National Heritage Week Ireland

It’s a green-fingered National Heritage Week for Ireland this year, as visitors are invited to celebrate the diversity of Ireland’s nature through some of its greatest gardens.

National Heritage Week Ireland 

It’s a subject that’s close to our hearts here in the garden centre at Pickering: we love to encourage gardening for wildlife, and you’ll find all you need to create a haven for all the fascinating creatures that make our gardens their homes.

We can provide you with pond liners to create a wildlife pool for frogs and toads, bee hotels, bird feeders and bat boxes. You’ll also find loads of wildlife-friendly plants on our shelves: include pollen-rich flowers for butterflies and bees, berrying shrubs for the birds, and habitat plants like ornamental grasses and native trees for a mini nature reserve in your own back yard.  

Heritage Week 2017 runs from 19-27 August and it’s all about being active outdoors. Over 2000 events are taking place around the country, many at a garden near you and most of them absolutely free!

As a taster of just a few of the events you can enjoy: the Ellen Hutchens Festival in Bantry, Co. Cork, is celebrating Ireland’s first female botanist with a full week of events, including a walk through the arboretum she planted at Ardnagashel, her family home. You can enjoy a guided tour of Fota Gardens, also in Co. Cork, or make a mini-bug hotel at the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, near Dublin. Enjoy a stroll around the gardens at Knockanree in Co. Wicklow; discover the rich biodiversity in your own back yard with a talk at the National Museum of Ireland at Castlebar, Co. Mayo; or enjoy a nature walk around the gardens at Newpark House in Co. Sligo. There are dozens more events all around the country throughout National Heritage Week, 19-27 August: for more details visit www.heritageweek.ie.