New Series: How does your garden grow?

Patrik Weisser of Abbeyleix House and Farm in County Laois is set to return to Bord Bia Bloom this year with his second show garden. In the second instalment in our new ‘How does your garden grow?’ series Patrik tells us about his garden at home in Laois, his favourite plants, and his plans for his show garden this year.

I would describe my garden as… a space where my family likes to spend a lot of time. Right now it is waiting for true spring after taking a beating from the unusual snowfall and heavy frost that we experienced in County Laois in January. This came as a surprise to all the snowdrops, tulips, and even alliums, that had already started to emerge in the pleasantly warm temperatures over Christmas. Now the garden is starting to wake up and all the hard work we’re putting into it will pay off with a vibrant display in summer.

My favourite plant at this time of year is… hellebores. These amazing plants are elegant, virtually indestructible, and now at their best. I have some in my garden that are over two feet tall, which looks quite impressive. I also enjoy all the snowdrops and crocuses that are popping up now, it’s like the first real sign of spring.

Now is a good time to… cut back any remaining perennials that haven’t yet been pruned. I don’t cut back until the last minute as the wilted foliage provides protection for plants through winter and this turned out to be very useful in the cold weather this January. All the seedheads have fulfilled their purpose, feeding wildlife and spreading seeds around the garden for the growing season ahead. This is also a good opportunity to finish cutting hedges, providing it is not frosty. Hedge cutting season ends in February and we won’t be allowed to touch our hedges from March to September as it is bird nesting season.

In my garden I try to… support biodiversity by planting many pollinator-friendly plants. Here you’ll find anything from walls covered in ivy to small holly trees and more than 100 alliums. We have heather, lavender, sage, foxgloves and so much more. The result is incredible and the garden buzzes loudly through the year. At this time of year I plan what else I’ll add to the garden; I’m currently looking into planting more native species such as Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

I’m excited to return to Bord Bia Bloom with another show garden this year. In preparation this month… I’ll spend time examining the design with fresh eyes and polishing off the fine details. I can’t share too much about the design just yet, but this year I want to create a gravel-themed garden. I want to push myself out of my comfort zone and build a garden that will excite Bloom’s visitors and show them something different. Over the course of this month, I’ll start ordering plants, sourcing any remaining materials, and finalising schedules to help me meet deadlines. Time is of the essence once you get to the Phoenix Park so I’ll make sure everything is ready for that amazing time in May when the build begins. It’s a very exciting time to work on Bloom! Our plans for the festival are taking shape and we can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on over the last six months. We hope you will love it as much as we do.

You can read more about Patrik’s first show garden, A Love Letter to Abbeyleix, which was awarded a bronze medal at Bord Bia Bloom 2024, here.