“I choose plants carefully to have a range of colour”
Painter T.J. Maher’s Wicklow garden, Patthana, evolved over 20 years to become a haven for wildlife and visitors alike. Covering just a third of an acre, its colourful, successional and layered planting allows for the best use of space, creating a vibrant, multi-faceted wildlife-friendly garden.
How he got started
“Growing up in rural Tipperary, I was surrounded by plants and animals and have had a love of both ever since.” Concerned by the plight of nature, he began experimenting with how to have a beautiful garden that is also a home for nature and now teaches classes to share what he has learned.
What I love most
“I love hellebores at this time of year. They start flowering just after Christmas and continue into May. After the flowers, cut them back and you get lovely tropicallooking leaves. You’ve months of interest from the same plant.”
How he gardens
“I choose plants very carefully to have a succession of colour, and to provide change and interest throughout the year. Tulips and alliums in the spring are replaced by summer bulbs and summer herbaceous plants. Gardeners have a huge responsibility towards nature so chemicals are a no-no.”
I couldn’t be without...
“I love my little pond. It was one of the first things I put in. If I had a bigger garden, I’d have a much bigger pond. It’s amazing, in that tiny space, the different creatures that depend on it at various stages of their lives. If I was starting the garden again from scratch, I’d still put in the pond first.”
What to do now…
“Seed sowing is a big thing at the moment for me and I’m doing it now on Saturdays with my classes. We’re sowing things for the summer border, such as cosmos and all the different dahlias from seed.”
Patthana Garden is open every Sunday in May until the first Sunday in October from 12 noon to 5pm