garden design, garden designer, new patio, outdoor kitchen, canopy

Out with the old…. Out with the new: Embracing comfort in outdoor spaces

If there’s one thing that lockdown taught us; it was to embrace the outdoors during those trying times. Sunbathing in the garden, barbecues and an upsurge of greenfingers took centre stage during the summer months. However, we must ask ourselves, how do we streamline these comforts in our garden designs? Comfort is key and elevating our outdoor spaces does not necessarily mean placing emphasis on a large variety of plants (while this is encouraged). Timber canopy covering outdoor kitchen in a garden design project in Dalkey First, we must consider the...

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Outdoor Space in the Sun: Mediterranean Inspired Garden Design

When you are contemplating your garden design, it is important to consider aspects that will have a transformative effect on your day-to-day life. There are many places from which you can get garden design inspiration: other gardens, parks, natural landscapes. However, it is important to make your garden design personal to you and your own life experiences. Perhaps a place to start is your favourite holiday destination – this allows you to make a link between a place where you feel at peace and your back-garden haven. Examining wild plants...

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house extension, garden design, gardens, makeover, home improvements, gardening, home, extension

Garden extension

In the current Irish housing market, many people are adding extensions to their homes rather than moving to add value to their properties, add more space etc.  I'm in that bracket myself with my kids becoming teenagers, suddenly the house seems much smaller than it did a few years ago.  But retired couples may also want to make space for visitors and give themselves the nice large, sitting room that they have always dreamed about. The architects design concepts often involve nice views to the garden with floor to ceiling windows,...

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How to design your garden

  Tim is looking forward to visiting Mullingar, Co. Westmeath on Thursday to deliver a garden design talk in aid of the Carers Association.  Please contact the Bloomfield Hotel if you would like a ticket and hope to see you there! Tim will be running through his approach to creating a good garden design with recent examples of design and built projects, there will be a chance to ask questions as well. ...

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Garden party at Gardenworld, Kilquade this weekend!

[caption id="attachment_3156" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Garden party at Gardenworld, Kilquade[/caption] Delighted to be involved in the charity garden party to be held this weekend at Gardenworld, Kilquade for what promises to be a fun day out for all the family. We are sponsoring my garden "The Riverside Retreat" for the day and Camelia Austen is also doing a flower demo at three o'clock with the flower arrangements being raffled afterwards (all proceeds going to the two charities).  ...

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Give the gift of a garden this Christmas!

I know I have said this before, but I have to remind you that if you are thinking of getting your garden re-designed then now is a great time of year to set the wheels in motion. This is often a garden designer’s down-time: when the weather is poor, it’s time to be at the desk putting together plans for next year’s new gardens.  So take this opportunity to get your designer working for you. They too want to get the plans agreed with you, as early as possible, so that...

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How to decide what sort of garden design you want

Would you like to overhaul your garden but don’t know where to start? Well, if you are at this point, you will have already recognised that redesigning your garden is going to bring you benefits, such as an improved quality of life and perhaps an increase to the value of your property but how do you sort out the mixed tangle of emotions and ideas that you have attached to the project in to a coherent design plan? Luckily, when you employ a professional garden designer this is exactly what they do...

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‘Planting Design’ A Garden Designer’s Perspective 15th September, Powerscourt Garden Pavilion Wicklow

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="442"] Image from powerscourt.ie[/caption] In support of Bord Bia’s ‘Autumn Time is Garden Time’ campaign, I will be giving a complimentary talk at the Powerscourt Garden Pavilion on planting design and what plants to choose for your garden this autumn. Did you know that trees, shrubs, roses, heathers, spring bulbs and most flowering plants are best planted in the autumn? I will be sharing my experience of garden design and offer advice on the type and size of plants to use and how to space them to create a...

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Big Pigging! or how to get maximum benefit from your kitchen waste

I have been composting with my "pig" for a number of years now and whilst it is somewhat more expensive, at initial outlay, than other traditional composters, I do find it is far more effective. Thus your initial investment is recouped over the medium to long term. My pig is a sealed unit, which means that literally all your kitchen waste including raw meat can be added to it without encouraging vermin, so, you save on waste charges and it produces large volumes of compost rapidly (I find in an average...

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Crazy about currants, using fruit and vegetables in the garden.

[caption id="attachment_2182" align="aligncenter" width="553"] Red currants - an easy to grow garden fruit[/caption] I have just harvested my annual crop of red currants from my garden's solitary red currant bush.  This tough, easy-to-grow,  garden shrub does so well each year and satiates my need for breakfast berries - the rest of my family are not big fans so one bush provides us with all we (or I) need for my bowl of muesli in the morning (for  a week or two each summer). I am also excited by the productive side of...

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