Gardening in Ireland, our own garden, gardens visited and book reviews
Morocco in Bloom by Giuppi Pietromarchi “To be places of respite and joy, gardens combine the lively scents of the day and the night, the harmoniously clashing colours of the flowers, foliage and soil, the warmth of the shade and the freshness of the waters. The colours of the flowers and the clay, softened by … Continue reading Morocco in Bloom
We have been busy with other matters this past while, the weather has been unpleasant and we have been ill these last few days so there has been no time in the garden. Yesterday, on the brink of cabin fever, I went to the garden for a few hours. It was a very gentle few … Continue reading Getting Out for a While
The last days of November would generally not be regarded as good garden-visiting days but there are some advantages. It is a time to see a garden without the distraction of summer colour, without the fullness of summer borders and without too many other visitors also. It is a time to see the bones of … Continue reading Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem’s Good Bones!
The Irish Garden, A Cultural History by Peter Dale, Illustrated by Brian Lalor What is it that makes an Irish garden different? Devon, Cornwall, western Scotland and, indeed, many parts of England have basic conditions very similar to those in Irish gardens yet our gardens differ and it is this difference and the reasons for … Continue reading The Irish Garden, A Cultural History
On a recent visit to Mount Usher Gardens I received a most unexpected greeting from the lady in the Ticket Office, "Aren't you Paddy Tobin, the photographer?" I didn't know how to reply. Yes, she had my name and I do enjoy photography - as a pastime - but have never regarded myself as a … Continue reading So Usher-ly Kind!
It is rather odd, rather a contradiction for the gardener who usually devotes all efforts to promoting growth, nurturing good health and fostering the treasures of the garden that, at this time of year, s/he should rejoice in the death processes of those very same plants. Autumn is almost a second spring rather … Continue reading Enjoying Death!
The daily morning walk can become routine, dull even; almost a non- event and I often pass the little landmarks of our surrounding fields without a second glance. Thankfully, there are also occasional special mornings which make everything fresh and interesting again and the mundane is reinvigorated, snazzed up, sparkling and beautiful.
