From A-Z: Gifts for the gardening lover in your life

A is for annual membership of one of Ireland’s world class great gardens open to the public. Examples include Blarney Castle in Co Cork (12-month adult pass, €100, blarneycastle.ie); Mount Usher in Co Wicklow (€40, mountushergardens.ie); Killruddery in Co Wicklow; (killruddery.com from €60-€100); and Mount Congreve in Co Waterford (from €70, mountcongreve.com).

B is for botanical art workshops hosted by Irish artist Mary Dillon, whose exquisite watercolour of a parrot tulip features on the cover of the art historian Patricia Butler’s latest book (see last week’s column). To be held in locations in Spain, France, Greece and South Africa throughout 2024, they promise to be a wonderful combination of learning and relaxation. See marydillonbotanicalart.com for details

C is for candles, especially the garden-scented kind. I love the description of Galway-based Cloon Keen’s handmade “Gooseberry Leaf Candle”, where “ripe gooseberry currants are enhanced with crisp citrus oils and a hint of hedgerow fruits” (€45, cloonkeen.com), as well as Dublin-based Clean Slate’s equally delicious, environmentally-friendly offerings, a range that includes signature scents such as Lavender + Eucalyptus, Tomato + Vetiver, Oak + Green Leaves, and (this one I love in particular) Petrichor, described as a “strong, earthy aroma featuring plump green tomatoes, layered with the leathery balsamic base of vetiver in damp soil”. Yum. (cleanslate.ie)

D is for design, something which transforms the way we interact with our gardens and is a topic always at the heart of the Garden & Landscape Designer Association’s (GLDA) annual seminar. Hosted by Stephanie Mahon, the Irish garden writer and editor of Gardens Illustrated, 2024′s event Space to Grow takes