In his talk, “Soil to Seed” for the Carlow Garden Festival, Colm will delve into the area of regenerative organic vegetable production and share with you the most environmentally sustainable approach to growing vegetables. Learn how to reduce your inputs, cut your labour and reap the rewards while enhancing the environment. Unsurprisingly soil health will be at the forefront of the talk with a particular focus on improving healthy soil which translates to healthy vegetables.

Shankill Castle’s host’s a trio of events in Carlow Garden Festival, which starts with Kitty’s informative talk, Prime Plants for the Irish Kitchen Garden, focusing on ten essential kitchen garden plants that thrive in our Irish climate. Mary and Robert White of Blackstairs Ecotrails lead an in-depth foraging walk through the grounds and organic farm of Shankill Castle. Seamus Jordan of Plúr Bakery will cook up a three-course feast supper, celebrating foraged, seasonal and local ingredients, ending the day with a relaxed evening of great food and garden chat.