Gardening

Articles on gardening

Your gardening questions answered: How can I save my rose plant?

Your gardening questions answered: How can I save my rose plant?

Fionnuala Fallon: Roses are greedy, thirsty plants that need deep, fertile, humus-rich, moist and free-draining soil to flourish

By Fionnuala FallonSat Jun 22 2024 - 00:01

This week is a turning point for Irish gardeners. Here’s why

This week is a turning point for Irish gardeners. Here’s why

Still have young plants and sturdy seedlings in trays and liners? Then make haste and start planting

By Fionnuala FallonFri Jun 21 2024 - 05:00

My anemone is out of control. How do I get rid of it?

My anemone is out of control. How do I get rid of it?

Your gardening questions answered: Flower can become a thug if allowed to spread unchecked

By Fionnuala FallonSun Jun 16 2024 - 05:00

What every Irish garden needs: exceptional but hardy and resilient plants

What every Irish garden needs: exceptional but hardy and resilient plants

Fionnuala Fallon: Every garden requires its fair share of plants with let’s-just-get-on-with-it attitude

By Fionnuala FallonSat Jun 15 2024 - 05:00

‘We’re the grumpy twins of the veg scene’: Comedian Kevin McAleer’s adult children turn to organic farming

‘We’re the grumpy twins of the veg scene’: Comedian Kevin McAleer’s adult children turn to organic farming

Twins Josiah and Louis and sister Florence have been operating Fréamh Farm since March – despite their father’s adivce to pursue anything except farming

By Marese McDonaghSun Jun 09 2024 - 06:00

My acer looks dead. How can I help it?

My acer looks dead. How can I help it?

Your gardening questions answered: These trees need sheltered, lightly shaded spot with protection from cold winds

By Fionnuala FallonSun Jun 09 2024 - 05:00

Smart strategies to get plants to grow in stony ground

Smart strategies to get plants to grow in stony ground

Not every gardener has the luck to have easy growing conditions, but there are ways to adapt and thrive

By Fionnuala FallonSat Jun 08 2024 - 05:00

Natural liquid nettle feed is superb for keeping your plants healthy – it just smells terrible

Natural liquid nettle feed is superb for keeping your plants healthy – it just smells terrible

It's possible to promote plant growth and be kind to the environment at the same time

By Fionnuala FallonMon Jun 03 2024 - 05:00

Bloom 2024: Opening times, ticket costs, 22 show gardens and 13 postcard garden designs to view

Bloom 2024: Opening times, ticket costs, 22 show gardens and 13 postcard garden designs to view

Ireland’s annual festival of flowers has arrived, with themes of environmental impact and climate change looming large

By Fionnuala FallonThu May 30 2024 - 10:17

Your gardening questions answered: Are there any slug-proof plants?

Your gardening questions answered: Are there any slug-proof plants?

Rather than get rid of slugs, look for plants that are not appealing to them

By Fionnuala FallonSat May 18 2024 - 05:00

Pinch your petunia and earth up your potatoes: A May to-do list to get your garden in shape for summer

Pinch your petunia and earth up your potatoes: A May to-do list to get your garden in shape for summer

Act now by planting fast-growing annuals and fine-tuning flower borders for maximum impact

By Fionnuala FallonSat May 18 2024 - 05:00

Nature doesn’t care that your carefully nurtured seedlings want to be outside – it’s still prepared to be brutal

Nature doesn’t care that your carefully nurtured seedlings want to be outside – it’s still prepared to be brutal

We might be within touching distance of warmer weather, but it’s still not safe for your delicate plants to be left without protection

By Fionnuala FallonMon May 13 2024 - 05:00

Why didn’t my daffodils bloom? It’s probably ‘daffodil blindness’

Why didn’t my daffodils bloom? It’s probably ‘daffodil blindness’

Gardening advice: Strimming or mowing daffodil leaves too soon after the flowers have faded can weaken the bulbs

By Fionnuala FallonSun May 12 2024 - 05:00

Tried-and-trusted techniques to help plants to grow back more strongly than ever

Tried-and-trusted techniques to help plants to grow back more strongly than ever

These tried-and-trusted techniques help plants to grow back more strongly than ever

By Fionnuala FallonSun May 05 2024 - 05:00

Singing the praises of wall shrubs for year-round structure and heft

Singing the praises of wall shrubs for year-round structure and heft

Think also about fruit trees like apple and pears, that can be gently manipulated to grow in a variety of shapes, including espaliers, fans and cordons

By Fionnuala FallonMon Apr 29 2024 - 05:00

Your gardening questions answered: How should I plant up my new flower beds?

Your gardening questions answered: How should I plant up my new flower beds?

