Alpine plants are often delicate and small in appearance. This, however, belies their incredible tenacity and resilience. They have adapted to survive in hostile conditions, often in rocky mountains at high elevations ..read more

With the possibility of another Beast from the East in late February or early March, we are still in wintry times. However, we can use the time to plan for spring and what we might plant as the soil begins to warm and daylight hours extend. I’ve been looking at my herbaceous planting palette and picking out my favourites for this year. I value those that flower for long periods, have attractive foliage and are easy-going in their soil and maintenance requirements. Here are some of those that will be popping up in my garden schemes this year ..read more

Scented candles, perfumes and household fragrances are big business as people are drawn to smells that give them a lift, bring back memories, or make the mundane feel a little more luxurious. Although many of these are laboratory-formed synthetic mixtures of chemicals, flowers will always remain the touchstone and inspiration for the perfume industry. At this time of year, there are some gems in the garden whose scents will surpass anything from a bottle. Whether you plant them in your garden or make a beeline to inhale their aroma when you spot them on your walks, these will not disappoint an ..read more

If you planted some early potatoes in March, you might soon be harvesting your crop. When you see the plant flower, this can be a sign that it’s time to dig up the buried golden treasure — but it’s also fine to leave them in the ground over summer until you’re ready to eat them ..read more

Cherry blossoms are celebrated for their annual display of beautiful, sometimes even gaudy flowers. They signify spring is blooming and produce dazzling displays which are all too fleeting. Magnolias follow with an equally impressive floral show and by late spring the hedgerows and countryside are full of flowering hawthorn. But there are also plenty of beautiful and often unusual trees that wait until summer to open their buds and unfurl their petals ..read more

IT said it all when the morning queue for the shuttle buses outside Heuston Station looked like it was giving the queue for the airport a run for its money ..read more

Children and adults who are young at heart, were transfixed by the Beauty and The Beast Stage Musical show garden at Bloom today ..read more

If you’re not careful the robots will get you at Bloom! But don’t worry, they’re friendly and only looking out for your health ..read more

After a two year absence due to Covid-19, Bord Bia Bloom festival returns this weekend and is open today, tomorrow and Monday. It’s the largest flower show in the country and takes its inspiration from London’s Chelsea Flower Show ..read more

How are you with plants? Because I’ve never met one I couldn’t kill, usually within days of it entering my house. To make matters worse, my taste in greenery runs to the exotic, which means the plants I take a shine to are more expensive. But when you continually kill off pricey houseplants, there comes a point where buying more feels like chucking money out the window. During lockdown, with a lot more people working from home, houseplants had a bit of a moment. But unless you know how to care for them, odds are that not many have survived ..read more