Snowdrop – far more than a simple flower!
As with its subject matter, this book is a joy, a jewel, a treasure and an interesting, and different, addition to our reading material on snowdrops. Few could deny the appeal of snowdrops in the garden, those apparently dainty flowers which defy our harsh winters and bring interest over the six months of October to […]
The Making of Place
The Overview! The extraordinary range of approaches and styles one sees in gardens throughout the world, in different countries and different cultures can be quite bewildering. It is fortunate to have one such as John Dixon Hunt, who seems to have a comprehensive knowledge and grasp of all matters of garden design, to organise such […]
Irish Heritage Plants – Plandaí Oidhreachta
Hot off the presses – an advance copy of “Irish Heritage Plants/Plandaí Oidhreachta” the result of a project between the Irish Garden Plant Society and the Irish Society of Botanical Artists. The project has been generously and enthusiastically supported by the National Botanic Gardens (The Office of Public Works), An Bord Bia and by the […]
Nick Macer in Northern Ireland
Recently 70 IGPS members and friends were wowed with ideas for new plants for their gardens by Nick Macer of Pan-Global Plants when he spoke at Antrim Old Courthouse. Even better, almost all the plants he talked about were relatively hard and capable of surviving our winters outdoors. Nick was himself wowed by a visit […]
Nick Macer – “Confessions of a Plant Freak”
Nick Macer’s recently delivered his talk “Confessions of a Plant Freak” to IGPS members in Northern Ireland. Beforehand he visited the garden of our members David and Janet Ledsham where he admired some of the birches which David had grown from seed and Eucryphia moorei which was in full bloom. In the afternoon […]
Orchids – A New Enthusiasm!
Although widespread, orchids are not commonplace and to look at them growing in the wild is one of the great pleasures of the plant world. The Burren in Co. Clare, Bull Island in Dublin and The Raven in Wexford are three easily accessible locations where one may find orchids with ease and there are many […]
Lafcadio Hearn Gardens, Tramore
IGPS Munster organised a late season outing to the Lafcadio Hearn Garden in Tramore, Co. Waterford on Saturday, 15th October. There was a good attendance, reasonable weather, an excellent guided tour and a day that was enjoyed by all who attended. Many thanks to Margaret McAuliffe who took on the role of photographer for the […]
Plant Sale – IGPS Leinster at Trinity Botanic Gardens, Dartry
The most popular event of the year is the annual plant sale organised by IGPS Leinster which has been held for the past few years at the Trinity College Botanic Gardens in Dartry. It is an opportunity to purchase plants which are quite rare and generally not available in the trade as well as special […]
Coming to Terms with Your Plants!
Amicia zygomeris is an uncommon and rather unusual looking plant. The leaves are of a peculiar shape, not unlike those of the tulip tree where what would normally be a pointed end of the leaf is blunt and double-lobed with an almost cut-off appearance leading to the common name of yolk-leaved Amicia and it is […]
Plant Sale, Saturday 15th
Plant Sale on Saturday next – see Fixtures for full details – look to the right column here. Come along early and you could get one of these Irish heritage plants. They are in very small supply so it is a case of first come, first served. Good plant hunting! Agapanthus ‘Kilmurry Blue’ Agapanthus […]
The Planters’ Seminar at Mount Stewart
About 30 IGPS members formed part of the audience for the Planter’s Seminar at Mount Stewart Garden, Co Down over the weekend at which Dan Hinkley, Roy Lancaster and Bleddyn and Sue Wynn-Jones talked about the special plants they have seen while exploring remote areas. As part of the seminar Neil Porteous, the Head Gardener, […]
Plant Sale at Rowallane
Photographs from the Irish Garden Plant Society Plant Sale at Rowallane Gardens, Saintfield, Northern Ireland today. It was a wet day but the society members turned out in force and had a good day.
Gardening with Good Intentions
The Garden Awakening The essence of what Mary Reynolds has to say in The Garden Awakening is not only good and worthwhile but essential for our health and the health of our planet. We must take care of this earth and garden in a manner which respects the land rather than do harm to it. […]
Magnificent Magnolias
As I live very close to Mount Congreve Gardens in Waterford, magnolias are a big part of my gardening year as I can see not only an unrivaled selection of magnolias but also plantings in numbers which cannot be seen anywhere else. The February flowering of Magnolia campbellii, a planting made over fifty years ago […]
Pottering about in the Garden!
The quiet times in our gardens regularly allow us to enjoy delightful moments when we may witness scenes not enjoyed by those who rush along through life – the robin who comes to snap up the disturbed worm, the wood pigeon bathing in the garden pond, the house sparrows raiding the hens’ food, the stoat […]
Heritage Irish Plants – Plandaí Oidhreachta: NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!
Would you like to purchase our upcoming book: “Heritage Irish Plants – Plandaí Oidhreachta? Here’s the link: PURCHASE ONLINE!
Give a lot; Demand little!
Geraniums are among the most popular of garden plants and it is easy to understand why. They are versatile, easy to please and excellent performers. It is easy to find cultivars which will suit sun or shade, those for border display and others for ground cover under shrubs and trees. Robin Parer is the owner of […]
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, […]
