Gardening in Ireland, our own garden, gardens visited and book reviews
At the funeral of a dear friend today, her husband quoted Robert Burns, "Epitaph on my own Friend" An honest man here lies at rest, As e’er God with His image blest: The friend of man, the friend of truth; The friend of age, and guide of youth: Few hearts like his, with virtue warm’d, … Continue reading Epitaph on my own Friend
A walk around the garden, with camera in hand, is an excellent way to see and appreciate the plants which grow there. Oftentimes we can be so busy that we don't take time to relax and simply enjoy what is growing well or in flower on any particular day. This is something I do at … Continue reading The End of Day Walk
It is good, on occasion, to visit a garden which veers towards one extreme of the design continuum – at one end of that balance between structure and planting. All our gardens will have some level of design, organisation or layout – from rigid formality to flowing naturalistism - and will have planting to some … Continue reading The Architect’s Garden
It's the Chelsea Flower Show time of year again. As we are not attending we will watch the many (at least three) daily television programmes covering the event and I realise already, on day one, that I am in for another week of frustration and of directing foul language at the innocent television set - … Continue reading In Shallowness!
An Annual General Meeting of the Irish Garden Plant Society was held at Kennedy Park many years ago. Such meetings, at the time, were inclined to be efficiently dispatched and the members moved speedily along to enjoy a weekend of good company, garden visits, the AGM dinner, drinks, chat and good fun; all in all, … Continue reading His Words Echo Still!
He stands, arms resting on the top rungs of the six-bar gate at the end of our lane. It was once a lane, access from the road to the fields behind our house, but is now part of our garden and, while its use is now defunct, the name remains. I see this man regularly, … Continue reading The Man who Stands and Stares
Green-winged orchids are very scarce in Ireland and when a friend told me he had found a site where they were in flower there was an immediate dash to see them. Three of us had a wonderful evening viewing these beautiful plants – along with the Early Purple Orchids and Cowslips which grew in their … Continue reading That’s How Vulnerable They Are!
