Last day in Dublin: Book of Kells, Guinness and literary pubs
Our last days in Dublin were spent making a few important visits - one to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College, another to tour the Guinness factory and a few key sights...
From Waterford to the glorious garden of Mount Usher
Waterford, which is said to be Ireland’s oldest town, dating back to the time when it was a Viking settlement, was a delight.
We toured the famous crystal factory and saw some amazing crystal pieces....
A plantman’s paradise and Ireland’s jewel garden
On our way to Waterford, we stopped at one of the cutting-edge new plant gardens in Ireland, Hunting Brook, owned by Jimi Blake, one of horticulture’s new generation of plant cognoscenti.
Jimi met us at...
Departing Dublin: Gardens of Killruddery and Powerscourt
On our last day in Dublin before we head into southern Ireland, we went out to see the gardens at Killruddery and Powerscourt. We will be returning to Dublin before we head off to...
Into two beautiful, old, magical Dublin gardens
Great gardens are not just beautiful but have other special qualities, such as the ability to relax and heal and rejuvenate. Others have the ability to transport you to another place and time and...
Tale of two beautiful Dublin gardens
We came to Ireland to see gardens and to experience Irish hospitality and culture.
And today we did all of these things when we visited two of Dublin’s loveliest private gardens, one owned by...
Goodbye Wales, hello Ireland
From Portmeirion, we travelled across the Llyn peninsula to Caernarfon to see the castle and wander the town.
But first, we popped into what is one of the meccas for lovers of rare and unusual...
Into fantastic Powis Castle garden
Today, we travelled from Portmeirion to the town of Welshpool on the Wales-England border to visit the famous garden of the 13th century, Powis Castle.
Powis is not a castle like others we have seen...
From Llandudno to Portmeirion
After visiting Bodnant Garden, we travelled to the seaside town of Llandudno and checked in to one of the stately, old-world Victorian-style hotel on the promenade. I had been here with my father when...
Into Bodnant Garden
Bodnant Garden in Tal-y-Cafn, near Colwyn Bay, Conwy, is one of Wales's most famous gardens and one of the most well-known world-wide for the number of excellent plants that have been bred there and...
Into Levens and the Lakes
Before leaving Manchester for the Lake District, we stopped to see the superb art of 20th century painter L.S. Lowry at the Lowry Museum at Salford Quays.
This spectacular complex, opened in 2000 by the...
Passionate about peonies
There’s a reason bride’s love to have peonies in their bouquets and at wedding celebrations.
Next to roses, peonies are one of the most romantic flowers, unashamedly soft and delicate and extraordinarily pretty.
Pink and white peonies with...
Time to see great gardens in England, Wales and Ireland
Today I am heading to the UK to lead two garden tours in England, Wales and Ireland, starting in Manchester, then to the Lake District and North Wales, then over to Dublin and southern Ireland and...
Hot new perennials for my sunny border
First thing this morning, I found room for a bunch of new perennials in a sunny spot already home to some ornamental grasses and weigela and burgundy and lime green ninebark.
I put in six Coreopsis...
BC garden centres still hoping for big sales
It's been a crippling spring for garden centres in Metro Vancouver. Rain, rain and more rain has kept gardeners indoors.
And exceptionally cold weather has put flowering times behind, some say by as much as...
Fun first week of retirement
Moving tender plants
Moving such tender plants as pelargoniums, aeonium, fuchsia and cold-sensitive sedums out of their protected winter quarters into the garden for summer.
Birthday bounty
This lovely wateringcan from Ikea was my grandson Jake's gift to...
Quirky garden ideas outside the box
Just to get those creative juices flowing as you step into the garden this spring and think, hey, what can I do that is new and fun and different.
Here are a few silly, serious,...
Clematis: Queen of vines
Will Barron
Walter Pennel
Serenata
Ville de Lyon
Sea Breeze
Prince Philip
Ernest Markham
Pamiat Serdsta
Candida
Bees Jubilee
Your guide to clematis
Every garden should have a few clematis. I have at least five kinds in different parts of the garden.
I used to have...
Goodbye The Vancouver Sun
April 21 was my last day at The Vancouver Sun, after 38 years, 26 spent writing gardening stories. My last column was in the paper April 22.
Today I'm thinking back over the 26 years...
Hurrah for Garden Starters
I just received by shipment of "plug plants" packages from Garden Starters, the mail-out service provided by DeVry's Greenhouses, of Chilliwack.
This is a new service that allows you to select annuals, herbs and vegetables...
