September/October 2008

Autumn has arrived and there’s still plenty to see and do in the garden. Late summer flowering plants play an important role at this time of year and we feature the beauty of the agapanthus: I join forces with John Cushnie to profile this fashionable late-flowering plant. Paul Francis interviews RTÉ celebrity Derek Mooney and discusses the impact of his popular radio show. We’re also running a special photographic competition with the Mooney show: see p. 93. Carmel Duignan visits the Herbarium at the National Botanic Gardens, where she meets up with Dr Matthew Jebb and explores the treasures within. Meanwhile Brendan Sayers visits some impressive allotments.
Éanna Ní Lamhna takes a close look at one of our most popular native animals, the red squirrel. Brian O’Donnell reveals the savoury side of apples and, as usual, shares some of his tried and tested recipes. He also encourages children to grow and tend gardens, visiting a new school garden where work has started and enthusiasm is running high. I profile the prize-winning Cork garden of Rosa O’Connell, which won RTÉ’s recent Super Garden series. Stephen Kelly examines the rising star of collectible garden plants, the ginger lily (Hedychium). Helen Dillon looks at the many moods of purple. In the second of three parts, Tony Hall continues to look at juno irises and Donald Pratt extols the romance of one of Ireland’s favourite gardens, Mount Usher in Ashford, Co. Wicklow. Some of the finest gardens in Ireland can be found in Co. Cork: in this issue Olive Sharkey takes us on a journey to one of Cork’s island paradises, Ilnacullin; while Carmel Duignan pops in to Ballymaloe Cookery School to take a look at Darina Allen’s garden masterpiece.

Good Gardening,

Dermot O'Neill,
Editor.