Glenarm Castle Gardens, August 2016

The Northern group of the IGPS organised a visit to Glenarm Castle Gardens in Co. Antrim and had almost 50 members and friends in attendance on what proved to be a most enjoyable tour of a really stunning garden. This is an historic site dating to about 1820 with strong design elements, fabulous herbaceous colour […]

Oh, She’s a Colourful Lady

June Blake, and her garden, will feature in the September issue of the Royal Horticultural Society’s magazine, The Garden. And it will feature prominently with a photograph of the garden on the front cover. The magazine hasn’t arrived in the post yet but June’s son, Dara, has shown it on Facebook – advanced copies for […]

What does one say, Mr. Shakespeare?

Over one million people visit Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-on-Avon each year despite the not too often mentioned fact that the house was demolished in the mid-nineteenth century by the then owner as he was tired of the people who called to see it. They continue to come, especially on the 400th anniversary of his death, […]

Helen’s Bay Walled Garden – A Venture in Vegetables 

IGPS member and plants woman Lorraine Small has taken on a challenge in restoring a 4 acre walled garden in Helen’s Bay, County Down. Barely one year into the project the garden is already supplying some of Belfast’s top restaurants and selling at local markets.   Her Head gardener David Cameron brings a wealth of experience […]

The Walled Garden at Helen’s Bay – A Venture in Vegetables 

IGPS member and plants woman Lorraine Small has taken on the challenge of restoring the one acre Walled Garden at Helen’s Bay, County Down. Barely one year into the project the garden is already supplying some of Belfast’s top restaurants and selling at local markets.   David Cameron runs an independent market gardening business from […]

Abbeywood? Absolutely!

Those gardens which please one far beyond expectations always make for an especially enjoyable day. This is how it was with Abbeywood Gardens near Chester in England. It is not the biggest of gardens one might visit; it is not as well known as other gardens in the area but I enjoyed it far more […]

Behaving Pheasantly!

Pheasants are a pleasure of our garden but not without their drawbacks. We have had them for several years and they have become relatively tame, appearing on time each morning, when I go to leave out the hens, and give them some rolled barley. They are always within reach in the garden during the day […]

A Pointed Reminder

My garden fork grew legs the other day, took off and vanished on me. Several frustrating walks around the garden failed to locate it so I went to the shed to find a replacement – perhaps, Mary’s short-handled one or even the sprong which I will occasionally use for light digging when the fork goes […]

A Super Surprise!

Not much was expected from the visit; it was simply to purchase a rose which bore our granddaughter’s name but it became a most enjoyable day. Rosa ‘Olivia Rose Austin’ is what drew us to David Austin Roses near Stoke-on-Trent while we were on a garden visiting holiday in England and we expected our visit […]

IGPS Munster has a New Lecture Venue

We are very excited to tell you we are moving to Northridge House in Blackrock. There is plenty of onsite parking, the building is fully wheelchair accessible, has comfy seats, a sound system, air conditioning, and best of all, tea and coffee making facilities. Northridge House (at St. Luke’s Home), Castle Rd, Mahon, Cork For […]