The Irish Gardener

11/06/2026

Join John & Hilary for an afternoon in their beautiful seaside cottage garden at Seanabea Cottage, Ballyshane, Cloyne, Co. Cork (near Ballybrannigan Strand).

Sunday 14th June 2026
2pm – 6pm
Seanabea Cottage, Ballyshane, Cloyne, Co. Cork
Eircode: P25 E658

A member of the RHSI Partner Gardens network.

Admission by donation in aid of:
Marymount Hospice Cork
Brighter Communities Worldwide

Enjoy:
A beautiful seaside garden
Live music
Interesting plants for sale from Sandy McCarthy
Honey tasting with Terry's Honey
Families welcome

A lovely opportunity to visit an inspiring garden while supporting two very worthwhile causes.

11/06/2026

This is sooty mould and one of the garden problems that I am asked about most often at this time of year.
Sap-sucking insects such as aphids or scale insects leave behind a sticky honeydew on the leaves.
The black mould grows on this honeydew rather than attacking the plant itself, so controlling the insects is the key to solving the problem.

10/06/2026

water brings so much to any garden, sound, calmness, a focal point and so much more.
But most importantly it brings huge value to wildlife.
This is a water feature that we are nearly finished creating in a Cork garden, already it and the planting is beginning to look like it was always there

08/06/2026

This was my Borage this day 2 years ago and today not a sign yet of flowers...
Anyone else noticing things are behind?

06/06/2026

Just Over the Wall from the Show Gardens in Bloom is this fantastic Walled Garden.
Is this the best example of an OPW Garden in Ireland?

What do you think, which OPW garden is your favourite?

06/06/2026

This little guy and his extended family have beaten me!!

For the last few years, I have watched my Box balls out the front get stripped bare, put up with them looking terrible then optimistically hope that they would green up and not be on the menu the next time!!
This year worse than ever, totally stripped of all foliage.
OK little guy. you win....
Now what to replace them with

06/06/2026

Defoinitely the most common question I am asked at the moemt, whats this and is it harmful?
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/2213719/gardeners-not-panic-white-foam-plants

05/06/2026

Healthy plants begin with healthy soils.
Thats why I have spent the last several years working on a biochar based plant food.
and am chuffed to bits to be now able to tell you about The Irish Gardener's Nutrichar,
Certified Organic, Irish produced using Irish ingredients and now available across Ireland and the UK.

Tag your local garden centre in the comments if you would like to have it available locally.

03/06/2026

What was your favourite garden at Bord Bia Bloom Did you see this one? What did you think? Online Garden Designs big thank you for the pics to Frazer McDonogh

Native plants alongside drought-tolerant species reflect the need for resilience and sustainability in modern Irish gardens