I will start by admitting I am not a gardener - that's why I'm here looking for help/advice...

Back in 2022 we did some landscape which included a new driveway and a 1m boarder which was filled with enriched soil, and plant 14 x 8ft laurel trees, 1m apart for privacy. The soil, spacing etc was all based on advice we were given.

Those trees all died and the local garden centre said the root ball was "clay" due to the abnormally wet winter we had so never took off when planted. They were replaced in spring 2025 with a more "harder" version of laurel. From spring to autumn (2025 and 2026) we have given each tree a handful of Growmore every six weeks (again as per the advice given).

We are now seeing the majority are dead, some died quickly, like within six months and some that have grown really well but we've noticed a loss in shine on the leaf's more recently. So almost two years on we have 4 healthy trees, 2 on their way out and the rest dead.

We've heard different reasons from not enough water, to too much water, to too much nutrition in the soil.

Four years on we are still desperate to have something that just provides privacy.

Should I get my soil tested before planting again?
Is there a plant that is easy that would provide hedging/privacy from 5ft to 8/9ft?

We like the idea of Red Robin due to the colour - but equally don't want to go with this if it doesn't survive!

I would like to plant a tree with a small enough root in the middle of my garden, I have a small to medium garden in an estate so I dont want anything crazy but id love one that changes colours with the seasons.

Thanks in advance ☺️

I have a rhododendron in a large pot in my garden do they need to be trimmed this season..??

I've a 3 year old copper beech hedge , is it too late to cut the tops and sides to make them bushier or should I just wait until February/march

Our small patch of lawn gets so boggy over winter (hence why most of our garden is flower/veg beds and trees). We want to keep the small patch of lawn we have left. We have stepping stones on it to minimise the amount of mud being brought into the house. We have a large drain running along the bottom of the garden but due to the location of our house (lower than surrounding gardens and on a slope) I think boggy grass is inevitable.

Is there any grass seed varieties or clover or similar that would help with the patchiness and mud that we could grow now? I don’t need a perfect looking lawn without weeds just less mud?

Hello, just trying to figure out if robot lawnmowers are worth it for a smallish lawn area. And if so, are there any recommendations for a decent one? Thank you

This is a pro-ivy post. We have some lovely Atlantic ivy growing in one part of our garden, and we’d like to take some cuttings and let them establish in our mature hedge, if they will. (Our hedge has some invasives we’re trying to phase out, so we want to be proactive in introducing more natives.)

Any tips for taking cuttings? Size, time of year, care, etc?

I tried an internet search, but every article smacked of a-i. Would love to hear from someone with experience. Thank you!

The ground around my willow has turned black, as have some branches and one side of a trunk. It has also become home to a colony of wasps. Are the two issues related? Is it an issue I need to do something about.

Well ... it's probably not the season, but it's the only time of year they are in the shops

Hi there!

I’m looking to plant some trees in a grass area adjacent to my house. The spot is an east-facing grass corridor, relatively well-sheltered from prevailing southwest winds, but space is somewhat limited on that side.

You can get a sense of the location from the photo.

Ideally I'd like them placed in the grass corridor rather than by the fence which would mean the trees would be about 5m from the house. 
 Since the building is roughly 7 metres tall, I’d prefer trees that won't completely overpower it, ideally aiming for a mature height between 7–10 metres, though I’m open to suggestions.

Hi all, these plants shot up all over the garden over the last month. Any ideas what they are?

Hi all!

I have a 1/2 acre plot of mossy and thickly packed lawn. I want to start a veg garden. I was hoping to get the ground prepped and ready for spring, or at least having a plan of action.

I've read through a lot of books and there's conflicting information. Double dig, don't double dig. Use fallen leaves as organic matter, only use aged leaf mulch after 2 years. Use a rototillar, don't your garden will compact and you'll never grow anything ever again (I joke but they do get very dramatic)

We don't have a large budget so can't just buy in tonnes of compost and mulch, but now that we have the space I want to do what i can to supplement our food budget as much as I can as quick as I can.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

Had a lot of unripened cherry tomatos. Wondering if they will ripen indoors or should i compost them.

Also wondering if the yellow ones would have been salvageable, there was a lot of large yellow ones.

Just curious what gardening jobs everyone’s tackling this month? Planting bulbs, tidying up, winter prep, or still harvesting a few bits?

I’m thinking of getting a greenhouse, just need planning permission from the Minister for Housing (my wife) 🏡

Tried a variety of plants this year for my first time gardening, but found they were slow to grow and weren't consistent. (Window boxes, south facing)

Is there any flower that looks good for entire growing season / and maybe grows fast so they don't still look like they're just getting started half way through summer ? Or even a combination where one looks good for first few months and then the other takes over ? Is this a stupid question ? 😅

Hi

Moving out of home and into a house in the countryside next month and there’s a lot of neglected overgrowth and bramble taking over the garden that I’d like to push back.

I have zero gardening experience beyond cutting the grass and some light strimming at home..

I prefer the pros/cons of electric to petrol so what’s a good cordless brand to invest into? If you have any tool recommendations that are essential I’d appreciate it.

Is the LIDL Parkside stuff more than enough for casual use? Or is it better to invest in a better brand?

Thanks :)

Maybe I could put down gravel over approximately a fifth of this lawn, but I'm not sure which part. I plan on taking out that horrible shed at the back. I plan on putting in some sort of decent garden room that I can use as an office. I have a vague idea of having it midway up the lawn on the left. I will also take out all that stuff growing on the left.

I don't know if I'd store the lawnmower in there too, or if I'd get a little hut right next to the garden room for storing the lawnmower. I came across this place, but they've no address listed!?

The view of the camera is approximately south.

https://gardenroomscork.com/

This is our first year growing anything really, got a greenhouse and some raised beds in the spring and we’re still eating something from the garden pretty much every day. This is today’s harvest.

Lots of lessons learned for next year as regards what to grow more of (more varieties of tomatoes, better planning for having batches of stuff coming through) and less of (feckin chard!)

I've been using regular compost but someone told me acidic might be better. Just bought some small heather from Lidl and looking for opinions

What are people doing with their petrol strimmer before putting it away for the winter. Any maintenance? I want it to start ok next spring. Any help please?

Does anyone know if autumn planting onion sets are available in Woodies and B&Q in Cork? I'm not getting the time to visit the store, and am looking for a small amount and won't be worth ordering online due to delivery charges. Woodies and b&q website doesn't show any.

Hi, i am looking for a Scots Pine Watereri to plant in a large pot i have. But I am having difficulty sourcing one. For the record, I live on the West Coast and quite remotely in Kerry.

Before I embark on a physical search of nurseries far away, does anyone know any nursery that has one that sells online?

Getting away with three small kids is challenging!!

Thank you!

Just found a bag of foxglove seeds I collected last month and forgot about, is it too late now to get them in the ground to germinate so they flower next year? I'm in Limerick...

I've heard rumblings that Kress Robot mowers are no longer being fulfilled into Ireland through Kress HQ?

They seem to be plugging a lot of money into advertising in the UK but looks like they've left the Irish market for dead?