Visit Fota this weekend for the Plant Fair

The Plant Fair happening in Fota this weekend is the ideal place to root out those sought after specimens and varieties which have eluded your grasp so far.

As garden centres are changing and becoming more ‘destinations’ to be all things to all people, the plant centre is becoming a thing of the past.

The new breed of garden centres are certainly excellent visitor attractions and hours can be whiled away but the range of plants on offer is shrinking as a result.

As return per square metre becomes more and more crucial, space cannot be set aside for the unusual plants that appeal to only the very few.

The specialist plant growers who exhibit at shows like Fota Plant Fair are the ones who will ensure availability of the more unusual plants.

One of the plants that I am constantly asked for at this time of the year every year is Daphne bholua Jacqueline Postill.

Rarely available through mainstream garden centres you should get lucky tomorrow at Fota and find it on one of the specialist growers stalls.

It’s not coincidence that I refer to this Daphne as an example as there is a specimen of Jacqueline Postil in the arboretum at Fota that must be responsible for many a Cork persons love affair with this plant.

After the Plant Fair do yourself a favour and enjoy the gardens at Fota, one of Cork’s truly under valued resources.