summer holidays… this christmas!

...

...

If you ever want a wedding in the summertime, marry Santa… but never a horticulturist! This Christmas our summer holidays start December 29th and we return Wednesday 16th January.

Sounds like a long holiday but this is the first time the team [and I] have had a chance to sit down since this time last year! You can also consider yourself lucky my photos are usually of gardens! Whatever your plans are – enjoy your holidays and I’ll see you in the new year.

Slán, beannachtaí na Nollaig agus na athbhliana agus go raibh míle maith agaibh.

By |December 16th, 2007|All Posts, Smile|1 Comment
Read More

making [it] your business [to be] a little more green

planters

planters

Can you imagine if every shop front made this amount of effort to the front of their business? Wouldn’t Dublin be that little more beautiful. With construction work, traffic and all of the usual razamataz which might not inspire excitement in your day – what an effect it would have!

We did these planters for Itsa4 restaurant a couple of months ago and credit where it is due, it’s not only looks great, but it is really relaxing to sit outside and have some [really good] coffee. They also did itsabagel. Worth a mention? You better believe it! A decision was made to go the extra green mile and as I said … if the girls of ‘itsA…’ can inspire the rest of Dublin to do something similar then yes, very well worth it.
By |December 16th, 2007|All Posts, People, Business|2 Comments
Read More

2007 a good year ?

bloom 2007

bloom 2007

Our year started with preparations for Bloom 2007. The nicer part of the horticultural business built with some superb help, but no sponsor! With a business to keep afloat and 9 full time staff on the payroll – this is where the horticultural business become really exciting – but so very real and also where some of the pictures will show quite large bags under my eyes! Absolute madness but… I loved every second of it.

On the same day we received Silver medal in the large garden category we won another award & entered the top 50 companies to operate through use of the Irish language.

sunken garden

sunken garden

07 also saw the award winning gardens of Brackenstown come to fruition. It is, possibly, rarely said, but I am priveliged to work with such a fine team of likeminded gentlemen [and Sara of course!] all who strive for the highest standards of excellence. I thank you for your patience?!!

With all things in life it can be made easier; Not less work, just less complex. To this an ‘ode’ must be paid to the clients we have worked with this year. From my heart I thank you sincerely for your understanding and also for the absolute pleasure it was to work with you on your designs, gardens and projects.

2007 however could not forget a most memorable trip to South Africa with The Niall Mellon Township. From my 4 year old niece Lilly [who gave me her pocket money] to the finest colleagues & clients; you all made this possible and I thank you once again for your generosity, understanding and thoughtfulness. It is an event I will never forget made even greater by the good friends and many people who also chose to do great things with their time to help others.

A good year? on one hand no business is ever an easy journey I suppose… but for the people I have had the pleasure to shake hands with this year; for those who stood taller by my side [DG/GC/DK] when life threw and odd one my way…one should really say it was a great year.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh. Nollaig Shona duit. Slán agus beannacht.

By |December 14th, 2007|All Posts, Donegan Gardens and Services|0 Comments
Read More

9 useful… gifts for a gardener this christmas

UPDATE:

Most of my articles are questions that are asked and where it has been asked more than once, assuming it can be of benefit to others I put it here. For any garden enthusiast you might know here are my suggestions that ARE 1000% better than socks and a CD.

If you prefer cooked turkey and a kiss under the mistletoe over a good scrap with the mother in law and some frozen sprouts..? Here’s my thinking cap – put it on this year for God’s sake… and your sake and my sake?!!

  1. The maximum & minimum thermometer. The left column tells you the lowest temperature, the right the highest. The benefits for those in horticulture are excellent. We don’t always understand why a plant looks a little down or too early this season a bit perky – this is usually part of the answer.
  2. The chemical store. Not so much to encouarge chemical use but – in every trade there are products that children shouldn’t put up their nose or drink. This also has a sump tray which doesn’t allow chemical spill and a good strong lock. For the gardener it’s usually the top shelf in a coke bottle!! Not a great photo but a super gift for anyone with a knapsack sprayer.
  3. If he still cuts the hedge with the electric trimmers, the extension lead goes through the kitchen window while you freeze your ass off and he can’t hear you shouting…? Just make sure and get a double socket. On the right is a tap! Like the electric cable, through the window soaking the floor and you can bath the kids after in the puddles in the kitchen. Go on splash out…. [hmmm]
  4. Compost bins are great because they are modular. You can buy to suit your budget and/ or simply add on as required to suit your lifestyle. Another article is probably required here but composting in the noughties is a definite must for any garden or garden enthusiast.
  5. For the techie gadget man this is brilliant. A miniature solar panel that allows any contraption with a car adaptor to be recharged…. for free.
  6. A great gardening book is always a great gift. When the elements are against you but you want to be outside, for a little, take your brandy coffee down to the potting shed and reinvigorate your imagination for the season to come.
  7. Trees…. Every garden should have at least one. If chosen correctly they are about as maintenance free as you will ever get. Unlike socks you cant lose one of these, they don’t get holes in them and it should last you a lifetime.
  8. The bird feeder is another easy one, but absolutely brilliant. Don’t forget to buy some seeds to go with… ah yes Grannny look what the kids got you this year something you can actually use.
  9. And finally….. Picking out womenms clothes was never your forté ;) how about a tidy up, makeover or a new addition to the garden. Pull up the kitchen blinds on Christmas morning and be proud for thinking of something that Mary really wanted.

Beannachtaí na Nollaig agus na hAthbhliana

peter

By |December 11th, 2007|All Posts, Garden Advice|1 Comment
Read More

hedges – formal or informal

formal

formal

 If cutting nee maintaining fine lines of pristine planting isn’t for you then a formal hedge is not what you want. If however you like trimming or cutting from time to time and don’t mind ‘organised chaos’ then maybe you do! But a hedge as we [becoming elder] Irish know it, is something that requires looking after one sunny Saturday per year or so.

For the record and for clarity in this discussion please note the dictionary reference and definition: hedge n 1 a row of shrubs or bushes forming a boundary [source Collins English Dictionary]

informal...

informal...

If you do follow the dictionary (that I am so fond of reading) translation, then the logroll etched license interpretation that we inherited from the 1980′s becomes something delightfully and excitingly different. The science is that the internodal distance [distance between each set of buds] doesn’t really allow the plant to become ‘formal’ and so informality reigns though anti-symetric uneveness.

In theory if the correct horticultural decisions are made pre-planting then those hedge cutting fathers days can be spent on the golf course or playing croquet rather than bringing green waste to landfill. To clarify, all plants require some maintenance – just not as much, as often or as costly of your time or someone elses. In this day and age they can be bought in as established or mature plants. The two informal hedges above are one year old – to its new owners.

By |December 3rd, 2007|All Posts, Garden Advice|0 Comments
Read More