Ireland has lush gardens that cover acres with thousands of plants. We all cannot have such large gardens but you could create a “Touch of Irish” with a mini theme garden or a few additions to your backyard or garden areas.
Simple additions of statuary, seating benches and plants common to the Emerald Isle will create an Irish atmosphere.
Use these easy tips to bring an Irish touch to your garden.
Create a stone or gravel walkway around the garden. Some Irish gardens are planted as Gravel gardens are quite popular in Ireland and use shrubs and perennial flowers in the gravel beds. This would be an easy garden area to maintain and would do well in hard to grow area s or as a specialty garden or min garden tucked away in a corner.
Choose vivid green plants with bright flowers. They will show up against the neutral gravel background and add color that stands out in your yard.
Reading benches along walkways or in a nook will add a feel of invitation for reflection or enjoying a book in the garden areas.
And if you are looking for an atmosphere of frivolity, statuary like leprechauns or frog princes can be placed at focal points or just off the walkway on a gravel base.
Plant white clover or shamrock. Clover has a long-standing history in Ireland and has both a factual base and lore that has built up over the years.
Shamrocks have a bulb like seed and are perennials in many areas. They also make excellent houseplants but do need to die back each year and have a quiet spell. If you live in a warmer climate shamrocks look excellent in the outdoor garden areas.
Shamrocks grow year after year. (They may need overwintered indoors in cooler climates.) Clover likes well-drained, moist soil and full sun. It grows by sending out runners. The plants will go dormant in winter and re-emerge in spring. There are white clover and red clover varieties.
If you have room you can add Irish yew as an evergreen tree. Yew can also be grown as a hedge or shaped as topiary. The Irish yew will thrive in well-drained soil and is drought tolerant after it is established. It is suited to heavy pruning so can be shaped for a unique look in your garden.
Other plants suited for an Irish theme garden
- Lacy ferns
- Irish moss – excellent groundcover with tiny white flowers in bright green foliage.
- Holly plants. Holly is considered invasive in some regions so check with your garden center for acceptable holly varieties for your growing area.
An Irish theme gardens will create and relaxing area in your garden and is an easy style of garden to care for. It will also make a great small space garden for a corner or along a wall area.
