Plant sale - Cork Sunday 23rd April - Fota House.

The Continental Op

Should have posted this earlier but better late than never.

https://fotahouse.com/event/fota-house-plant-garden-fair-2023

More for the enthusiast and plants can be expensive (at least in my mind) but lots and lots of choice all in one place and I'm sure they'll be plants you've never heard of or seen before. Admission €5. Best to arrive early. Parking on mostly grass but plant stands are on tarmac.

Don't know why I'm telling you this there's always more than enough people buying all the plants I want before I get a chance.

looksee

I've been to the one at Mount Congreve, you are right, lovely stuff. A bit exotic for my still developing garden, for the moment I would rather have reliable ground cover, too many areas don't have enough soil to chance exotics on. Also its quite exposed so they need to be able to take care of themselves. And then of course there are the rabbits.

The Continental Op

If you hear of another at Mount Congreve post here as I always miss them. Give or take a couple I suspect its mostly the same sellers at all of them.

looksee

Yes I think its the same set-up, this crowd I think (the ISNA bit rings a bell) https://www.irishspecialistnurseriesassociation.com/plant-fairs-2023/ but Bord Bia also does something similar. The rare plants one missed out on Mt Congreve this year apparently - I would have missed it anyway as I had not been keeping tabs on it.

The Continental Op

Not many there that are near enough to bother with think I might do the Carlow one in Boris on the 14th of May and maybe Fota again on 10th September. But will probably need to save up first :-)

From looksee's link .....

Sunday 2nd April 

Claregalway Castle ISNA Spring Plant Fair,

Claregalway Castle, Co. Galway.   

 

Easter Sunday & Monday 9th-10th April

ISNA Plant Fair

Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, Dublin

Sunday 21st May

ISNA Plant Fair at Airfield Estate

Dundrum, Co Dublin

Friday to Sunday 26-28th May

ISNA at Mallow Garden Festival

Cork Racecourse, Mallow, Co. Cork

 

Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th July

Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens 

Kildare

Sunday 27th August

ISNA Plant Fair Airfield EstateDundrum, Co. Dublin 

 

Sunday 10th September

ISNA Plant Fair Fota House

Fota Island, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork 

 Sunday 23rd April

Fota House Plant Fair

Sunday 30th April

Clare Garden Festival

The Showgrounds, Ennis, Co. Clare

 

Sunday 7th May

RHSI Plant Fair

Russborough House, Co. Wicklow

Sunday 14th May

Rare & Special Plant Fair 

Please note Venue change

Borris House, Borris, Co. Carlow, R95 W983 

Sunday 11th June 

Buds and Blossoms - Laois Garden Festival

Spink Sporting Ground, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois

Sunday 18th June

Limerick Garden Festival 

Milk Market, Limerick City 

 

Saturday 24th June

Tullynally Castle Plant Fair

Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath

Saturday & Sunday 1st & 2nd July

Galway Castle Garden Festival

Claregalway Castle, Co. Galway

Saturday 22nd July

Belvedere House Unusual Plant Fair 

Mullingar Co. Westmeath

 

Saturday and Sunday 15th & 16th July

St. Anne's Park Rose Festival

Raheny Dublin

(To Be Confirmed)

 

Sunday 6th August

Farmleigh House Plant Fair

Pheonix Park Dublin

 

 Sunday 3rd September,

Claregalway Castle Autumn Plant Fair

Claregalway, Co. Galway 

 

mountainy man

Its a shame that there are never any of these plant fairs up here in the north west.

The Continental Op

Just back now, tbh nothing like as good as they have been in the past. Much smaller than previous years. Pre Covid and this had at double the number of sellers. Some of the bigger nurseries I've seen in the past were missing. Also changed since I was last there as now you park on the carpark and the plant sale is on the grass. After paying to get in also had to pay €3 to get out of the car park. Maybe won't bother next year and try again in another couple of years.

Did get another Cardiocrinum gigantium (from the excellent Mount Venus Nursery) to go with another I have in the hope of getting a yearly succession of flowers. Also chanced an Empress Yu Hosta - reputed to be the biggest hosta in cultivation and if it survives may grow to over a meter tall. Along with a few others I must get out this afternoon and plant.