In early summer, the Kerry countryside is alive with the purple blooms of Rhododendron ponticum. Originally introduced to Ireland in the 19th century as an ornamental, this shrub has become highly invasive and problematic as its dense growth smothers native flora and is hard to control. However, there are many garden-worthy cultivars that behave themselves and are a lush and beautiful spectacle from spring onwards.
Purple House Cancer Support held its second annual Wellness Day in the historical Powerscourt Estate main house, on Sunday, March 3, featuring some of the biggest names in wellness, including Gerry Hussey, Sarah Keogh, Diarmuid Gavin, Claire McKenna, Fiona Brennan and Daniella Moyles.
If Monty Don was female, chances are very likely I’d be swiping right. That man with the unruly hair ticks many an important box on the charisma chart – mellow voice, positive attitude, casual air – and all wrapped in a quirky dress sense entirely his own.
As a gardener, you are as popular as a doctor at parties because people always have their issues things in the great outdoors that they can’t get quite right. The questions can be about lawns, hedges, roses, soil that’s too dry or too damp or fruit trees that simply won’t produce. These are garden gripes, the issues that concern the common gardener. And already this year my post box is full of queries in anticipation of the gardening season ahead. So, let’s clear the backlog and I’ll answer some of my most frequently asked gardening questions.
Book it: The team behind THISISPOPBABY don’t do things by halves. Their shows are designed to captivate, exhilarate and get you up out of your chair, but with a firmly rooted Irish sense of place. THISISPOPBABY’s smash-hit production Wake is the headline show of St Patrick’s Festival 2024. Expect wild acrobatics, trad with a twist, Irish tap, circus and cabaret and a very glamorous audience. It’s at the National Stadium from March 6-23, with tickets priced from €25. waketheshow.com