hort'curious - the garden design co blog

In the Footsteps of Augustine Henry

2012-01-30T23:31:00.000Z

Kilmancanogue by Joe King KILMACANOGUE HISTORY SOCIETY Tuesday February 7th at 8.30 pm Glenview Hotel , Glen of the Downs 'In the Footsteps of Augustine Henry' by Séamus O’Brien Augustine Henry is one of the most famous of the pioneering plant hunters who travelled to China in the latter part of the 19thcentury. He played a key role in establishing the basis

GLDA Workshop

2012-01-29T19:32:00.001Z

Making a St Brigid's Cross

2012-01-26T23:44:00.000Z

February 1st is the feast of St Brigid. Legend has it she made the cross from rushes she found on the ground beside a dying man in order to convert him. It is interesting that this legend does not appear in any of the oldest sources and to this day its origin remains lost in the oral tradition. It remains the custom in many houses in Ireland to have a Saint Brigid's Cross in honour of

Super Gardeners Sought

2012-01-25T22:39:00.000Z

COULD YOU BE A SUPER GARDENER? Are you passionate about gardening? Is it your ambition to be a garden designer? Do you dream of winning a Gold Medal at Bloom? 'Super Garden' is seeking 5 promising garden designers to compete for the title of 'Super Gardener' in the new RTÉ series, to be broadcast in May 2012. Entries are invited from amateurs, young / student designers

Chinese, Dragons & Plants

2012-01-21T02:36:00.001Z

Chinese New Year has kicked off although officially it falls on January 23, 2012. This year our Chinese population will be ringing in the "Year of the Dragon" Photographer It's the most important of the traditional Chinese festivals, marking the end of the winter season, and the beginning of the spring. The Spring Festival begins on the first day of the calendar, and ends on the

GLDA 2012 Annual Design Seminar

2012-01-14T17:33:00.000Z

The GLDA 2012 Design Seminar - Download the booking form hereRick Dark | Mathew Jebb | Phil AskewThere has never been a more interesting or exciting time to be involved in the design of outdoor spaces. Trends and fashions come and go in landscape design mostly with an emphasis on the aesthetic and style of the space but more recently there has been a sea change in how we approach our green

siskin male blackrock

2012-01-08T17:20:00.001Z

siskin male blackrock, a photo by breffni.martin on Flickr.Uimhir a tri....Siskin (Carduelis spinus)Status: Resident. Additional birds arrive from Continent in winter.Conservation Concern: Green-listed in Ireland. The European population is regarded as Secure by BirdLife International.Identification: A small finch, with a fine, pointed bill and deeply forked tail, which is easily visible in

Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

2012-01-08T17:15:00.001Z

Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris), a photo by Rónán.McLaughlin on Flickr.Until today I got Greenfinch with Siskin. mixed up, but you will see from the next shot that there is simply no way you could. Thanks to Ronan McLaughlin for yet another wonderful photograph.Via Flickr:Its twittering and wheezing song, and flash of yellow and green as it flies, make this finch a truly colourful character.

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

2012-01-08T17:05:00.001Z

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus), a photo by Rónán.McLaughlin on Flickr.One of 14 birds encoutered this am at Cabinteely parkVia Flickr:Long-tailed Tits are delightful birds to encounter, swinging through the trees in tight noisy groups. Their appearance, like a tiny, fluffy ball with a great long black and white tail is quite unmistakable. Breeds in dense vegetation on woodland edges,

From Woodpeckers to Redwings (Ireland's Winter Birds)

2012-01-08T00:24:00.000Z

This Winter is unseasonably mild, ideal birding weather. So myself and hubbie are venturing off with Dublin South Branch of Birdwatch Ireland (BWI) in the morning to Cabinteely Park. The hope is that we'll spot a 'Great Spotted Woodpecker' or two. Already this year a number have been spotted so I'll let you know how we get on.... Great-spotted Woodpecker in Phoenix Park (

Little Christmas for some - Nollaig na mBan for others!

2012-01-06T01:02:00.001Z

Given that I'm from Cork I couldn't let this day go by without mentioning Nollaig na mBan as Little Christmas is also called Womens' Christmas (Nollaig na mBan) and sometimes even known as Women's Little Christmas in Cork and is still to this day a big celebration around Munster. Observed by Christians in Ireland and the Irish diaspora, particularly women, Little

It's that time of Year again

2012-01-02T15:37:00.000Z

It's that time of year again. Presents have been given and received and the relatives have all gone home. Nothing left to do now but take down the decorations and store away until next year. However, there is the small matter of what to do with Christmas cards and the Christmas tree? In our household stamps from envelopes get collected and given to charity, the envelopes are shredded and

Organic Gardens Today Winter 2012

2012-01-02T15:11:00.000Z

Over on Linkedin where I am an avid group member of Landscape and Garden Network my good friend David Daehnke [Editor / Founder at Organic Gardens Today Magazine] has just brought out the Winter 2012 issue of his magazine. If you thought your gardens are done for the growing season? Read to find out how much can be accomplished in Winter! Our very own Lorraine Foley, a professional

Thinking about the year ahead

2011-12-27T15:35:00.002Z

2012 is set to be a big year. It's the most awaited year of the century. Not only is it a Leap Year it's more than that. As people await for events to unfold in the coming year, due in part to predictions found in Old Moores' Almanac and the blockbuster movie '2012', What ever the reason, we should hope for the best. Some of the changes announced in our recent budget came into effect

Almost time to welcome in the New Year!

2011-12-27T15:20:00.001Z

Very soon we will be welcoming in the new year. It's one of my favourite times of the year as I love wandering through stationary shops and looking through beautiful paper supplies for the year ahead. Calendars are my thing! "But don't you own a smart phone?", I hear you say. Yup but the urge to own a brand shiny new diary is overwhelming, I can't explain it. Most people rush into

Christmas is in in the air and Winter has Finally Arrived

2011-12-22T18:26:00.000Z

Today, is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, bringing us the shortest day and longest night of the year. From now on the days will start to lengthen, but before we think of Spring and getting back into our gardens, we have a celebration - Christmas... I personally love Christmas especially if it was a white one, but alas according to Met Eireann my wish won't come true

Pest & Disease Watch for December

2011-12-14T17:52:00.000Z

Squirrels don’t intentionally dig up newly planted bulbs, but that’s how it seems. Your bulbs gets moved up to the surface as the squirrel buries it’s feast. Protect pots and new plantings with a cover of small mesh chicken wire now. Remove it when new growth is poking through the soil in spring. Watch out for mice, if cold enough they may unearth your bulbs for a snack. Rake up

Christmas Fair Botanic Gardens

2011-12-12T20:52:00.004Z