Pole topper:The British Clematis Society has nominated its top five easy-to-grow clematis for gardeners.
The runaway first choice of the society's members is the venerable 'Etoile Violette', raised in France at the end of the 19th century by Francisque Morel of Lyon. The dark-purple flowers, which grow to about 10 centimetres wide, appear from mid to late summer, on stems that can scramble three or four metres. The vigorous climber has the bulletproof Clematis viticella in its parentage, and is more disease resistant than many of its relations. It is available in most good garden centres.
The runners-up in the poll were 'Arabella', 'Polish Spirit', 'Venosa Violacea' and 'Huldine'. For advice on growing and caring for clematis, see www.britishclematis.org.uk. Jane Powers
Wollemi pines
The really green among us this weekend will be picking up our Wollemi pines, which have just arrived from Australia. Only 100 or so of the trees, whose ancestors date back 90 million years, remained in the wild until David Noble, a park ranger, launched a campaign to save them from extinction. These are the first to reach Ireland. www.johnstowngardencentre.ie
Baby, Baby
Sun exposure, air conditioning and exfoliation are just some of the elements our skin has to deal with in the summer months. Both vitamin E and olive-leaf extract soothe and protect dry skin, and Johnson & Johnson has combined these antioxidant ingredients in its new Soothing Naturals range. As always, mild enough for baby but with a beautifully fresh fragrance that may make mums want to use it, too. The range includes a bath-and-shower wash, nourishing lotion and intense moisture cream. All will replenish the skin with a non-greasy feel. Phyl Clarke
A lot of fun
A Growing Pleasure, which opened in March, is an outdoor and greenhouse allotment scheme near Naas, in Co Kildare, run by erstwhile commercial grower Pat Clarke. Outdoor plots (complete with water supply and fencing) cost €4 per square metre per year; indoor space in a communal greenhouse costs €6 per year. A picnic area, and tea and coffee facilities, will help to forge bonds between plot holders; beginners can avail of classes, as well as the advice of two on-site experts. Specialised tools are available for hire. Donore, Caragh, Naas, Co Kildare, 045-870770. Jane Powers
Grape escape
Independent travellers and wine lovers should click on a new website that has insider information on how to find dedicated winemakers in Germany, France, Australia and New Zealand. Hidden-wineries.com also offers advice on interesting places to stay and eat, as well as on things to do in the time between visiting wineries.
Birgit and Colin Dederichs Bain, who divide their time between Cologne and Westport when they are not travelling and nurturing their hobby, decided to turn their pastime into a business venture after extensive visits to the wine regions of the world and a number of private tastings at home for their friends.
Their new service fast-tracks wine lovers to lesser-known winemakers, selling reasonably priced wine, in well-known wine-growing regions. The couple's advisory service includes planning itineraries, providing background information and guide services, and making bookings (if desired) in areas where they have first-hand knowledge. Deirdre McQuillan
Amazing space
Gold medal winner Chris Deakin drew a full house when he spoke in the pavilion at the Chelsea Flower Show. The young designer had lots of tips on making the most of a small garden. When thinking of your overall layout, remember that horizontal bands widen the space and slow the eye's progression to the end of the garden. Use a diagonal or snaking path for the same effect. Then you can plant in the new spaces it creates.
Light colours catch the eye, so use brighter colours where you want people to look, and a dark colour to make boundaries recede. Paint your end fence dark brown, then plant over it, to make the fence just look like a shadow. Focusing on corners gives a garden depth. Try a circle of grass on a square plot, planting in the corners. Water adds movement and sound, and also reflects the light.
"Standard" potted plants, with long stems or trunks and foliage on top, let in more light to create the illusion of space, like the effect of a sofa with legs. Use a large mirror, say, to disguise an ugly door, then cover the mirror with a trellis, so it looks as if you are seeing through to another area. Precede a small space with a very small space - when it opens out it will seem larger.
There's an interesting benefit to a small garden, Deakin reassured us. Apart from being less work, an enclosed space can create a microclimate, allowing you to grow a range of plants that your better-endowed friends cannot. Clare McCarthy
Say bye bye
The Gallery of Photography in Temple Bar, Dublin 2, hosts an exhibition by Suzanne Mooney that celebrates the predigital camera.
The centrepiece of the show is an installation of 400 images, each of which depicts an analogue camera that has been traded in by its owner in exchange for a digital model. Mooney's work offers the condemned cameras one last chance to be useful and celebrates their role in the production of family albums and special photographic moments. A comment on our throwaway society, perhaps?
Make Love to the Camera is her collection of black-and-white diagrammatic drawings from photo manuals, depicting how to photograph the female nude, a humorous and disturbing look at glamour photography. The exhibition runs until June 15th. See www.galleryofphotography.ie. Michael Kelly
Design diva
Nicole Marso is a Ukrainian fashion designer (with an economics degree) who runs an alteration service on South Anne Street, Dublin 2 (over Sydney Vard's shop) and has also opened a small boutique on the same floor with a collection of special-occasion wear, mostly dresses, ideal for summer weddings.
They are made with limited quantities of luxurious fabric sourced from Paris, such as silk tulle, paper silk taffetas and duchesse satin. There are simple strapless numbers in hand-painted black taffeta and more elaborate affairs, such as one in a really vivid orange-red taffeta, hand-embellished with jewellery. Her prices start at about €500. More information from 01-6359595. Deirdre McQuillan
Berry Bros & Rudd
Berry Bros & Rudd has designated the final working day of the week "fine wine Friday", during which the merchant will offer up to 15 per cent off selected wines at its store on Harry Street, Dublin 2. Different wines will be on offer each Friday, when customers will be able to sample "a glass or two of ethereal red Burgundy or classic Bordeaux". 4 Harry Street, Dublin, 01-6773444, www.bbr.com/friday. Joe Breen