Star jasmine, clematis and climbing roses can add height, creeping plants interest, and lavender and sweet pea scent, to this compact space

By Fionnuala FallonSun Apr 28 2024 - 05:00

‘We call Mount Congreve Ireland’s global garden because there are 10,000 different plants here’

‘We call Mount Congreve Ireland’s global garden because there are 10,000 different plants here’

Horticulture students learn the craft of gardening in the beautiful woodlands and kitchen gardens of Waterford estate

By Sylvia ThompsonSat Apr 27 2024 - 05:00

Dominic West on his natural swimming pool: ‘When I’m in the mood I do a spot of underwater gardening’

Dominic West on his natural swimming pool: ‘When I’m in the mood I do a spot of underwater gardening’

The Crown star built a naturally filtered pool at his English base and now wants to bring a similar project to Limerick’s Glin Castle

By Fionnuala FallonSun Apr 14 2024 - 05:00

Why isn’t my fruit tree flowering?

Why isn’t my fruit tree flowering?

Soil might be the issue, as plum trees like a fertile, moisture-retentive but free-draining, slightly acidic soil

By Fionnuala FallonSun Apr 14 2024 - 05:00

Gardening: Two well-grounded reads on the fleeting essence of time and bittersweet beauty of natural world

Gardening: Two well-grounded reads on the fleeting essence of time and bittersweet beauty of natural world

New books by TJ Maher and Des Doyle offer intensely personal, celebratory accounts of the magic that comes with making a garden

By Fionnuala FallonSat Apr 13 2024 - 05:30

‘We’ve got a lot of money in the ground’ - Arboretum’s Fergal and Barry Doyle

‘We’ve got a lot of money in the ground’ - Arboretum’s Fergal and Barry Doyle

The Doyle brothers have just opened cut the ribbon of a €4.5m expansion of their Wicklow destination garden centre

By Ian CurranFri Apr 12 2024 - 06:00

My lavender is brown and sad looking after winter frost. Can I revive it?

My lavender is brown and sad looking after winter frost. Can I revive it?

Gardening Q&A: Will my plants come back or should I cut my losses?

By Fionnuala FallonSat Apr 06 2024 - 05:00

Gardening: 10 fast-growing, ultra-productive annuals that can be sown right now

Gardening: 10 fast-growing, ultra-productive annuals that can be sown right now

In April, nature’s life force quickens day by day and every tiny seed sown is a powerful spell racing to transform itself

By Fionnuala FallonSat Apr 06 2024 - 05:00

Help! I have something strange growing on my garden plant

Help! I have something strange growing on my garden plant

Q&A: I found the growth when I was tidying up the garden. Does it pose a threat to my other plant?

By Fionnuala FallonSun Mar 31 2024 - 05:00

Remembrance of times past: gardens of the past, present and future

Remembrance of times past: gardens of the past, present and future

The plants that grow in our gardens connect us not just to loved ones of the years ahead, but also our future selves

By Fionnuala FallonSat Mar 30 2024 - 05:00

Snowdrops, daffodils and phlox: A plant for every month of the year

Snowdrops, daffodils and phlox: A plant for every month of the year

These resilient plants deserve a place in every Irish garden

By Fionnuala FallonSat Mar 23 2024 - 05:30

Your gardening questions answered: Have I killed my rose?

Your gardening questions answered: Have I killed my rose?

Hybrid tea roses typically have a life expectancy of 15-20 years, even when well looked after

By Fionnuala FallonSat Mar 23 2024 - 05:00

Hail Irish horticulture: Five ways to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in the garden

Hail Irish horticulture: Five ways to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in the garden

Support Irish horticulture, grow an Irish plant or book into a festival

By Fionnuala FallonSat Mar 16 2024 - 05:00

Your gardening questions answered: How can I create a garden from a scrap heap?

Your gardening questions answered: How can I create a garden from a scrap heap?

Taking the time to plan your layout will be worth it in the long run

By Fionnuala FallonSat Mar 16 2024 - 05:00

From seed to perfect plants and veg: tips to guarantee a bountiful garden

From seed to perfect plants and veg: tips to guarantee a bountiful garden

A little preparation now - along with caution - can result in bountiful blooms come summer

By Fionnuala FallonSat Mar 09 2024 - 05:15

How do I get rid of a badger visiting my garden?

How do I get rid of a badger visiting my garden?

One traditional deterrent is said to be the smell of male human urine - but this may be an example of the cure being worse than the disease

By Fionnuala FallonSat Mar 09 2024 - 05:00

How to get the best out of your potatoes

How to get the best out of your potatoes

Many of our more popular varieties are prone to disease, so consider a new option such as Axona, a very vigorous, easy-to-grow, disease-resistant, red-skinned variety

By Fionnuala FallonSat Mar 02 2024 - 05:00

Your gardening questions answered: What’s wrong with my raspberries?

Your gardening questions answered: What’s wrong with my raspberries?

Raspberries can be challenging to grow well, but it’s worth giving your plants another shot

By Fionnuala FallonSat Mar 02 2024 - 05:00

Your gardening questions answered: Can I plant lilac now?

