We would usually say that “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good”, a saying dating back to the 16th century at least and meaning that the wind which might be bad for one person may well be good for another – a nautical saying in its origins. The saying has been changed by some […]
Author: Paddy
Garden visit to Castle Dobbs
Garden visit to Castle Dobbs on 30th June In dazzling sunshine, a great turnout of members and guests were treated to a wonderful garden visit to Castle Dobbs, near Carrickfergus, County Antrim. The house itself is a beautiful mid-18th century Palladian mansion, overlooking Belfast Lough and the County Down shore across the lough. The demesne […]
A New Blog Entry – This Hot Weather!
This present hot weather and drought are a challenge to gardeners but some plants seem to thrive in the conditions. Read the blog!
Stephen Butler’s Retirement Lunch at the Zoo
Stephen Butler has been the senior horticulturalist at the Zoo in Dublin’s Phoenix Park for the past 37 years during which time he made major changes to the style and planting of the grounds – animal enclosures and amenity areas. The development in recent years of the Savannah areas was innovative in the world of […]
Thank You, Stephen!
IGPS members gathered at the Zoo recently to thank Stephen Butler for the many occasions he hosted visits for members and brought us round the wonderful planting he has created there. Planting at the Zoo has developed to such a degree under Stephen’s care that has long since gone past being simply functional and has […]
AGM Weekend 2018 – A Report from Billy McCone, IGPS Chairperson
Organised this year by the Northern region, a great weekend was enjoyed by over ninety members and guests at our 37th AGM held at the Burrendale Hotel, Newcastle ,County Down. After the meeting on the Saturday the delegates were bused to Castlewellan Forest Park where they had a guided tour of the internationally famed Arboretum […]
Annual General Meeting 2018
Read a full report on the Annual General Meeting weekend from Dennis and Jennie Constable in the Society’s Blog
Annual General Meeting, Newcastle, 2018
Irish Garden Plant Society AGM weekend in Newcastle 19/20 May The Irish Garden Plant Society (IGPS) is a group of very keen gardeners and Irish plant enthusiasts from across the whole of Ireland. This Group was formed almost 40 years ago with the following aims: take the lead in researching, finding and propagating […]
A Visit to Montalto Estate
Garden vist to Montalto Estate on 10th June Montalto, near Ballynahinch in Co. Down, is a beautiful privately-owned demesne which dates back to the early 1600s, with the mansion Montalto House built around 1765. The estate now opens as a private-hire venue for weddings and a wide range of corporate events. Almost 50 IGPS members […]
Visit to Montanto Estate
Some photos from a lovely IGPS visit to Montalto Estate and Gardens on Sunday… photographs from Jenny Constable. o M
A.G.M. Organisers
Annual General Meeting Weekend
Over 90 members of the Irish Garden Plant Society met in County Down last weekend for the Annual General Meeting. We were treated to four very different gardens, each of them fantastic in their own way. Well done and many thanks to the Northern Committee for doing such a brilliant job organising what was a […]
The English Garden
The English Garden The English garden is admired around the world and anybody who wishes to gain an insight and understanding of these gardens will be well served by reading this updated edition of Ursula Buchan’s, The English Garden. It is possibly the most comprehensive, yet concise, treatment of the topic that I have read. […]
Two Irish Gardens – New Blog Posts
Read about Annes Grove and Gash Gardens – two new posts in the Society’s Blog
Annes Grove – A Rejuvenation
Annes Grove – A Rejuvenation Annes Grove is situated in north Co. Cork between Doneraile and Castletownroche. Lieutenant-General Grove Annesley inherited land here from the Grove family in the early eighteenth century and laid out the grounds as informal parkland with a walled garden and there was little change until Richard Grove Annesley (1879-1966) inherited in […]
Gash Gardens – An Insight.
Mary Keenan, of Gash Gardens in Co. Laois, gave a talk recently at Kilkenny Castle, part of the series of talks organised by Shirley Lanigan with the Office of Public Works and the last of this year. In a way it was a very simple talk, a story really, but it caught my attention and […]
Botanical Art Worldwide
Botanical Art Worldwide is a ground-breaking collaboration between botanical artists, organisations and institutions worldwide. Twenty three artists are creating and exhibiting botanical artworks of native plants found in each of their countries to create a record of today’s botanical diversity. Digital slide shows of up to forty works, with all other countries’ images will be shown […]
Though There was Dough There….
There was love there too though! The gardens of the rich and famous are always an attraction to us; there is a curiosity value to them – we are curious! We want to see what money can do and, perhaps, imagine what we would do if we had the money! The Irish temperament would, of […]
Moorea, Volume 17 has been published!
Volume 17 of Moorea, The Journal of the Irish Garden Plant Society, has just been published. This journal is an occasional publication and is free to members of the society. The contents of this volume are: “Frederick Moore – His Support for Horticulture in Ireland and Beyond” by Mary Forrest “Lord Milo Talbot […]
Newsletter, Spring 2018 Published
The latest issue of the Newsletter is out! Catch up on reports from the regions, news of upcoming events, progress in the trial of heritage Irish bergenias at the National Botanic Gardens and much more.