Be sure to buy Irish plants

Plants grown outdoors here are better equipped to survive than cheap imports, writes Peter Dowdall.

WE ARE rich in this country in many ways and not least of all in terms of our biodiversity. We have a huge number of native flora and fauna and these need to be maintained and carefully managed to ensure not just their survival but to enable them to flourish.

However, as with all walks of life, we need to welcome foreigners and foreign species. This is what expands the gene pool and broadens biodiversity. Plant hunters of the past were responsible for introducing new species to these islands and thus the range of plants available to grow in our gardens has grown over the years. Indeed, even nowadays there are plant hunters travelling the globe, though for most now it’s more about conservation than commerce.