Green Heroes: biodiversity and container gardening
Andrea Smith meets some of the people who will be on show at Bloom this year talking biodiversity, pollinators and…gin!
BEE POSITIVE
Saving the bees is hugely important, as we need pollinators to grow many of the fruit and vegetables that make up a balanced diet, as well as the plants used for medical purposes. Bloom will this year feature the Fingal Bee Positive show garden, sponsored by Fingal County Council and Technological University Dublin, demonstrating the importance of bees through creating a garden that is of interest to children.
Most pollination in Ireland is carried out by bees, helped by other insects like hoverflies, butterflies and moths. Bees feed their young exclusively on pollen, so are entirely focused on collecting it from flowers to bring back to their nests. In Ireland, we have 98 different types of bees, but unfortunately, one third are currently threatened with extinction.
According to landscape architect and horticultural consultant, Jane McCorkell, it’s vital that we learn the importance of the roles that insects play to have a greater appreciation of why we have to nurture and promote their existence. “Simply put, 90 per cent of all plants require pollinator insects to exist,” says Jane. “The landscape that we move through every day will alter drastically as species become extinct.”
Jane says that to help the bees, we should relax our maintenance regimes and allow areas to become wild. She recommends increasing spring flowering and embracing the good old dandelion, and says that people should stop over-weeding the garden and spraying it with chemicals.
“Put plants down and the bees will come,” she says. “For me, the best plants have been the fritillaries, daffodils, nepetas, echeas and foxgloves. Most people are impulse buyers so variation will be gained by continuous planting through the year. And then stop and listen, as the hum of bees never ceases to amaze me in the garden.”
The National Biodiversity Data Centre has a great website that explains the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, and it has a guide to how you can make your garden pollinator-friendly. It says that gardens need to provide bees with food in the form of flowers, shelter for nesting and safety from chemicals. Among its recommendations are pollinator-friendly window boxes, hanging baskets and potted herbs, as well as dandelions and clover blooming in patches of grass. Shelter is important too, so areas of long grass should be provided for bumblebee nesting.
You can read all of its recommendations on www.pollinators.ie/gardens
Every year Bloom showcases the freshest ideas and innovation in Irish horticulture and 2019 is no exception
GREEN FINGERS
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing the world right now and we can all help to make a difference. Two of the Bloom designers have shared some of their advice with us around sustainable gardening, including Oliver Schurmann from Mount Venus Nursery, who has designed the Bord Iascaigh Mhara Aqua Marine garden with his wife Liat.
“It’s important to understand that the garden is an ecosystem in itself, so you have to understand all of the different components,” he says. “You need moisture and a diversity of plants, and to allow for endemic plants, or weeds, to grow. Weeds have a particular function, so the nettle is the host for butterflies like the red admiral, for example.”
Oliver says that we need to let go of always wanting to have things under control in the garden, and to enjoy watching wildlife flourish. Using chemicals in the garden disturbs the ecosystem, because if it kills weeds, it’s lodging in the soil, and we have no idea what reaction it’s causing there. “If there are weeds growing up between your patio stones, it takes five minutes to hoe them away rather than spraying them,” he says. “People don’t like to have slugs in the garden, but they play an important role in decomposing dead vegetation and rejuvenating them.”
According to James Purdy, designer of Healthy Ireland and Bord Bia’s ‘The Healthy Way’ garden, we can help by reducing and reusing plastic, and sourcing locally-grown plants. “Encourage wildlife into your garden by planting trees and hedges, as they are the network for bird and mammal movement and a vital source of clean air,” he says. “Look into creating mixed plant borders to extend the flowering season, support pollinators and provide a good source for them, such as berries and nuts.”
James recommends teaching children how to garden, as they will become the next generation of gardeners, designers and decision-makers. “Grow your own produce to understand better how to produce and put a value on edible plants,” he says. “Currently we throw out vast quantities of uneaten food covered in plastic. I look to find the balance in my own garden, so no pesticides and no bare soil is essential. With diverse planting design, your garden will find its own natural sustainable balance, which will go a small way to making a change.”
HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN GIN GARDEN
Container gardening has become a real trend for urban dwellers, and this year, one show garden at Bloom will celebrate one of Ireland’s latest distilleries – The Blackwater Gin Garden. Many people find the idea of growing their own gin garden in a container at home to be attractive, but don’t know how to go about it. It is relatively easy to grow fragrant and flavoursome gin botanicals, once you have the conditions right.
Super Garden judge and Bloom Show Manager Gary Graham is the ambassador for GroMór 2019 (www.GroMór.ie). This is a nationwide campaign aimed at encouraging people to visit their local garden centres and nurseries to buy Irish plants and get growing.
Gary has some great advice around container gardening.
He says that plants grown in pots and containers get all of their water and nutrition from the compost, so using the right one is essential to get healthy blooming plants.
Gary also recommends using compost and soil in a ratio of one-third soil to two-thirds compost, mixed well together, and adding some slow-release fertiliser pellets to the mixture. That way, all you’ll need to do is water the plant for the rest of the season.
“Water your plants regularly,” he advises, “as it’s better to give them a good deep soak less often than frequent small applications. Use an all-purpose plant food for flowering plants a couple of times during the season to keep the growth going.”
When it comes to growing a gin garden, what you include comes down to your personal taste. The juniper plant is very hardy and great for beginners as there’s not much TLC required. Angelica, coriander and liquorice work well, as do cucumber, mint, myrtle and lemon thyme.
“If you want to grow your own botanical garden for gin, plant easy-to-grow and versatile plants like mint and strawberries,” advises Peter Mulryan, CEO of Blackwater Distillery. “They go with almost everything.”
To make infused gin at home, place your chosen ingredients in an airtight bottle. Cover with an inexpensive gin, seal and leave to steep for anything from a few hours to a couple of weeks, depending on the botanicals you’ve used. “When the taste is what you desire - and let’s face it, you’ll have a lot of fun experimenting with flavours and strengths – strain the mixture through fine cheesecloth and seal the gin in a sterilised bottle.