The Botanical Blog

Ideas, inspiration & advice from us & our garden to you & yours!
Get gardening tips, ‘How-To’ guides & our favourite recipes taking you from sowing & growing to feasting on the best fresh botanical flavours.

Sea Plastics Project

Sea Plastics Project

This Summer we're setting our guests & visitors a challenge! Spend 10 minutes (or more) doing a beach clean along the Wild Atlantic Way & get 10% off your accommodation or experience with us!* We're passionate about breathing new life in our local landscapes....

Recipe: Our Ultimate Floral Syrup

Recipe: Our Ultimate Floral Syrup

What a year for Hawthorn blossom!! The hedgerows looked like clouds of candy floss for a while there. As we move through the seasons with different botanicals coming into bloom wanted to share our ultimate floral syrup recipe for capturing these seasonal flavours for...

HOW TO: Grow Your Own Tea

HOW TO: Grow Your Own Tea

We all love a cup of tea in Ireland, actually we are the biggest drinkers of it in all of Europe would you believe, but what if our tea imports were disrupted by another pandemic or climate change were to cause a collapse in harvests in current tea growing regions....

More to Roses than Valentines!

More to Roses than Valentines!

Plant a climbing or rambling rose for low maintenance Summer-long scent, colour, nesting & food for birds & plenty for pollinators too! This month Adam shares his top three roses that tick all the boxes.. I have to say I have never understood the allure of a...

HOW TO: Grow your own Oyster Mushrooms

HOW TO: Grow your own Oyster Mushrooms

Given up on growing any crops at this time of year!? Well, Winter days can be a great excuse to try out some more quirky edibles. A few weeks ago a box of mushroom spawn landed on our doorstep & a fortnight later we were harvesting our first crop! It's been such a...

RECIPE: Nasturtium Potato Cakes with Poached Eggs

RECIPE: Nasturtium Potato Cakes with Poached Eggs

A new addition to our menu for 2022 & a firm favourite with guests who love deeply moreish savoury flavours! Here's what it includes... Nasturtium & Smoked Gubbeen Potato Cakes, topped with caramelised Summer greens, poached eggs & nasturtium capers. Feel...

OFFER: Ultimate Escape for Garden Lovers

OFFER: Ultimate Escape for Garden Lovers

Enjoy our Ultimate Escape for Garden Lovers this Summer! Book a group stay for 6 people in The Botanical B&B & get an exclusive Private Garden Tour of The Garden of Re-Imagination, worth €270 included! To redeem:- Book a stay in The Botanical B&B over on...

OFFER: Sow your own edible paradise!

OFFER: Sow your own edible paradise!

Book a Private Garden Tour of The Garden of Re-Imagination for your group of friends or family & get a gift bag of seeds from the gardens. Your gift bag will include a selection of edible flower & veg seeds to sow your own edible paradise! To redeem:- Click...

RECIPE: #NoMowMay Salsa Verde

RECIPE: #NoMowMay Salsa Verde

This Salsa Verde recipe, was crafted specially for us for #NoMowMay by Chef Amandine Faligant. It celebrates the fresh flavours of common wild greens found in lawns & meadows when given the chance to grow.    WHAT YOU’LL NEED.. Makes a 250g jar...

HOW TO: Foraging in your lawn

HOW TO: Foraging in your lawn

Taking part in #NoMowMay !? You'll soon notice all sorts of plants starting to pop up in your developing meadow! Many will go on to flower providing an invaluable source of pollen, nectar & habitat for invertebrates as well as seeds for birds. However, did you...

Recipe: Cherry Blossom Cordial

Recipe: Cherry Blossom Cordial

Just as we reached peak Cherry Blossom in The Garden of Re-Imagination, our beautiful old Cherry Tree pitched over & into the pond! We hope your Cherry Tree (if you have one) doesn't suffer the same fate, but with the blossom so fleeting it's wonderful to capture...

RECIPE: St.Patrick’s Day Souffle

RECIPE: St.Patrick’s Day Souffle

Our St.Patrick's Day Souffle - featuring a layer of wild seasonal greens followed by a creamy heart of goats cheese & roasted cashew nuts & finally topped with a fluffy golden hat - this edible Tricolour makes the perfect dish to enjoy on the 17th March! WHAT...

RECIPE: Wild Garlic Pesto

RECIPE: Wild Garlic Pesto

It's been so mild of late that wild garlic is ripe for picking with lush clumps of these gorgeous wild edible greens already reaching the tops of our wellies! Use whichever form of Wild Garlic you have in your garden or hedgerows locally now - either Ramsons (Allium...