Your gardening questions answered: Can I plant lilac now?

If the ground isn’t waterlogged or frozen, February/early March can be a good time of the year to plant lilac

By Fionnuala FallonSun Feb 25 2024 - 05:00

Eight classic ornamental trees and shrubs to plant now for long-lasting bursts of colour

Eight classic ornamental trees and shrubs to plant now for long-lasting bursts of colour

These ornamental trees and shrubs share the ability to be always admired, while others fall in and out of fashion

By Fionnuala FallonSat Feb 24 2024 - 05:00

Your gardening questions answered: How can I boost my Christmas cactus?

Your gardening questions answered: How can I boost my Christmas cactus?

This plant produces flowers in fruity shades of flamingo pink, shocking red and purple as well as white; the only problem is it flowers once a year

By Fionnuala FallonSat Feb 17 2024 - 05:00

Your gardening questions answered: How do I get rid of a rampant weed?

Your gardening questions answered: How do I get rid of a rampant weed?

Creeping buttercup can become an invasive weed, especially in gardens with rich or poorly drained soils

By Fionnuala FallonSat Feb 10 2024 - 05:00

Six ways to get your garden ready for spring

Six ways to get your garden ready for spring

With the evenings starting to stretch, and spring bulbs starting to bloom, it’s time to get back outside

By Fionnuala FallonSat Feb 10 2024 - 05:00

Gardening: Angela Jupe’s legacy in excellent hands and the top gardens for viewing snowdrops

Gardening: Angela Jupe’s legacy in excellent hands and the top gardens for viewing snowdrops

RHSI Bellefield, which opens for 2024 with its snowdrop weekend, will become a place of learning and gardening excellence

By Fionnuala FallonSat Feb 03 2024 - 05:00

Your gardening questions answered: What’s the best peat-free seed compost for my garden?

Your gardening questions answered: What’s the best peat-free seed compost for my garden?

A good quality peat-free seed compost ideally should ideally be friable and finely textured to maximise the chances of successful germination

By Fionnuala FallonSat Feb 03 2024 - 05:00

What to do - and what not to do - to get your garden working against climate change

What to do - and what not to do - to get your garden working against climate change

Get rid of your paving and boundary walls, embrace weeds and plant a tree

By Fionnuala FallonSat Jan 27 2024 - 05:00

An expert’s guide to the best places to buy seeds and bulbs

An expert’s guide to the best places to buy seeds and bulbs

Here’s my little black book black book of suppliers, a handy reference for the busy seed-sowing months ahead

By Fionnuala FallonSat Jan 20 2024 - 05:00

Gardening: Is it too cold to move my butterfly bush?

Gardening: Is it too cold to move my butterfly bush?

Winter is not the best time to transplant or prune buddleia

By Fionnuala FallonSat Jan 20 2024 - 05:00

Your gardening questions answered: What’s wrong with my climbing roses?

Your gardening questions answered: What’s wrong with my climbing roses?

Plants can lose their vitality and become pot-bound when they run out of space

By Fionnuala FallonSat Jan 13 2024 - 05:00

The world’s ugliest lawn has been found and Diarmuid Gavin says it’s ‘soulful’

The world’s ugliest lawn has been found and Diarmuid Gavin says it’s ‘soulful’

Tasmania resident Kathleen Murray is the proud winner having beat stiff international competition

Thu Jan 11 2024 - 13:25

Your gardening questions answered: How to compost a Christmas tree

Your gardening questions answered: How to compost a Christmas tree

There are several ways that you can put your old Christmas tree to good use in your garden

By Fionnuala FallonSat Jan 06 2024 - 05:00

New year gardening: ‘It feels like everything is shifting’

New year gardening: ‘It feels like everything is shifting’

Amid changing weather patterns, gardeners will continue to face new challenges in the years ahead

By Fionnuala FallonSat Jan 06 2024 - 05:00

Your gardening questions answered: Should I get my houseplants watered while I’m away over winter?

Your gardening questions answered: Should I get my houseplants watered while I’m away over winter?

Keeping them warm might be a bigger concern

By Fionnuala FallonSun Dec 17 2023 - 05:00

Dreaming of a green Christmas: make the garden the centrepiece of your festive table

Dreaming of a green Christmas: make the garden the centrepiece of your festive table

Set the table for Christmas with a mix of foraged twigs, berried branches, faded seedheads and evergreen foliage

By Fionnuala FallonSat Dec 16 2023 - 05:00

Bread & Roses gives gift of floristry to women seeking refuge from torture and violence

Bread & Roses gives gift of floristry to women seeking refuge from torture and violence

Women taking part in therapeutic wreath-making programme offered by Róisín Godfrey and Spirasi express gratitude for support since their arrival in Ireland

By Fionnuala FallonSat Dec 16 2023 - 05:00

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