Which varieties of willow and bamboo grow quickly?Your gardening questions: Be wary of fast-growing bamboos whose roots can cause problems for foundations and drainsSun Apr 13 2025 - 05:00
How the right water feature can elevate your garden and soothe your soulPlayful, stimulating and fascinating, the best water features connect with our senses Sat Apr 12 2025 - 05:00
Can my gooseberry bushes recover from an attack of sawfly?Sawfly larvae can rapidly defoliate gooseberry and currant bushes, and by the time they’re spotted, the damage is often already severeSun Apr 06 2025 - 05:00
Gardening: A purifying herb, symbol of immortality, culinary linchpin - what’s not to love about rosemary?Science shows that consuming or inhaling the scent of this herb may even improve memory and cognitionSat Apr 05 2025 - 05:00
‘What’s the best way to grow flowers for my son’s wedding?’Readers’ questions: You’re correct to wonder how long it will take plants to be productiveSat Mar 29 2025 - 05:00
Yellow is a polarising colour with gardeners. Here are 10 subtler daffodils to tryFor the gardener who dislikes the brash yellow of daffodils there are winsome alternativesSat Mar 29 2025 - 05:00
‘Our cherry tree has stopped fruiting. What can we do?’Readers’ questions: The cherries were a wonderful surprise in the first year, but the tree has not been particularly bountiful sinceSun Mar 23 2025 - 05:00
Spring has sprung, so here’s what to prioritise in the garden Key to keeping on top of the to-do list at this time of year is to prioritise ruthlessly Sat Mar 22 2025 - 05:00
What can I do about my hard-to-remove tree roots?Firstly, break up the soil surface with a garden fork and remove as many of the smaller fibrous roots as you canSat Mar 15 2025 - 05:00
The fascinating history of the magnolias that are springing up around Ireland Magnolia flowers are back in bloom, putting on a magnificent display in gardens around the countrySat Mar 15 2025 - 05:00
Gardening: even the tiniest seed represents a universe of possibilitiesAt the beginning of spring sowing season, it’s worth remembering there are few greater joys than coaxing growth from the smallest of starts Sat Mar 08 2025 - 05:00
How can I keep my house plants alive?Readers’ questions: Modern houses can be surprisingly challenging environments for indoor plantsSat Mar 08 2025 - 05:00
Should you chit seed potatoes before planting them?Chitting involves spreading seed potatoes out indoors to spur the ‘eyes’ of the tubers into early growthSun Mar 02 2025 - 05:00
It’s time to rejoice in the season of home-grown rhubarb This is when to begin thinking about your rhubarb crop and how to get the most out of it Sat Mar 01 2025 - 05:00
‘Does my hedge have box blight?’Readers’ questions: Box has come under serious attack from a few very destructive non-native pests and diseases in recent yearsSun Feb 23 2025 - 05:00
Get gardening: What you need to do now to get ahead on your summer plantsFrom sowing tomato seed to pruning roses: some things always benefit from an early startSat Feb 22 2025 - 05:00
My hydrangea falls over into a floppy mess when in flower. Can you help?Readers’ questions: How/when could I cut it back without losing a year’s flowers?Sun Feb 16 2025 - 05:00
Ten pollinator-friendly, versatile shrubs that will flourish in your garden for yearsAre these fashionable choices? Not really, although there are certainly signs of a comebackSat Feb 15 2025 - 05:00
‘Which climbing plants are best for an east-facing house wall?’Any of the daintier-flowered species of clematis enjoy shadier conditionsSun Feb 09 2025 - 05:00
Gone with the wind? Future-proof your polytunnel or glasshouse against stormsMany beloved garden structures were battered (or removed entirely) by Storm Éowyn. How to stop it happening again?Sat Feb 08 2025 - 05:00
‘Is it time to say goodbye to my underperforming hybrid tea roses?’Readers’ question: ‘Should I rip them out and replant with young, healthy roses?’Sat Feb 01 2025 - 05:00
Beware of the snowdrop: this could be the start of a lifelong addictionIn search of snowdrops? Robert Miller is the gardener with the goodsSat Feb 01 2025 - 05:00
Will my lost hellebores reappear in my spring garden? Readers’ questions: Many but not all are evergreen hardy perennials, and many but not all are easy to growSat Jan 25 2025 - 05:00
Fancy growing a little of your food? This is what to get right in February for a rich bountyPotatoes, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots peas and more - Fionnuala Fallon’s top tips to get the best and flavoursome vegetables growing in your gardenSat Jan 25 2025 - 05:00
My camellia is looking miserable – what am I doing wrong?Would it be happier in the ground rather than a pot?Sat Jan 18 2025 - 05:00
Your January garden doesn’t care about your new year’s resolutionsThe glory of this cold month is that it asks very little of us other than to sit, dream and planSat Jan 18 2025 - 05:00
