Garden Trails and Organisations (many of the gardens are open for the whole season, not just the dates mentioned below).
Connemara Garden Trail (April 29th - June 5th): contact Kylemore Abbey (09541146) or Breandan O Scanaill (095-21148)
Cork Open Gardens Week (May 13th - 21st): contact Brian Cross (021-821052) or Marymount Hospice (021-501201)
Dublin Garden Group (group tours arranged to 11 private gardens): contact John Bourke (01-2803912) or Shirley and John Beatty (01-2955884)
Shamrock West Cork Garden Trail (10th-25th June): brochures from Bord Failte and from Phemie Rose (027-61111), Kilravock Garden, Durrus, West Cork (please enclose a stamped addressed envelope). South Tipperary Weekend Garden Trail 2000 (July 1st-2nd): contact Mildred Stokes (052-33155).
Wicklow Garden Festival (May 5th-July 28th) contact Wicklow County Tourism (0404-20100).
Jane Powers can be contacted at: jpowers@irish-times.ie