HOW TO: Maintaining Living Willow Structures

HOW TO: Maintaining Living Willow Structures

We have lots of different living willow structures around The Garden of Re-Imagination from fedges (fence hedges!) to an onion shaped arbour & harlequin willow trees! My favourite thing about them is that they don't rot in our damp climate! Unlike other cut timber...

RECIPE: Boozy Berry Slither

RECIPE: Boozy Berry Slither

Drunk all your sloe gin, wild strawberry brandy or blackberry vodka over the Christmas period!?  You'll likely be left with a bottle of boozy berries.  Instead of sending them straight to the compost bin, save the berries to make a Slither!  Read...

Walking West Cork & Kerry

Walking West Cork & Kerry

We thought we'd share three of our favourite walks around West Cork & Kerry. These are the walks we keep coming back to, the ones we head out & do on a Sunday or after work on a weekday. All right on our doorstep or just a short drive away. Gleninchaquin Park...

RECIPE: Japanese Quince Jelly

RECIPE: Japanese Quince Jelly

Many people don't realise how many edible plants are hiding in their gardens - Japanese Quince (Chaenomeles japonica) being one! Often picked out at gardens centres & planted for their stunning Spring blooms, Japanese Quince produces small green/yellow apple-like...

Winter Berries

Winter Berries

With the last of the Autumn leaves falling, Winter berries not only bring bursts of colour to your garden but can provide an essential food source for wildlife & some even a crop of amazing flavours for you to enjoy too! Here we share a few of our favourite Winter...

RECIPE: No Lemon, Lemon Juice!

RECIPE: No Lemon, Lemon Juice!

We love using lemon juice in cooking & baking, the sharp acidic taste, gives everything from pesto, hommous, nachos, soups, curries & cake an amazing fresh flavour hit. We're less keen about the distance lemons have to travel to get to us & even lovingly...

Autumn Ideas for your Garden

Autumn Ideas for your Garden

Some Autumn ideas for your garden gathered from our recent travels around the UK visiting friends, family & green spaces of all shapes & sizes! 1. Seed Head & Stem Displays  We love Autumn not just for the fiery golden colours this season brings but also...

RECIPE: Boozy Wild Berry Liquor

RECIPE: Boozy Wild Berry Liquor

Here's our recipe for making your own boozy wild berry liquor.  This liquor can be enjoyed on its own or in the most amazing warming Winter brews & bakes. If you've collected lots of berries, then make a big batch & bottle as homemade Christmas prezzies....

RECIPE: Our Kitchen Garden Breakfast

RECIPE: Our Kitchen Garden Breakfast

Our Kitchen Garden Breakfast is by far the most popular morning feast with our guests..  The breakfast is outstanding!!Katrina - Guest, The Botanical Bell Tent, August 2021 ..everyone mentions the breakfast and it was the best one we had on this trip. It's so...

5 Autumn Gardening Tips

5 Autumn Gardening Tips

Here are 5 key Autumn Gardening tips that will bring delicious rewards for you, the health of your garden & vitally give back to & help sustain local wildlife now & into the future. 1. Cut your wildflower meadow. Using a strimmer or scythe, leave for a...

Botanical Craft Projects

Botanical Craft Projects

Incase you missed it, watch our recent virtual workshop for Limerick Garden Festival. We share two beautiful botanical craft projects for you to try at home themed around 'Bringing The Outdoors In', enjoy! Click the button below to head over to the Limerick garden...

SEPTEMBER PACKAGE DEAL

SEPTEMBER PACKAGE DEAL

As we round the corner to our final month of escapes, we'd like to share an extra special treat with you - our September Package Deal! Get an Afternoon Tour & Tea experience, worth €120 for your group of 4-6 family or friends when you book a stay in The Botanical...

NEW Edible Adventures

NEW Edible Adventures

We're thrilled to announce that we've launched two new edible adventures for you this August & September inside our showcase edible paradise - The Garden of Re-Imagination. Introducing our Breakfast Tour & Afternoon Tour & Tea, both now available from this...

Earth Day – Be the Change in Your Garden

Earth Day – Be the Change in Your Garden

To mark Earth Day this year, we're sharing 5 ways you can take action to be the change in your garden & help ensure your green space nourishes the planet rather than degrade or damage it. 1.  Commit to ditching peat.  Peatlands are...

We’re in the Indo Fab 50!

We’re in the Indo Fab 50!

Absolutely delighted to receive the news that we've joined the Indo Fab 50, The Irish Independent's list of the best 50 places to stay in Ireland in 2021! Whether you're two people looking for a private escape away or a group of family & friends wanting a...

HOW TO VIDEO: Amazing Alliums

In this video, Adam celebrates some amazing Alliums from garden veg classics such as Onions & Chives to lesser know but even more delicious wild perennials such Babbington Leek & Three Cornered Leek. https://youtu.be/VpbVnh1SSsw If you'd like to discover more...

