Maybe it’s thanks to Monty Don, or even our homegrown gardening heroes of past and present like Helen Dillon, Diarmuid Gavin, Gerry Daly and Dermot O’Neill, but gardening has never been so popular, especially in urban areas.
That’s evidenced by the rise of allotments and community gardening spaces. From Mud Island in Dublin’s North Strand to the Togher Community Garden in Cork, these shared spaces bolster community, teamwork, and our love of the outdoors.
In fact, according to the most recent survey from Community Gardens Ireland, there are more than 113 gardens and allotments registered with the body, and with around two out of every three of us living in a town or city, perhaps this isn’t so surprising.
Whether it’s a yard, balcony or a lovely city lawn you’re working with, here’s how to make the very best of your urban idyll this summer.
Pollinator gardens
Ask gardeners where they’re taking inspiration from, and it’s a good guess many of them will suggest the High Line. This New York institution is a raised greenway over a mile long, built along a disused railway line.
Remarkable in itself, it has become a global blueprint for urban regeneration. But it is its planting and hardscapes that set it apart. Native plants and wildflowers such as New York ironweed, Culver’s root, and butterfly milkweed are all used because these respect the location. And crucially, they also provide food and habitats for native insects and pollinators.
Planting native species is an idea that’s immediately transferable to an Irish city garden. For those with more space, a hedge made up of native varieties of blackthorn, hawthorn, holly, or crab apple, for example, can be a great way to support native insects and birds.
Small gardens, balconies and patios can get in on the action too. Leaving dandelions in place benefits insects; willow and clover are both beneficial for bees, and planting Irish wildflowers in tubs or pots, or even vertically, not only looks pretty but helps the earth too.
Throwing shade
The parasol is an enduring favourite in Ireland. However, due to our often-blustery conditions, it is a safe bet you’ve chased yours down more than once. Instead, consider an awning, increasingly popular in Irish homes and available from stockists such as Hillary’s.
Attached to a back or garden wall, an awning is more effective at offering shade, and it is also space-saving as it tucks away out of sight when not in use. It can provide cover inside the house too; handy if you’ve got a lot of glass looking out onto your garden. With electric versions readily available, physical exertion is cut to a minimum.
But perhaps the best aspect of an awning is choosing the colour. Our pick: stripes for a perfect French Riviera vibe.
The sanctuary garden
Increasingly, we want our outdoor areas to work a lot harder, and that’s especially true in smaller city homes. Supplementing inside living space, we’re looking for another area in which to relax, cook and eat.
These days we view our outside spaces as an essential escape and sanctuary from daily life (or even the news cycle). Creating a calming area is paramount. From thoughtfully designed patios and planting to pergolas for shade, and giving thought to how we want to both eat and relax, lighting plays a key role too in delivering a calming space.
Jysk’s Havesanger solar lights look great in raised beds, B&Q also stocks affordable wall lighting and for extra atmosphere, consider strings of festoon lights for a festive feel.
Oh, sit down
Don’t forget about your furniture and accessories. Gone are the days of rickety plastic sets bought at the supermarket. Now, we’re looking towards outdoor furniture made from hard-wearing woods and powder-coated metal, offering the same loungeability and comfort we’d expect inside.
Hay’s Palissade outdoor range is the gold standard for the design-obsessed, Irish store Pieces.ie specialises in fun, interesting garden furniture, and online retailers Kave and Sklum have great picks too.
Clever shower-proof fabrics used in outdoor rugs and cushions add extra colour, comfort and design detail. Bonus: you don’t have to worry about taking them in the second the sky turns grey. Look to Ikea or Morris & Co for great indoor/outdoor rug picks.
Warm it up
Leaning into the idea of our gardens as an outdoor room, there is a rise in interest in heat sources like fire pits and chimineas.
Bioethanol fire pits are increasingly popular and are particularly good for use in a smaller city garden. The renewable biofuel doesn’t create smoke. It does, however, give you real flames that look great and give off heat, offering the best of both worlds. You don’t have to compromise on style either: from the vibrant rusty shade of corten steel to sleek glass and concrete, you’ll find an option to suit your style.
Best face forward
Many urban and city homes open directly onto the street, but equally, plenty have small front gardens, and there is a move towards being generous to the streetscape. In practical terms, this means opening up your front garden area to view, taking down fences or non-native hedges, for example.
Maximising the kerb-appeal of homes can have the handy knock-on effect of boosting their value.
From bright front doors to thoughtful storage for wheelie bins or bikes, you can also add colourful planting in pretty pots on steps and window ledges. It offers a bright, appealing vista to other residents, as well as those walking around the area.
Embracing the broken
We’re wiser now to the problems that can be caused by weed killers and pesticides and instead, many are taking an almost kintsugi-like approach to the problem of weeds. Embracing the beautiful in the messy, de-weeding is becoming increasingly popular. If you can’t handle looking at weeds in cracks on the patio or concrete paths, then consider growing native wildflowers or even herbs in those places.
