T.J. Maher, Artist & Gardener, Patthana Garden – ‘Creating a garden from a field – the new Torc Garden at Patthana’

TJ is an artist and gardener who engages uniquely with plants, wildlife and location to create vivid and colourful gardens. As a painter, he is particularly conscious of how he uses and places colour to best advantage.  He trained as a painter at NCAD, Dublin and as a horticulturalist at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin and is represented the Taylor Galleries in Dublin.  T.J. has lived in Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow for 22 years with his partner, Simon Kirby, where he created Patthana Garden and where he now runs the Patthana Garden Course.  The garden has been described as “one of the best small secret gardens in the country.”  (Shirley Lanigan “The 100 Best Gardens in Ireland”)

TJ started work on his Torc Garden in 2020 on recently purchased agricultural land. It adjoins his award-winning village garden in Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow and is designed to take advantage of the view of the nearby church and consists of two huge borders with wraparound pathways that lead the visitor on a journey of colour, exciting plan combinations and a connection to insects and wildlife.  TJ’s creativity, artistic flair and hard work have created a magical space that engages and inspires.