I Suppose That’s It Now Until February!

We were very much in that Carpe Diem frame of mind all of last week. There had been a long run of bad weather with particularly high rainfall and strong winds so that there had been many days spent indoors and cabin fever was beginning to set in. Because of this we had determined that …

End of Season

Lismore Castle Gardens close for the season at the end of October so it has been on our mind for the last week that we would fit in a final visit, something that was a challenge with the very changeable weather of this past week when strong winds and heavy rain threatened each day. When …

Opening Again!

Mount Congreve Gardens have been closed for redevelopment for more than a year and I have missed our regular visits to the garden very much but the reopening is upon us and from Monday next, 31st October, the gardens will be open to the public again. The late Mr. Ambrose Congreve extended the original house …

The Lafcadio Hearn Garden

The Lafcadio Hearn Garden is in Tramore, Co. Waterford - I wrote about it previously in 2015. - and I visited again last week. I have also been there in between times but not often despite the fact it is only twenty minutes away from home and just a few minutes from our son and …

Ushered by the Weather

It wasn't our intention to visit Mount Usher Gardens last week but we ended up there nonetheless and enjoyed it very much. On Wednesday of last week we went to see Corke Lodge and went on afterwards to Powerscourt which is only a short distance away. However, it rained, and continued to rain, as we …

The Architect’s Garden

It has been on my mind for years - well, certainly since Jane Powers wrote so evocatively about it and husband, Jonathan Hession, illustrated it so beautifully with his photographs in their book The Irish Garden, to visit Corke Lodge near Bray, Co. Wicklow. Click the link above to read background information on the house …

Between the Jigs and the Reels, at last, June Blake’s Garden!

It's three weeks since we visited June Blake's garden (Tinode, Co. Wicklow) and, despite all my best intentions, I never posted about the day and not to do so would be very unfair of me for it was a beautiful day, a day of perfect weather and June's garden was as glorious and fabulous and …

Lismore Castle Gardens, May 2022

Covid prompted us last year to purchase a season ticket for the gardens at Lismore Castle and we have done the same this year as it is both exceptional value and the gardens merit a visit at least once a month through the open season. It really is worthwhile visiting a garden on a regular …

Mount Usher Gardens

We took one of our regular visits to Mount Usher Gardens in Ashford, Co. Wicklow, yesterday, feeling the need to get out after days of rain here. The weather was good with rain arriving just as we were ready to leave, so well timed and no inconvenience. Wild garlic - ramsons and three-cornered garlic - …

Simply Snowdrops

There is a divide among snowdrop growers, a contrast in styles between those who collect snowdrops and those who garden with them. For some, there is nothing more attractive than a new variety, another snowdrop a little different to their eyes, another flower of exquisite beauty to be appreciated in its individuality. For others, snowdrops …