Workshops and courses

Learn something new with Ireland's leading gardening experts on one of many workshops and courses happening around the country from this month.

It's an ideal time of year to widen your gardening horizons, while the garden is still sleeping and there's plenty of time to learn new techniques and get inspired by the latest ideas ready to put it all into action this spring.

If you're interested in growing your own vegetables, GIY International (www.giyinternational.org) will teach you all you need to know at their Growing Food Skills workshops, held each month at the Midleton Community Garden near Cork. The Organic Centre in Co. Leitrim (www.theorganiccentre.ie), celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has a packed programme of workshops and classes on everything from growing in polytunnels to grafting trees. And at the National Botanic Garden of Ireland, near Dublin (www.botanicgardens.ie), there are lectures on Chinese and Himalayan plants, and a guided walk exploring the curious world of plants from the coconuts used in brain surgery to zombie cucumbers.

In fact there's such a lot going on this month it'll be February before you know it - and you'll be armed with new expertise and a whole raft of new ideas ready to start your gardening year with a bang.