When I give a lecture on basic garden design to gardening groups, I always start by saying ‘gardening is about control’. It means making a preliminary list of what you require for your garden, this is the basis for your plan.
There is no set design from any source that will suit every gardener, you might look at several garden design books and choose little features that you would like. This simple step might be a little overwhelming at first but you are on your way to creating the garden that suits your needs.
Garden visiting is another approach, and we are blessed with wonderful gardens in Ireland, with gardeners willing to chat and share their knowledge of plants.
The Bord Bia Bloom gardening festival happening from 29 May-2 June, in the historic Phoenix Park, Dublin, is a go-to place for ideas and inspiration. This is the one-stop-shop where you will leave full of excitement and inspiration. Here you will see garden designers creating gardens with ideas to benefit every taste.
The designers begin the process by writing a brief, this is what the garden aims to achieve for an imaginary client with specific requirements. This could be a garden for a family with children and pets or someone who is now retired, and wants a space that is colourful and easily managed or maintained.
Dancer Ella McElwaine pictured at the Early Cancer Detection key garden last year sponsored by Marie Keating Foundation & Astra Zeneca.
Judging panel
Each designer will have a space at Bloom to put their idea on show. The judging panel, of which I am a member, will then judge the garden looking for the features the client expects from the project. Medals of gold, silver gilt, silver and bronze are awarded to the garden that caters for every requirement of the client.
It can be confusing for visitors to understand why a beautiful garden with colourful annuals and perennials is awarded a lesser medal than a leafy green tree enclosed space with ferns and grasses. However, the award is based on what the designer set out to portray in their brief. Judges need to immediately identify the theme of the garden produced, fitting the client’s requirements.
Garden inspo
I always say to people if you need inspiration, look at all the gardens at Bloom. We are all individual and from your visit you will see features in maybe four or five gardens that you would like to introduce in your own space.
Gardeners and garden designers love to talk and will always engage with you and you will take away many ideas and valuable information. Bring a notebook, pencil and don’t forget the camera.
The festival is about plant sales too and some visitors attend specifically for that. I am always amazed to see people returning to their cars with bags and carts full of beautiful plants shortly after opening time, a perfect depiction of the early bird catches the worm. If you are staying for the day, you can use the facilities of the plant creche.
A garden created for Bloom by Maeve O'Neill in recent years.
At Bloom you will also get lots of valuable information and advice from growers which will stand you and your garden in good stead
If, however you don’t get to Bloom it is worth remembering that there are excellent garden centres all over Ireland.
I recommend gardeners become familiar with them and visit on a regular basis to see what is available. They are staffed by knowledgeable people who can show you what is in stock to suit your needs.
I had somebody ask me for advice some years back on how they could make their garden more colourful all year round. In an unfolding conversation, they revealed that they visited their local garden centre every year in the month of May and bought everything that was in flower. The answer to their question laid in the question itself.
My advice was simple, visit you garden centre at least once a month and get to know the staff and what is in stock, you can’t go wrong.
Your garden should contain your thoughts and desires executed in a way that will put you in charge and in control of your green area.
Pests and diseases: Aphids are now becoming plentiful and it is time to control outbreaks. Use diluted soap solutions or source biological control available from garden centres.
Climbers: Continue to tie in growth of climbers. Direct growth to the areas you want covered. Install supports if needed.
Vegetables: In well-prepared soil continue to sow beetroot, lettuce, salad onions and turnips. Sow small quantities and save seed for further sowing.
Garden maintenance: Now is the time to start cleaning up spring-flowering plants which are long since finished blooming. Remove dead foliage from snowdrops.
Q&A: Aphid damage on viburnum
The young leaves on my beautiful viburnum are curled and misshapen. How can I control this? – Cian, Co Kilkenny
This is the result of an aphid attack on your viburnum. If you unfurl the leaves, you will more than likely see black aphids in there. The curling of the leaves is as a result of them feeding on the sap.
They are particularly difficult to treat as they are enclosed by the foliage, however you can try and spray into the damaged foliage with soapy water. This will dislodge them and stop more damage.
It is unlikely the foliage will return to normal, however you could trim off the worst of the damage leaves and make the plant look better.
