Eighteen acclaimed gardeners and garden experts to present at Carlow Garden Festival 2023

Expert advice, workshops, gardening displays and food fest events combine to make Carlow Garden Festival one of Ireland’s finest annual garden festivals.

The gardening paradise of County Carlow, best described as one county, one garden, will open its garden and castle gates to gardening enthusiasts for the Carlow Garden Festival of July. This annual festival, organised by demand to open the festival on Saturday, 29 July. Acknowledged as the highlight of the 2022 festival, this ever-popular duo will present design concepts for an outdoor space, using two previous garden designs they have worked upon as their example. They will provide lots posted on www.carlowgardentrail.com, of particular note is the visit of BBC Gardeners' World presenter Nick Bailey. His presentation in Duckett's Grove Walled Gardens and Pleasure Grounds on Sunday, 30 July is entitled "365 Days of Colour in Your Garden - Plants, Tips mountains of Ladakh, where he and his group studied a high-altitude desert flora. Ladakh has some of the greatest glaciers in Asia and these glaciers water the deserts on the mountain slopes and valleys below, giving rise to a rich flora. Seamus will explain how climate change is threatening this rare eco-system. Altamont Gardens features on the festival programme on the same day with a talk by ecologist Mark Desmond on the rich biodiversity of the gardens.

Shankill Castle and Gardens in Paulstown will play host to a trio of events on Wednesday, 2 August, including a talk by Kitty Scully on essential kitchen garden plants that thrive in the Irish climate; an in-depth foraging walk through the grounds and organic farm of Shankill Castle with Mary and Robert White of Blackstairs Ecotrails; and a three-course feast supper, celebrating foraged, seasonal and local ingredients cooked by Seamus Jordan of Plúr Bakery, to end the day with a relaxed evening of great food and garden chat.

Soil health will be at the forefront of Colm O’ Driscoll’s talk in Burtown House and Gardens on the same day when he will delve into the area of regenerative organic vegetable production, focusing in on the most environmentally sustainable approach to growing vegetables.

Robin Lane Fox of The Guardian delivers an interesting talk on Beauty and Biodiversity in the stunning surrounds of Borris House, arguing the case for an approach which is best served by the traditional craft of gardening rather than declaring war on every chemical and hybrid plant. Later that day Shirley Lanigan delves into herb gardening exploring their long and colourful history at Kilgraney House and Herb Gardens, a beautiful location in which to learn more about their use.

A panellist on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ year-round garden colour, climate change, biodiversity and foraging. It takes place at one of the loveliest times of the year with the main gardening work in gardeners’ own garden havens completed, giving them the opportunity to down tools and travel to our beautiful county. The festival brings together, in one location, an unrivalled variety of Irish and UK gardening and environmental experts to share knowledge and information about a host of topics from traditional gardening techniques and design to all the changes that makes gardening such a fun and enjoyable activity”.

Question Time since 2009, and a wellrespected garden designer, writer, broadcaster and lecturer, Matthew Wilson, will give a talk at Altamont Plant Sales on Friday, 4 August on how plants can be used to maximum effect whatever the shape or size of the garden. Using examples of gardens he has designed over the last 20 years, this talk considers the use of plants in relation to materials, place and vernacular, the architecture of plants and the importance of the garden in the wider environment. Gardener, presenter and writer, Alys Fowler, who will be familiar to gardeners for her series, The Edible Garden on BBC will also present at this venue on the Friday, sharing tips on how to redesign a garden sustainably through recycling and reusing.

A final day treat is in store when Fergus Garrett, chosen by Gardens Illustrated as one of the 30 most influential living garden designers and horticultural educators in Britain, visits Huntington Castle and Gardens to talk about the history of Great Dixter, the 15th century manor house and its restoration by the famous arts and crafts architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens. Focusing on border design, planting style, meadow gardening and the importance of a biodiverse garden, he will also discuss the way forward for a sensitive historic garden and estate such as Great Dixter. Marie Staunton, one of Ireland’s top fashion models in the 1980s, developed a huge interest in gardening eventually studying horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens. In a guided tour of Delta Sensory Gardens on Saturday August 5 she explores how gardeners can mix texture and colour to create wonderful and exciting combinations.

“The Carlow Garden Festival caters for everyone from the novice gardener to the garden connoisseur and with special accommodation packages available for the festival, it provides the perfect opportunity to travel around the county to see the many spectacular gardens on the Carlow Garden Trail. Visitors can also partake in the two food fest evening events in Arboretum Home and Garden Heaven and Shankill Castle and savour treats in delightful cafes and tearooms in the many garden locations throughout the county alongside a stunning afternoon tea in Hardymount Gardens.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.carlowgardentrail.com

For a copy of the event brochure call 059-9130411 or download from www.carlowgardentrail.com