‘Raindrops keep falling on my head’ – By Head Gardener at Fota – David O’Regan

‘Rain drops keep falling on my head’ would for most people sum up the typical Irish weather! And maybe in a lot of places throughout the country this may well be the case but not so in Fota this year. Since April there has been a prolonged deficit of moisture in the ground. We have had occasional heavy downpours but they are more damaging to pathways than of benefit to plants. They run quickly off the hard soil so there is little time for the moisture to soak through to the roots

As a consequence of our sporadic rainfall we have had to resort to hand watering all the trees and shrubs, which were planted earlier this year.  It’s time consuming but when one considers the time and effort spent planting, plus the considerable financial cost of the plants themselves, it warrants such action.

But as I write this, the plants are ‘Singing in the Rain’. The force field around Fota, which appears to deflect showers away from us, has finally been penetrated and we are experiencing a welcomed drop of rain.

In the walled gardens some of the roses have had exceptionally long spells of flowering due to the very calm, dry conditions. One of the most eye catching is the rambler Rosa ‘Crimson Showers’ which is situated at the entrance to the Rose Garden so it cannot fail to be noticed.

The RTÉ Program ‘How to Create a Garden’ will feature the Rose Garden in the second series and I would be surprised if this plant does not put in an appearance.

An unusual addition this year to the flower border in the Rose garden is a wasp’s nest. It was built some weeks ago on a shrub that had been cutback earlier in the year. Fortunately they are not aggressive and even though the nest is clearly visible from the path, only the sharp-eyed spot them thus preventing any mindless interference that could lead to a painful experience.

Every year we have to add additional plants to the borders and as most would be sourced in local garden centres, in some cases it does lead to repeat planting of certain plants. The benefit of this is that plants are given the opportunity to be tested under different conditions, which can lead to a plant performing better than in the original location. Such is the case with a plant called Monarda ‘ Cambridge Scarlet’ which has been the standout plant in the Rose garden borders. This year there has been regular questioning of the staff as to its name and a possible source for purchase.

For the staff in Fota, August is the start of autumn (Met Eireann would disagree). Soon we will start to see some of the trees in the Arboretum put on their spectacular multicoloured coat before they lose their leaves for winter. The display usually reaches its peak in late October.

Today’s rain will help to freshen up the plants, wash off the dust, allow them to lift their heads and ultimately prolong the display for the many visitors who have yet to discover the ‘Oasis in Fota’.