A Visit to Ardgillan Castle When I started this month’s newsletter it was a crisp weekend with clear blue skies and I had just enjoyed a super afternoon exploring the grounds of Ardgillan Castle. Now we are in the midst of a blustery battle between a polar vortex called ‘The Beast’ and a much more benevolent sounding storm ‘Emma’ which is really quite a bully by meteorological standards as it has forced the country to shut down until it blows over. As I look out at the snow-c

This month, I indulged myself with a visit to the Irish National War Memorial Gardens in Dublin, a horticultural gem tucked away along the banks of the river Liffey, in Islandbridge. I have a soft spot for this garden as I served my time here as a student when I studied at the National Botanic Gardens and now bring my gardening class back each spring to teach them how to prune the roses. Designed by renowned British architect, Edwin Lutyens, the garden was established "to com