Talks by Carl Dacus

Carl Dacus co-founded the Dublin School of Horticulture in 1999 with the aim of offering horticultural courses accessible to everyone with an interest in gardening and horticulture. Carl is a keen gardener (when he has the time) and loves to share his enthusiasm and knowledge with others. Carl is often available to talk to garden clubs and horticultural societies on a wide range of topics.

A range of talks given by Carl are outlined below. Talks on other subjects can be arranged upon request.

The FEE for talks by Carl Dacus is currently 200.00 plus travel expenses. For futher details e-mail Carl at: carl@dsh.ie

Lecture Titles by Carl Dacus

Title: A Plantsman's Garden

Come with me on a trip through the four seasons of my garden in Dun Laoghaire, where I will share with you some of my favourite plants, many of which are rare and / or unusual in cultivation. Many of which were seed propagated from far flung areas of the world.

Title: From a Bud to a Rose

I will examine part of the history of the rose in cultivation, describe some methods of propagation, cultivation, and of course look at roses growing and flowering in my own and various other gardens in Ireland and abroad.

Title: Gardening in a Mild Climate

We will look at a range of plants suitable for growing in gardens close to the sea, evaluating and assessing those which may perform well under these conditions, which can be quite a challenge!

Title: Gardening on the Edge

With the changing climate, we have to take a different approach to the selection of plants, choice of site, preparation of planting areas and their after care. It appears that increased periods of drought alternating with those of excessive rainfall, increasing ferocity of storms, warm autumns, mild early winters and cold late springs, is becoming the norm. This will make the growing of plants in our gardens even more of a challenge, so let us have a look at how we can over come some of these problems.

Title: Ponds & Water Gardens

The use of water in the garden, materials, situation, selection of plants and fish, no garden can be complete without a water feature no matter how small. I will show you some water features both natural and man made, in the formal and informal garden setting.

Title: From the Valley of the Moon to the Land of the Lakes

We will take a journey from the desert and oases of the Chilean Atacama through its mediterranean region and down to the lake district in the south. We will see a wide range of geographical features, including active volcanoes and water meadows. From Chile, the longest country in the world comes an amazing range of plants many of which are grown in our gardens.

Title: Turkey: Botanising from the Sea

Sailing on a gulet from Bodrum to Maldon, berthing and visiting numerous sites on the coast with both archaeological and plant interest of amazing diversity. At the end of the journey, travelling inland and up to the snow line of the mountains, to view another range of plants growing in areas of exquisite beauty.

Title: Alpines: The Answer to the Modern Garden

Alpines may be one of the answers to the modern garden; many of them are small compact with interesting forms, and foliage many with beautiful flowers. These plants may be grown in sinks, on balconies, the patio or raised beds, in sun or shade. In this talk I will include bulbs, corms, rhizomes etc. So don’t despair if you have only a small garden, see how it can be transformed!

Title: Ecology in the Garden

The selection of plants, soil preparation and creating an environment conducive to keeping pests and diseases at bay, understanding the various controls available to the home gardener. We will look at many of the methods involved in improving the health and appearance of our plants and see what maybe the most suitable for our own situation.

Title: Wisley through the Seasons

The Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens are world famous for their plant collections. Trial areas where plants are assessed for their garden worthiness. Module gardens with a range of styles to suit all tastes. It is also famous for its training facilities. We will travel through the seasons, looking at many aspects of this wonderful garden, from alpines, herbaceous, fruit, vegetables, water plants, trees, shrubs, glasshouse plants etc. I can assure you that this will be an experience to remember!

Title: Propagation for the Home Gardener

Taking cuttings and sowing seeds are probably the main methods that come to mind when plant propagation is mentioned. In this talk we will look at various other methods and explain their relevance to the home gardener. Some plant material will be brought to the talk to demonstrate various techniques used in propagation. My aims are to try to get you to have a go at expanding your knowledge and make it possible to propagate plants both from your own and friend’s gardens; this is the only way to stop plants being lost to cultivation. Most nurseries for economic reasons will only concentrate on plants with a high sale potential.