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Gardening

Your home for gardening tips, inspiration, news and features.

<p>Butterfly bush. If you’ve grown this before, you’ll know it can become a bit of a wild beast if left to its own devices. Picture: iStock</p>

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: The switch which drives us gardeners outside has gone off once more

Plants that bloom later in the summer rather than in spring can generally be pruned now

<p>Choisya, or Mexican orange blossom, is a fantastic choice, with glossy green leaves and scented white flowers that appear in spring and summer. </p>

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: Preparing your garden for the coming rapid growth

<p> Camellia 'Debbie ' Kells Bay House & Gardens, Co Kerry. Picture Dan Linehan</p>

S home and gardens

Garden Q&A: The leaves on my red camellia are yellow. How can I make it healthier?

Seaweed on the beach on the Channel Island of Herm, UK

home and gardens

Why you should be using seaweed in your garden

Vivid Green Irish Shamrock or the Three-leaf Clovers on the Field for Background

home and gardens

Peter Dowdall: How the shamrock became a symbol of Ireland

Home: Create an outdoor oasis for al-fresco living and dining

home and gardens

Home: Create an outdoor oasis for al-fresco living and dining

Solitary Hawthorn tree.

Garden Q&A: My whitethorn tree has never blossomed. Why not?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Wed, 12 Mar, 2025

10 things you didn’t know about hoverflies

10 things you didn’t know about hoverflies — our gardens' unsung heroes

Many go by the names the Footballer, Batman and Marmalade and hoverflies pollinate more than half the world's crops. Here's how to help them survive

Wed, 12 Mar, 2025

Lilies, herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, large prominent flowers,

The best summer bulbs to plant in your garden now

Summer-flowering bulbs are ideal for planting between March and May as the soil begins to warm up

Thu, 06 Mar, 2025

Crocuses, Krokus

Peter Dowdall: How to make the most of crocus displays

These flowers are seen as nature’s way of reassuring us that warmer days are on their way In some cultures, they represent cheerfulness and gladness

Sat, 01 Mar, 2025

Woman meditating in back yard

Get grounded: Connect with the garden to boost your wellbeing

Rediscover your room outside this spring with these top tips for a sustainable experience to benefit both you and your garden

Tue, 25 Feb, 2025

Urban Rooftop Terrace with Modern Design

Peter Dowdall: Green roofs can boost biodiversity and help flood alleviation

'Vertical gardens reduce the volume of water and the speed at which the rainwater enters the drainage system, decreasing the risk of flash flooding'

Fri, 21 Feb, 2025

A close-up image of a gray stone Buddha statue sitting amidst a vibrant garden.

Gardening: How to make your balcony a calm outdoor space

Here's advice from the pros on transforming even the tiniest space into the ultimate chill-out zone or urban oasis to boost your wellbeing

Wed, 19 Feb, 2025

Flowers

Peter Dowdall: Spring has sprung in our gardens

Masses of spring bulbs planted in autumn are starting to pay floral dividends

Mon, 17 Feb, 2025

Vibrant Colors And Beauty Of Springtime Flowers

Garden Q&A: What early-blooming perennials attract pollinators in spring?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Mon, 17 Feb, 2025

Contemporary house adjacent to tree-lined sidewalk and grassy lawn

Peter Dowdall: Fifty shades of this super shrub to select

One of the most overlooked yet exceptional genera of evergreen shrubs is leucothoe -- among the evergreens whose glossy foliage is ideal for any gardener seeking year-round interest

Sat, 08 Feb, 2025

Overgrown fruit garden with red apples and old water pump

Garden Q&A: I want to prune an apple tree in February. Is it too late?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Tue, 04 Feb, 2025

Spring work on flower bed in garden, in backyard, fertilizer

Garden Q&A: Should I start feeding my outdoor plants in February?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Sun, 02 Feb, 2025

Rain barrel in the garden

Peter Dowdall: Gardeners to grow resilient landscapes for a changing climate

The challenge of creating spaces that thrive will be the hot topic at the Garden and Landscape Designers Association seminar on February 22

Sun, 26 Jan, 2025

Healthy eating Carrot harvest in a vegetable garden

Gardening: What to sow and grow this February

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a first-time grower, this month offers exciting opportunities to sow new seeds and nurture hardy crops

Wed, 22 Jan, 2025

Hands holding a grate full of raw vegetables

Garden Q&A: How should I prepare my vegetable plot for spring?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Mon, 20 Jan, 2025

Indoor houseplants by the window inside a beautiful new house or flat

Peter Dowdall: Indoor gardening keeps us connected with nature in winter

'Houseplants also improve our living environment, and providing a splash of life and colour in our homes all year round'

Sat, 18 Jan, 2025

Seed sowing

Gardening: We reveal the easiest seeds to sow in winter

While winter isn’t ideal for most outdoor planting, a head start with indoor sowing can set you up for a bountiful year

Tue, 14 Jan, 2025

Orchids in greenhouse

Garden Q&A: How should I create new orchid plants from offshoots?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Mon, 13 Jan, 2025

Snowdrops in the snow, early spring flowers, close-up.

Peter Dowdall: Snowdrops remind us there's life in our gardens in January

Snowdrops are among the January jewels that add sparkle to the room outside

Sun, 12 Jan, 2025

Helleborus, or Hellebores Ice n Roses Red in flower.

Garden Q&A: How should I treat black spots on my Lenten rose leaves?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Sun, 12 Jan, 2025

Close-up of empty living room

Garden Q&A: My orchid's flowers are brown and dying. Will it bloom again?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Sun, 05 Jan, 2025

Modern patio garden lounge with a pond and outdoor sofas

Peter Dowdall: Now's the time to draw and plan your dream garden

Use this month to outline your layout and to consider raised beds, wildlife-friendly features and plants, or even a plunge pool

Sat, 04 Jan, 2025

Large white or cabbage white butterfly (Pieris brassicae) on Verbena flower, East Sussex garden, UK

From rain gardens to AI: The biggest gardening trends for 2025

A move towards species which will weather the storm of climate change are likely to come into focus in the New Year

Sun, 22 Dec, 2024

Blooming Cyclamen persicum in a clay pot outdoors

Garden Q&A: I planted cyclamen in pots. Will they bloom every year?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

Sun, 22 Dec, 2024

A Christmas tree ornament hangs from a tree branch

Peter Dowdall: Branch out and celebrate life this Christmas

'Though we surround ourselves with plastic and artificial lights I need some time outdoors in the natural world at this time of year'

Sun, 22 Dec, 2024