The Festival of Gardens and Nature keynote speakers have been confirmed for Ballintubbert Gardens & House in Stradbally, Co. Laois on April 20th and 21st, 2024.
Founded by Catherine FitzGerald and Minnie Preston, the event aims to explore our relationship with gardens and nature, with subjects including meadows, natural swimming ponds, sustainable floral design, and more.
The festival will feature diverse speakers, guided garden tours, workshops on floristry and foraging, curated stalls selling garden-related goods, and a relaxed and informative atmosphere for attendees to learn, exchange ideas, and connect with others who share a passion for gardening and nature.
- Jonny Bruce – is a gardener and writer who trained at Great Dixter before spending four formative years at the organic nursery at de Hessenhof in the Netherlands. He is responsible for the gardens at Prospect Cottage Dungeness Kent the coastal home of film maker and queer activist Derek Jarman. He also works as a freelance gardener and design consultant and is in the process of setting up an organic plant nursery.
- David Pagan Butler – immensely knowledgeable creator of natural organic swimming pools and their eco-systems and planting- which he advocates through his YouTube channel.
- Sadie Chowen – Owner of the Burren Perfumery will talk with Cath Kidston on the Scented Garden
- Shane Connolly – is a renowned floral designer and ambassador for sustainable floristry. His clients include major institutions including many of English museums, and the Royal Family – he designed the flowers for the Coronation and the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales. He is the author of 5 books and teaches his approach to flower design all over the world with its roots and ethos firmly in sustainability.
- Fionnuala Fallon – Cut flower grower & florist “The Irish Flower Farmer” and Irish Times Gardening correspondent
- Catherine FitzGerald – Lutyens & FitzGerald Landscape Design. (Award winning gardens at Hillsborough Castle Co Down – and at Glenarm which has won 2023 Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award). Lives between England and Ireland and is developing gardens at family home Glin Castle, Co. Limerick.
- Johnny Flynn – Singer & actor; performing from his new album “Lost in the Cedar Wood”, with chat between the songs
- Kate Gatacre – Dynamic head gardener of organic veg at Linley Hall in Shropshire, suppliers to leading London restaurants such as St John’s and Rochelle canteen by Margot Henderson, will be sharing her thoughts and methods with Rory O’Connell.
- Cath Kidston – Inspired by childhood memories of the delicious scent of geraniums & pelargoniums, Cath will talk about the scented garden.
- John Little – Maverick city & brownfield site gardener and owner of the Grass Roof Company, wildlife homing advocator
- Darach Lupton – Head curator at the Botanical Gardens Glasnevin, talking on the evolution of plants from 500 million years ago to today.
- TJ Maher – Artist, gardener, author of ‘Grounded in the Garden.’ Owner of the the hidden jewel of Irish gardens – Patthana Garden in Co. Wicklow.
- David Maxwell – BBC Ulster radio Gardener’s Corner host. David will be hosting a Question Time panel on Sunday morning with a
- Seamus O’Brien – head gardener at Kilmacurragh – National Botanic Gardens of Ireland – speaker, author and authority on the travels of Joseph Dalton Hooker and Augustine Henry – and modern day plant hunter. He is preparing a new talk on Meadows for the festival.
- Rory O’Connell – Chef, cookery writer and Co-founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School with his sister Darina Allen, chef and cookery writer. With a special interest in growing vegetables and herbs organically and cooking with them.
- Colm O’Driscoll – ex head gardener at Airfield, now Head of Gardens at Lismore Castle.
- Tom Petherick – hugely knowledgable biodynamic vegetable gardener and consultant to Ballymaloe Organic Garden
- Neil Porteous – Historic gardens consultant and plantsman – currently working at several OPW and National Trust sites including Castlewellan Forest Park and Glenarm Castle gardens (winner of Historic Gardens 2023). Well known for his work over many years as the ground breaking Head Gardener at Mount Stuart. Has a brilliant monthly newsletter.
- Amelia Raben – Owner of a cut flower business in Robersttown, Amelia’s Garden Flowers, Amelia will be doing a cut flower workshop
- Kitty Scully – From TV’s “Home Grown” Kitty is a knowledgable enthusiast of organic and sustainable gardening, particularly in the kitchen garden.
- Arthur Shackleton – In a career spanning over 40 years, he has designed and nurtured many of the botanical gems of Ireland, including one of the gardens Ballintubbert House itself.
- Edward Shackleton – Son of Arthur Shackleton, Edward has followed in the family footsteps and works as head of horticulture at Tom Stuart Smith’s exciting, pioneering design office, famous for rewilding at Knepp Castle, one of the first to do this.
- Dominic West – inspired by David Pagan Butler, actor Dominic West built an organic pool at his home.
