Dermot’s Secret Garden is a six part documentary series following gardener Dermot O’Neill as he strives to restore his secret Victorian walled garden and achieve self-sufficiency. This is his dream, his passion or, as some might say, a kind of madness. The first series of Dermot’s Secret Garden followed Dermot’s attempts to restore his secret walled garden ‘Clondeglass’, while he battled with a vicious stomach cancer. This second series finds Dermot fully recovered and ready to start restoring his Victorian walled garden with renewed invigoration and determination to bring it fully back to its former glory.
This captivating new series will follow Dermot’s own personal progress – all the setbacks, tensions, diversions, tiny triumphs and high drama that go with it. Dermot will introduce us to his holistic gardener friend – Fiann Ó Nualláin – who will work on this documentary series with him. It’s time to return to the seeds and shoots of true horticulture.
Between them, they are responsible for the day-to-day running of Clondeglass, including vegetable, fruit and herb production. Dermot and Fiann will establish practical, perennial veg beds and a Potager (French style ornamental kitchen garden) from scratch and we’ll follow his progress as the documentary series progresses. They will also be tackling the tricky task of establishing a wild flower meadow on Dermot’s 1/2 acre site outside the walls of Clondeglass. Wildflowers are crucial in clothing our landscapes and maintaining biodiversity by encouraging bees and other wildlife – they are a link to our past. Dermot will reintroduce bees to Clondeglass and we will witness first hand how they thrive in this beautiful environment and relish their key role in pollinating his flowers and vegetables. Just like in Victorian times.
Dermot’s Secret Garden will be an emotional journey for Dermot O’Neill as he strives to fulfill his dream of restoring his Victorian Walled Garden to its full potential and former glory. He is ready to start working on his garden again with renewed health, invigoration and determination. This insightful documentary series will also be a journey of discovery for viewers as Dermot explores Ireland’s rich horticultural heritage, exotic and indigenous plants, flowers and vegetables, our finest walled gardens and our native wildlife. Directed by IFTA award winning directors Sarah Share and Stephen Rooke, our cameras follow Dermot on his journey and what unfolds is an authoritative, comprehensive creative series.
Source: RTE1 – Wildflower Meadows on Dermot’s Secret Garden -Thursday 7pm RTE1
