It’s cold, wet, dark and dismal. Let’s get gardening
What you do in the garden now can lay the foundations for a year of homegrown beauty
What you do in the garden now can lay the foundations for a year of homegrown beauty
Now is a good time to sow seed for half-hardy, fast-growing annuals
On rainy days a polytunnel offers warmth, seclusion and a leafy refuge
All kinds of heat-loving vegetables can be grown under cover, and flowers too
This damp August has created optimum soil conditions for seeds to germinate
It takes time and expertise to coax these greedy, sun-loving, thirsty plants to give of their very best
Cheaper than a greenhouse and easier to put up, a polytunnel takes your gardening to a new level
Trees to plant, gloves to wear, cards to write trowels to dig, seeds to sow and a pad to rest
No amount of watering is going to be as good for plants as sweet, clean, cool Irish rain
No herbicides, fungicides or pesticides are used, not even organically-approved kinds
The walled garden and nursery at Altamont in Co Carlow is horticultural heaven
For top tips on growing flowers and food in polytunnels try these books, blogs and posts
Staying in touch with the soil can help to make us happier and save the planet
Honeybees will happily forage for pollen and nectar wherever they can find it. but the flowers of some plants are more valuable to them than others
Pot plants also add humidity and filter pollutants from our homes and offices
From golden Cape gooseberries to sooty skinned figs, the garden keeps on giving during autumn and winter
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices