Warmer weather doesn't just mean more sunburn for Irish gardeners. Irish people are becoming more adventurous with their gardens, as milder temperatures give sub-tropical and Mediterranean plants a greater chance of survival.
Landscape gardener Ms Janet Duff says her customers have been asking for more exotic plants, including tree ferns, palm trees, citrus trees and acacias.
"It's really since people started going abroad more that they've become more interested in these plants. They're bringing back ideas about gardening from their holidays, and the weather here has been so good over the past couple of years that these plants are surviving."
The trend has been noted at the National Botanic Gardens. A spokeswoman said: "Gardeners by nature are always experimenting. People in Ireland are aware of the change in temperature, and have been trying out different plants."
However, Irish winter temperatures present the greatest challenge for adventurous gardeners. If the temperature stays below -5 degrees and frost sets in, as it did two years ago, then sub-tropical plants can fail.
Staff at The Flower Centre in Blackbanks, while agreeing that their customers are becoming more adventurous, said that "often people will still stick to what they're sure will survive".