Garden Digest: Events to help you to enjoy your room outside

Here are some ideas on what to do in the room outside right now

To celebrate National Heritage Week 2026, Head Gardener’s House at Fota will be open on August 16 from 10am-4pm.  Picture: Dan Linehan

The Saturday morning gardening club at Stonewall Gardens, Carrigaline, offers advice and a chance to get your hands dirty by planting and pruning. The €12.50 fee includes seeds, compost, tools, and tea/coffee. Book at Eventbrite.ie 

The Gather Together Foraging Walk by Ferment Forage Grow takes place at Fitzgerald Park in Cork city on August 15 from 11am-12.20pm. Fermenter, forager and gardener Chloe Dempsey will lead a walk through Fitzgerald Park, guiding participants on how to identify common edible and medicinal plants. Suitable for beginners; see @corkonaforkfest.

To celebrate National Heritage Week 2026, Head Gardener’s House at Fota will be open on August 16 from 10am-4pm. This is a free event offering a self-guided tour of this charming house, now restored as self-catering accommodation. Visitors can enjoy the scenic location while exploring the work of the Irish Landmark Trust. For further details, email [e-mail]

Bantry House Tree and Shrub Trail: Visit Bantry House gardens and grounds for free on Wednesday, August 19, as part of Heritage Week, from 10am-5pm at Bantry House Gardens, Seafield, Bantry, P75T293. See Heritageweek.ie

Couch to five grasses: All grasses look the same? Struggling to tell one from another? Learn how to identify five common grasses found in Ireland in a mini-workshop with ecologist Clare Heardman as part of the Ellen Hutchins Festival which runs from August 15-23. This event is free and takes place on August 23 at 2.30pm at Future Forests, Kealkil, Co Cork. Details at Eventbrite.ie and Ellenhutchins.com

Youghal Flower & Garden Club will host a floral demonstration with Tricia Murphy on September 9 at 7.30pm at The Walter Raleigh Hotel, Youghal. Visitors welcome, €10.

Macroom Flower & Garden Club will host ‘Welcome Autumn’, a demonstration by Paula McAuliffe and Eilish Fitzgerald on September 10 at 7.30pm at Coolcower House, Macroom, Co Cork, P12E135. A raffle of floral exhibits and sales table will take place on the night. Visitors welcome €10

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