March Gardening Tips

March Gardening Tips

We celebrate National Tree Week here in Ireland at the end of March each year. It's one of my favourite events, filling me with such hope seeing trees being honoured in this way & indeed planted en-masse or protected!  If you'd like you plant a...

HOW TO VIDEO: Sow & Grow Calendula & Sweet Pea

HOW TO VIDEO: Sow & Grow Calendula & Sweet Pea

There's nothing more satisfying than sowing seeds of hope for the months ahead! In this video, from our Creativity & Calm in the Garden series with The Wellbeing Network, Kloe shows you how to sow & grow two of our favoruites - Calendula & Sweet Pea. By...

HOW TO VIDEO:  Springtime Wild Teas

HOW TO VIDEO: Springtime Wild Teas

In this video, from our Creativity & Calm in the Garden series with The Wellbeing Network, Kloe shows you how to forage for & make your own Springtime Wild Teas using the first flush of the seasons new growth. There's really nothing better than a warming brew...

Award Winning Accommodation

Award Winning Accommodation

We are delighted to have been awarded with two Traveller Review Awards from Booking.com.  These awards celebrate accommodation providers that have been given exceptional review scores by guests.  The Botanical B&B was awarded an average score of 9.5/10 & The...

Our Ultimate Garden Design Package!

Our Ultimate Garden Design Package!

In this post we wanted to share an exciting update on how we're using Shoot Gardening to craft our ultimate Garden Design Package, giving you all the information, inspiration & confidence to not only get stuck in & make your dream garden a reality but connect...

SEASONAL RECIPE: Wild Garlic Flatbread

SEASONAL RECIPE: Wild Garlic Flatbread

Despite February's icy winds, snow & driving rain, the first brave three cornered leek has started to emerge in the woods! This recipe is a celebration of this first flush of these delicious greens & have been our go-to for super quick lunches alongside soups...

Grow a Garden for Birds

Grow a Garden for Birds

In this post, we share some of the best plants to introduce into your space to grow a garden for birds. Making & filling feeders & feeding stations provide a valuable instant food source particularly in the Winter when birds need the extra energy but they fail...

HOW TO VIDEO: Bird Feeders

HOW TO VIDEO: Bird Feeders

In this video Kloe shows you how to make your own Bird Feeders for free using old jars & pine cones. This is a fantastic quick & simple rainy day activity, perfect for children too! Putting out bird feeders, provides a valuable instant source of food for...

We Declare a Climate Emergency

We Declare a Climate Emergency

We’ve signed up to Tourism Declares, an initiative that supports tourism businesses, organisations and individuals in declaring a climate emergency and taking purposeful action to reduce carbon emissions as per the advice from The Intergovernmental Panel on...

January Gardening Tips

January Gardening Tips

January is always a slow month for us, these cold dark days can be a real struggle. The best way to get through them is to take the pressure off as much as possible & make sure to get outside everyday for at least one brisk walk. Like our plants, we need a...

December Gardening Tips

December Gardening Tips

This month, for our December gardening tips we look at five fantastic ways you can give back to your Garden (& nature) mid-Winter! 1. Put your feet up! One of the single best things we can do as gardeners is do less, particularly at this time of year so sit back...

Our Story

Our Story

Why do we craft gardens, feasts & escapes that nourish people & the planet?  Well, it starts with pollinators, potatoes & package holidays! The WWF released a harrowing report in 2018 revealing that in just the last 40 years, the world has seen a 60%...

November Gardening Tips

November Gardening Tips

Read on for our five top tips of what to do & how in your garden in November. 1. Get your Garlic in the ground.  I tend to grow soft neck varieties which I can store over winter for cooking.  Plant each plump clove two inches below the soil after...

HOW TO VIDEO: Improving Garden Soil

HOW TO VIDEO: Improving Garden Soil

In this video Adam show you how to identify & then improve garden soil. Ever wondered why your plants just aren't growing much, they might look weak or riddled with pests & diseases!? The answer could well lie with your soil! With soils around the world...

HOW TO VIDEO: Common Garden ‘Weeds’

HOW TO VIDEO: Common Garden ‘Weeds’

In this video Adam explores one of the most hotly debated topics in gardening - common garden 'weeds'. What's a weed & should this or that be weeded!? The bain of many peoples lives, these unloved plants cause a huge amount of stress and thus much time, money and...

HOW TO VIDEO: Natural Pest Control

HOW TO VIDEO: Natural Pest Control

In this video, Kloe explores some of the common garden pests that we all know and traditionally hate. However, instead of reaching for the slug pellets, some of the most effective & long-lasting ways of dealing with these tiny terrors is to instead start with your...

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