November
“November” by Thomas Hood No sun–no moon! No morn–no noon! No dawn–no dusk–no proper time of day– No sky–no earthly view– No distance looking blue– No road–no street– No “t’other side the way”– No end to any Row– No indications where the Crescents go– No top to any steeple– No recognitions of familiar people– No […]
Bruno Nicolai talking at the National Botanic Gardens
Julius Caesar, where did you come from?
Primulas do very well for us in our Irish climate and it is no wonder that we have a long list of cultivars which have arisen and been named here. These are passed around from friend to friend but, unfortunately, can be lost over the years so it is well to take care of them […]
Label that Memory
While cutting down a now large clump of crocosmias I came on a label in the centre which read, “Crocosmia Bristol/Severn Sunrise/Sunset.” Check the name. From Anna Nolan. Sept. 02″ . I know now that this is Crocosmia ‘Severn Sunrise’ and I have enjoyed it in the garden for the years since I received it […]
Helen Dillon speaking in Cork
Helen Dillon in Cork There was a big attendance for Helen Dillon’s talk in Cork on the 3rd of November. Well done to all on the Munster Committee for their work in preparation for the event and on the evening itself.
The Gardens of Arne Maynard
Arne Maynard’s gardens are those which garden magazine editors dream about and, indeed, they are gardens we could all dream about with the greatest of enjoyment. They are those gardens which adorn the romantic and historic houses of old England, the quintessentially English gardens of good frameworks, excellent workmanship, rich planting and conscientious maintenance. That […]
This is The Burren
A beautiful book on a beautiful part of Ireland is simply perfect! My introduction to The Burren was one of my most enjoyable holidays ever. It was organised by The Old Ground Hotel in Ennis and combined a stay in the hotel with an introductory talk on The Burren by Tony Kirby of Heart of […]
Leinster Plant Sale
The Leinster Plant Sale was a great success. Many thanks to those who organised the event, the volunteers who arrived to help out and the many visitors who came for the plants. This is an annual event where members bring along plants they have propagated and offer them for sale both to other members and […]
A Room with a View
A room with a view … and a story. Villa Giulia is on the outskirts of the town of Bellagio on Lake Como. It was built in 1624 by Eudemio Camutio and then called Villa Camuzia. At the end of the 18th century it was renovated by Conte Pietro Venini, a native of Bellagio, and […]
To be honest…
To be honest, honesty is not all it’s cracked up to be. We certainly avoid honesty in many areas of our lives. How many of us use the “white lie”, an untruth used to avoid hurting somebody? Blunt honesty could make social intercourse quite uncomfortable. On the other hand there are occasions and situations where […]
Now’s the time!
Carpe diem! Beauty and perfection can be fleeting in the garden and it is well to make the most of that occasion when it comes. Mount Usher Gardens in Co. Wicklow has just started that period of intense beauty and it is time to get in the car and go visit. The annual display of […]
IGPS Northern Region – Plant Sale at Rowallane Gardens
Many thanks to Maeve Bell for photographs and captions!
Asters are the Stars!
Asters are the highlight plants of the garden at this moment. They are the ones which shine out and provide outstanding colour as the season is otherwise drawing to a close. They lengthen our season of colour and interest in the garden and are again being appreciated as the wonderful plants they are, easy to […]
A “Thank You” to Yvonne Penpraze
Yvonne Penpraze has been Chairperson of the Northern Region’s committee for the last four years and the incoming Chairperson, Maeve Bell, hosted an afternoon get-together at her garden to thank her for all her work and her contribution to the society. Yvonne’s parting event was the organising of our Annual General Meeting in Co. Donegal […]
A New Rhododendron
A New Irish Rhododendron named at Mount Congreve Gardens, Waterford. Tánaiste, Joan Burton, with Michael White, Curator of Mount Congreve Gardens and Tony Kelly, Administrator at Mount Congreve. Michael has presented the Tánaiste with a rhododendron which he had bred, selected and named Rhododendron ‘Tánaiste Joan Burton’ to mark Ms. Burton’s visit to the gardens […]
IGPS Members Visit Mount Congreve
There are times in life when it is not inappropriate to be boastful – well, at least, to express one’s pride in a very clear and positive manner. Such an occasion fell to me on Saturday morning last when I greeted a group of fellow IGPS members to the wonderful gardens of Mount Congreve in […]
You should have seen it last week!
The moment of perfection in a garden can be very fleeting, here today and gone tomorrow, and how we wish our friends came on time and not leave us thinking or saying “You should have seen it last week.” On the other hand it is marvellous to visit a garden and arrive just at that […]
The Little Meadow – in pictures.
The hay has been saved and stored for use in the hens’ nestbox over the coming year. The remaining wisps of grass have been tidied up with the lawnmower and this little meadow is now a bare pale patch which might puzzle those who wander along our country road. However, it will green up again very […]
Lead by the Camera!
What must have been an awkward assignment for a writer has been carried out in a commendable fashion by Terri Dunn Chace. We normally see photographs used to illustrate a text whereas in “Seeing Seeds” the text was written to accompany the photographs. Robert Llewellyn’s photographs have illustrated a long list of books and two […]
The Bay Garden – Always a Delight
Domesticity of scale adds to the winning charm of The Bay Garden in Ferns, Co. Wexford, the garden of Iain and Frances McDonald. Although a reasonably large garden by today’s norms it is experienced in a series of relatively small stages so that the visitor takes in the garden at a gradual and comfortable pace […]
