener at Ballymaloe, Susan Turner; and award winning Bloom garden-designer and author Fiann O’Nuallain.

There will also be an in-depth discussion on hospital food hosted by RTÉ’s Ella McSweeney with Joanna Blythman being joined by Professor Donal O’Shea and Darina Allen.

In the GROW HQ Kitchen, siblings Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell will cook up as storm as will Lilly Higgins andGIY Chef Adrian with an abundance of fresh locally grown ingredients.

For tickets and details see www.giyinternational.org/grow_fest