Peter Dowdall: 'When I was younger, I faced a five-year battle with cancer. I'm passionate about gardening's health benefits'

Peter Dowdall is looking forward to inspiring events in Cork and Limerick this weekend

Fri, 14 Jun, 2024 - 17:22

Peter Dowdall

When I was much younger, I faced a five-year battle with cancer and I am passionate about the mental and physical health benefits of gardening and just being in the great outdoors — and I am thrilled to see this aspect of gardening beginning to be highlighted everywhere.

I'm also delighted to see so many opportunities for likeminded souls to explore one another's outdoor rooms for inspiration at open garden events.

I will be speaking about the mental and physical health benefits of gardening which is a theme of this year’s Limerick Garden Festival. The event takes place this weekend, on Sunday, June 16 — a very busy day for gardeners everywhere but particularly in Limerick and Cork.

It really is open season in the garden right now. What I mean by that is that at the moment we are getting some unique chances to see other people's gardens. I am always in awe of the bravery and charity of those that open their gardens to the public.

'I am passionate about the mental and physical health benefits of gardening and just being in the great outdoors,' says Peter Dowdall. File picture

They are exposing their creations and personal outdoor spaces, by opening their gates to to strangers and allowing them to walk in and potentially pass judgment upon those spaces.

If your home is your castle then your garden is your soul or at least a manifestation of such as it is where you spend your time, where you receive therapy through the soil and the natural world. What you plant and where, and the way you have designed your garden, these are all private decisions made by you — and now they are open to scrutiny.

I must of course add that most garden visitors are never there to find fault and criticise — they are there to admire, to take inspiration and to meet kindred souls.

Open gardens in Cork

This weekend, Sunday, June 16, the owners of two gardens directly across the road from one another will be welcoming visitors to take a look around their outdoor rooms.

Open in aid of Marymount Hospice are the gardens of Noel O'Keeffe and Anthony Barry in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork. Noel's eircode is T45V089 and once you find that treasure, the delight that is Anthony Barry’s garden is a simple amble across the road.

When you’re there, take in the beauty in these two gardens, enjoy the atmosphere and remember to take time to appreciate the elements that you admire most. Think, whilst your admiring, what is it that you like in particular, perhaps it is a particular plant or combination of plants. Maybe it is a specific design feature that stops you in your tracks or maybe it is a focal point urn or sculpture. Take inspiration from the opportunity that you have to catch a glimpse of someone else’s garden and perhaps bring some of the ideas home to your own garden.

It's always enjoyable to take inspiration from any opportunity to catch a glimpse of someone else’s garden. File picture

Over the last few years, both these gardens have proved immensely popular as part of the Marymount Open Gardens Trail and so, if you find yourself available this Sunday, a visit is a must.

The gardens are open from 11am to 5pm and for more information, have a look at www.marymount.ie.

Limerick festival

This Sunday, June 16, also sees the Milk Market in Limerick city transformed again into Limerick Garden Festival with garden, plant, craft and food stalls from all over Ireland, all-day expert talks, gardening masterclasses, demonstrations, entertainment for young and old, along with music and of course great Food.

The fifth Limerick Garden Festival will offer a line-up of experts, community gardens and garden, plant, craft and food stalls from Limerick city and county offering "a great mix with regional and national expertise and stalls", according to show organiser Carmen Cronin. "Our aim is to embrace the gardening community, reach out to novices and families with our garden entertainment and dig deep through our core message of gardening for mental wellbeing supported by Healthy Limerick," she says.

I’ll be at the event giving two talks during the day. It’s my first time at the Limerick festival and I’m really looking forward to speaking about how to get the best out of ornamental plants in designing for biodiversity and am pleased to be covering the very important topic of gardening for mental wellbeing.

As I said at the beginning, I am passionate about the mental and physical health benefits of gardening.

Other highlights of the festival’s talks schedule include presentations on organic gardening, gardening in small spaces, living offgrid, and how to get children involved in growing food in the garden.

Limerick’s Lynda Sheehan of Rockbarton Garden Centre will speak on her favourite summer plants and the stage talks also feature master organic gardener Jim McNamara as well as homesteader Steph Coe.

The demonstrations will focus on gardening in small spaces, with potting and planting opportunities avialable on the day.

The festival will also include the new addition of a Limerick Growing Communities’ space with Paul Partnership, supported by Slaintecare.

As you would expect at a garden festival such as this, there will be plenty of opportunities to pick up some plant treasures along with the chance to speak to the specialist growers themselves.

Specialist plant growers from all over Ireland and featuring many from Limerick city and county will be present. A full list is available on the festival website, www.limerickgardenfestival.com.