It has been a long time since I spent an afternoon at the Botanic Gardens in Dublin but this weekend I got to spend a sun filled afternoon exploring the greenhouses and gardens there. The Botanic Gardens have always been a brilliant place for inspiration and are a great free facility to have in the city that should be utilised more.
It is very easy to loose hours simply walking around the grounds and discovering new plants around each and every corner. Throughout the year each time you visit the gardens takes on a new life and a different aspect of them will be the highlight of that visit. During winter the greenhouses are a treasure trove of floral delights, and while they still are, during the summer the grounds erupt in to life and continue to evolve and change each week.
On this visit peonies were one of the star plants and reminded me of how much I need to add more to my own garden. They are a great flower and this trip reminded me of how many different varieties there are out there. While in my garden at the moment I do have some they are very short lives and the slightest bit of wind and they are destroyed. At the Botanic Gardens I came across some which are a bit sturdier and also ones which grow much taller than the ones I have. The taller varieties, while they do need support, offer greater impact in a flowerbed.
For those who have never been to the Botanic Gardens before check out my quick tour of it on Youtube. In the coming days I will be having a look at the walled garden there. Make sure to check back for some great vegetable growing inspiration.
My Name is David Corscadden and I have just finished my degree in horticulture from UCD. I have a keen interest in wildlife friendly gardens or as I like to call them “Wild Gardens”. I have in the last year taken a u-turn in what I thought I would do after college. I have moved more in to the literature side of horticulture and plan to do a masters in journalism next year.
Source: Beyond The Wild Garden – A Visit To The Botanic Gardens