When I give a lecture on basic garden design to gardening groups, I always start by saying ‘gardening is about control’. It means making a preliminary list of what you require for your garden, this is the basis for your plan.
There is no set design from any source that will suit every gardener, you might look at several garden design books and choose little features that you would like. This simple step might be a little overwhelming at first but you are on your way to creating the garden that suits your needs.
Garden visiting is another approach, and we are blessed with wonderful gardens in Ireland, with gardeners willing to chat and share their knowledge of plants.
The Bord Bia Bloom gardening festival happening from 29 May-2 June, in the historic Phoenix Park, Dublin, is a go-to place for ideas and inspiration. This is the one-stop-shop where you will leave full of excitement and inspiration. Here you will see garden designers creating gardens with ideas to benefit every taste.
The designers begin the process by writing a brief, this is what the garden aims to achieve for an imaginary client with specific requirements. This could be a garden for a family with children and pets or someone who is now retired, and wants a space that is colourful and easily managed or maintained.
Dancer Ella McElwaine pictured at the Early Cancer Detection key garden last year sponsored by Marie Keating Foundation & Astra Zeneca.
Judging panel
Each designer will have a space at Bloom to put their idea on show. The judging panel, of which I am a member, will then judge the garden looking for the features the client expects from the project. Medals of gold, silver gilt, silver and bronze are awarded to the garden that caters for every requirement of the client.
It can be confusing for visitors to understand why a beautiful garden with colourful annuals and perennials is awarded a lesser medal than a leafy green tree enclosed space with ferns and grasses. However, the award is based on what the designer set out to portray in their brief. Judges need to immediately identify the theme of the garden produced, fitting the client’s requirements.
Garden inspo
I always say to people if you need inspiration, look at all the gardens at Bloom. We are all individual and from your visit you will see features in maybe four or five gardens that you would like to introduce in your own space.
Gardeners and garden designers love to talk and will always engage with you and you will take away many ideas and valuable information. Bring a notebook, pencil and don’t forget the camera.
The festival is about plant sales too and some visitors attend specifically for that. I am always amazed to see people returning to their cars with bags and carts full of beautiful plants shortly after opening time, a perfect depiction of the early bird catches the worm. If you are staying for the day, you can use the facilities of the plant creche.
A garden created for Bloom by Maeve O'Neill in recent years.
At Bloom you will also get lots of valuable information and advice from growers which will stand you and your garden in good stead
If, however you don’t get to Bloom it is worth remembering that there are excellent garden centres all over Ireland.
I recommend gardeners become familiar with them and visit on a regular basis to see what is available. They are staffed by knowledgeable people who can show you what is in stock to suit your needs.
I had somebody ask me for advice some years back on how they could make their garden more colourful all year round. In an unfolding conversation, they revealed that they visited their local garden centre every year in the month of May and bought everything that was in flower. The answer to their question laid in the question itself.
My advice was simple, visit you garden centre at least once a month and get to know the staff and what is in stock, you can’t go wrong.
Your garden should contain your thoughts and desires executed in a way that will put you in charge and in control of your green area.
Pests and diseases: Aphids are now becoming plentiful and it is time to control outbreaks. Use diluted soap solutions or source biological control available from garden centres.
Climbers: Continue to tie in growth of climbers. Direct growth to the areas you want covered. Install supports if needed.
Vegetables: In well-prepared soil continue to sow beetroot, lettuce, salad onions and turnips. Sow small quantities and save seed for further sowing.
Garden maintenance: Now is the time to start cleaning up spring-flowering plants which are long since finished blooming. Remove dead foliage from snowdrops.
Q&A: Aphid damage on viburnum
The young leaves on my beautiful viburnum are curled and misshapen. How can I control this? – Cian, Co Kilkenny
This is the result of an aphid attack on your viburnum. If you unfurl the leaves, you will more than likely see black aphids in there. The curling of the leaves is as a result of them feeding on the sap.
They are particularly difficult to treat as they are enclosed by the foliage, however you can try and spray into the damaged foliage with soapy water. This will dislodge them and stop more damage.
It is unlikely the foliage will return to normal, however you could trim off the worst of the damage leaves and make the plant look better.
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