How can I keep trees in containers from getting too big for their boots?I’m considering growing some evergreen trees and shrubs but I’m worried that they’ll get too largeSat Jan 11 2025 - 05:00
A surprising number of its trees will never reach old age in Irish gardens. Here’s how to choose your tree wiselyDuring Storm Darragh last year, close to 140 mature trees were toppled at the historic National Botanic Gardens, KilmacurraghSat Jan 11 2025 - 05:00
From root to tip: the best gardening books of 2024In search of some great gardening books to entertain, inspire and inform you over Christmas? Fionnuala Fallon offers her top choicesSat Dec 14 2024 - 05:00
An A to Z of Christmas gifts for gardeners: Trees, tools, calendars, furniture and moreSearching for the perfect Christmas present for the gardener in your life? Here are our top suggestionsSun Dec 08 2024 - 05:00
Does a tree fern need extra protection from the elements?Packing pine needles into the crown will protect against temperatures down to minus 4C, but below that you’ll need to secure several layers of horticultural fleece over the crown and frondsSat Nov 30 2024 - 05:00
Gardening tools that will last a lifetime if treated rightA bad day’s gardening is often the result of shoddy tools, so invest well in your implementsSat Nov 30 2024 - 05:00
Gardening Q&A: My young hedge looks tatty - what have I done?Unfortunately in recent years, this flowering hedge has fallen victim to a widespread fungal disease commonly known as escallonia leaf spot that causes it to lose its leavesSat Nov 23 2024 - 05:00
Five life lessons my garden taught me: Nature often has a quiet but not unkind laugh at our expenseTo watch a flower unfurl is to simultaneously be reminded of the fact that life is both worthwhile and fleetingSat Nov 23 2024 - 05:00
What is the best choice of hedging for my garden?Soil type and general weather conditions matter when it comes to choosing a garden hedgeSat Nov 16 2024 - 05:00
Caught in a landslide, gored to death, expelled from Japan: the fates of plant-hunters who pursued rare specimensHistorian Thomas Pakenham details the remarkable individuals who risked life and limb in pursuit of new speciesSat Nov 16 2024 - 05:00
How to pack up your plants when moving onPlanning to move house and garden? Create a list of what to take with you and prepare well in advanceSat Nov 09 2024 - 05:00
Which house plants are best for students?It’s a good idea to start with a selection of stalwarts that will tolerate less-than-ideal growing conditionsSat Nov 09 2024 - 05:00
Should we hire a garden designer?Fionnuala Fallon: Great garden designers and landscape architects are like artists, marrying together practical, environmental and aesthetic elementsSat Nov 02 2024 - 05:00
Why bare-root planting is always a good idea for your gardenWhether you’re searching for budget-friendly options or simply trying to plant without excavating big chunks of your garden, this approach makes senseSat Nov 02 2024 - 05:00
Can I leave spuds in the ground and dig them up when I need them?Fionnuala Fallon: Only maincrop potato varieties, such as Golden Wonder, are suitable for storing over winterSat Oct 26 2024 - 05:00
Frost can feel cruel but it’s not all bad news in the gardenThe cold acts as a natural curb on the spread of plant pests and diseases. Slugs are less active and fungal spores will be less likely to spreadSat Oct 26 2024 - 05:00
Autumn leaf displays have not been as vibrant this year. There’s a good reason for thatDeciduous trees and shrubs are paragons of good planning and preparednessSun Oct 20 2024 - 05:00
‘Can I collect seeds from sweet peas to grow again?’Fionnuala Fallon: Homegrown sweet pea is one of the great joys of the summer gardenSat Oct 19 2024 - 05:00
Tulips, erythroniums and trilliums: aristocratic bulbs for planting seasonAs planting season begins in earnest, consider looking beyond the obvious for spring-flowering bulbsSun Oct 13 2024 - 05:00
We have a problem with squirrels in our garden. What can we do to keep them at bay?Fionnuala Fallon: As charming as their arboreal acrobatics might be to watch, grey squirrels can be a real problem in Irish gardensSat Oct 12 2024 - 05:00
How can I create my own pocket forest?Fionnuala Fallon: Autumn is an excellent time to collect the ripe seed of most treesSat Oct 05 2024 - 05:00
Organic market gardener Charles Dowding: ‘So many people are intimidated or confused by the advice available’With 45 years as an organic market gardener under his belt, Charles Dowding has a feast of knowledge to share in his new book CompostSat Oct 05 2024 - 05:00
The best ornamental grasses for gardens: the ones to pick and how to grow them The long-lasting feathers of ornamental grasses are one of their greatest charmsSun Sept 29 2024 - 05:00
‘My 15-year-old tree is displaying blighting. How can I save it’‘It has been displaying a blighting appearance for the past few years’Sat Sept 28 2024 - 05:00
