Grow It Yourself

Bulbs

PLANT FROM: August to December.
FLOWERS FROM: February to May depending on the variety.

The sunny yellow of the daffodil usually heralds the first signs of Spring. Very low maintenance and will grow in most soil types. Beautiful in borders, containers or dispersed in grass for a natural look.

PLANT FROM: August to December.
FLOWERS FROM: March to May depending on the variety.

Available in every colour of the rainbow, these bright beauties are perfect for borders and ideal for containers for smaller gardens. Wonderful as cut flowers.

PLANT FROM: September to October.
FLOWERS FROM: March to May.

There is something evocative and nostalgic about native Irish bluebells. Is it that beautiful, sweet scent? We love them scattered beneath trees for a woodland feel.

PLANT FROM: September to October.
FLOWERS FROM: February to March.

Few flowers are as strongly scented as hyacinths. Whilst they bloom in early Spring, if grown indoors, they can bloom as early as December.

PLANT FROM: September to October.
FLOWERS FROM: January to March.

Delicate and vibrant in colour, crocuses will usually start to emerge as early as January. With little care, these will return year after year, marking the end of Winter.

PLANT FROM: September to November.
FLOWERS FROM: May to June.

With their height and striking pompom heads, alliums are perfect for adding height and structure to beds and borders. They are from the same family as onions, so a slight scent of onions can be evident. For this reason, they are perfect to grow amongst roses as blackfly and other pests are repelled by the scent.

To continue the display of vivid and dramatic colour in your garden beyond Spring, we also stock a large range of Summer flowering bulbs such as, Begonia, Dahlia, Lily and Gladioli. Available from February.

Flower Seeds

Planting from seed is a very cost-effective way of creating and developing your garden. A little more time and attention is required than buying seedlings or plants that are already established but it can be a very rewarding process. It is a great way to get children involved in gardening and of encouraging them to become the next generation of gardeners. We stock a large range of flower seeds, from those well-known and well-loved favourites to those that are popular now and the current must-haves!

When choosing seeds to plant, be aware of when they will bloom how long they’ll last. Some of our most popular are below.

Annual plants have a lifecycle of one year. They will germinate, bloom, set seed and die all in one year.

Hardy annuals can endure a certain amount of cold and can be sown directly into their flowering position in Spring.

Many varieties of poppy are hardy annuals, as are sunflowers, sweet peas and stocks.

Half-hardy annuals cannot tolerate any frost. The seeds will need to be planted indoors and then planted out after all risk of the first frost has passed. Nasturtiums, marigolds and snap dragons are examples of half-hardy annuals.

Plants that last longer than two years are known as perennials.

These are very popular, as with a little care and attention, they grow and bloom for many years.

Our most popular perennials are dahlias, pansies, asters, delphiniums, lupins and hostas.

Wildflower gardens are currently very on trend. They have many advantages, not least in their benefits to the environment. They don’t need chemical based pesticides. They attract pollinators and so help reverse the decline of insect species. They are also low maintenance, beautiful and make wonderful cut flowers. They can also serve as a lawn that you don’t have to mow! Wildflower seeds can include varieties of annual and perennial flowers. Choose seeds that have a high perennial content if you want it to bloom naturally for many years. We stock different types of pre-mixed seeds, suitable for any soil type and mixed to entice specific types of insects that you may want to attract.

Vegetable Seeds

Growing something you can eat in your garden can be a source of great satisfaction and joy. The flavour and nutritional value of organically grown vegetables is guaranteed to exceed anything you can buy in the supermarket. Surprisingly, you don’t need a large amount of space to grow vegetables and it can be great fun for children to be involved too. Select carefully from our wide variety of seeds and you could be eating from your kitchen garden almost all year round. Indeed, our on-site nurseries supply Kilcannon Restaurant with fresh vegetables for much of the year, enabling our team of Chefs to create delicious, seasonal dishes for our menus.

Potatoes, Beets, Turnips, Onions, Garlic, Carrots, Parsnips.

SOW: Spring
HARVEST: Late Summer and throughout Autumn

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Kale, Sprouts.

SOW: Early in any of the four seasons
HARVEST: Late the following season

Peas, Sugar Snap Peas, Snow Peas, Broad Beans, Runner Beans, Mangetout

SOW: March to June
HARVEST: June to October

Lettuce, Rocket, Spinach

SOW: Spring
HARVEST: Cut leaves as required and growth will continue all Summer.

Tomatoes, Courgettes, Scallions, Cucumbers

SOW: Indoors in March and transplant late May
HARVEST: Will ripen at intervals from late June to October

Herbs Seeds

Even if you’ve no garden at all, you can still grow herbs. Herbs grow magnificently in window boxes and are also great in containers on patios and balconies. They are renowned for their use in alternative medicine and have many natural health benefits. All are wonderfully aromatic, each with a distinct, unmistakable scent. We have a large selection of herb seeds to keep you busy with your gardening and to get you creative in the kitchen. Indeed, we have our own secret garden of herbs for use in Kilcannon Restaurant.