Foxrock Garden Club

Troy Scott Smith, Head Gardener, Iford Manor Gardens - 'Roses.'
2020-11-24 19:30 - 21:00 (Europe/Dublin)
Troy Scott Smith was born and brought up in Yorkshire and it was there amongst the wonderful countryside that he developed an appreciation of plants and later where he began his career in horticulture and it is the natural world that nourishes and inspires him most deeply. Coming from a family of great naturalists, it was no surprise that as a boy he would spend most of his time in the nearby dales seeking out the beautiful and the natural. From the incredible weathered detail of limestone pavement to the exquisite flower-rich meadows of Swaledale. This repeated study over many years of flora and fauna of a specific habitat was fundamental in teaching him patience and importance of observation and it helped to sow the seeds of a life-long love of plants.
His gardening career began in 1987 at Harewood House between Leeds and Harrogate. It was tough introduction and he had to get up at 5 in the morning, catch two buses and walk down a mile long drive before spending the day as the garden boy – washing pots, but he absolutely loved every minute of it.
Later, after some time at College and working at a garden caring for the National Collection of Delphiniums, he joined a landscape design company, working mostly on one garden in northern France, restoring original features and implementing new design.
Troy joined the National Trust (NT) in 1990 and apart from a year as Curator with the Royal Horticultural Society at Hyde Hall he has spent most of the time since working at three NT gardens – two of them – Sissinghurst and Bodnant twice, working both as a gardener and Head Gardener. At the same time he has been fortunate to get involved in other things, and is grateful to the NT for allowing him the freedom to do so. He worked at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney; designed the floral colour spectrum at the Royal Botanic Garden Kew and became interested in photography and was awarded the RHS professional photographer of the year. He continues to enjoy writing and talking about plants and gardens. However, for Troy it’s having a deep, basic and enduring connection with a garden that is most rewarding.
In 2013, Troy returned to Sissinghurst as Head Gardener with a seven-year programme of renewal. Immersing himself in the garden, he slowly developed a way of gardening that places beauty and romance first. Last year, he completed this project which culminated in the re-working of Delos (Vita and Harold’s Grecian Garden at Sissinghurst) working with Dan Pearson.
2020 brings a new garden and a new challenge for Troy. Iford Manor, in the Frome Valley, a few miles from Bradford on Avon, was acclaimed Architect and Garden Designer Harold Peto’s home between 1899 and his death in 1932. Working with the owners he is embarking on an ambitious programme of both garden enhancement and in parts (walled garden and Georgian hanging woodland) restoration.

Colm O'Driscoll, Head Gardener, Airfield Estate - 'Airfield Estate - a work in progress.'
2020-10-27 19:30 - 21:00
Since Graduating from the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland Colm has had a diverse career gaining experience in many areas of the horticultural industry before being appointed head ornamental gardener in Airfield Estate in 2013. Inheriting a garden that had undergone a major redesign, Colm’s initial task was to manage the transition of the gardens from partial building site to the maturing landscape we see today. Having initially managed the ornamental gardens Colm was appointed Head Gardener of the estate in 2017, taking over the management of the extensive Food gardens. Colm has applied his passion and knowledge of all things horticulture to the continued design and development of the gardens in Airfield Estate. A firm exponent of the arts and craft style of gardening as well as organic horticultural methods, Colm constantly strives to innovate and introduce new and exciting plants while adopting sustainable methodologies in the gardens. Colm has an insatiable appetite for all things horticulture and can regularly be found indulging in a bus man’s holiday visiting gardens in all corners of the globe. In this illustrated talk titled “Airfield Estate… work in progress” Colm will outline the garden’s journey to date, highlighting the challenges, successes and failures he and his team have encountered over the past seven years.

Phil Smith, Head Gardener, Wollerton Old Hall Gardens - 'The Fragrant Garden'
2020-09-22 20:00 - 22:00
Phil Smith is the Head Gardener at Wollerton Old Hall Garden in Shropshire. Taking the reins in 2016, Phil has continued to develop and maintain what is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of an English Country Garden. Full of exuberant colour, themed borders and crisply manicured topiary, Wollerton Old Hall offers something for all.
Phil’s interest in horticulture started at an early age helping his Dad plant potatoes in the family back garden. This interest grew throughout his teenage years, slowly beginning to take over more and more of the garden, planting everything from delicate dianthus to elegant penstemons. On leaving school, he took a degree in Horticulture at Pershore College in Worcestershire, graduating in 2008 with first class honours.
Beginning his horticultural career with a student placement at Winterbourne House & Garden, Birmingham, he quickly progressed to Head Gardener in just six years. After a short stint at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire it was then onto Wollerton Old Hall.
Having recently completed an MA in Landscape Architecture he is passionate about garden design and how people engage with the landscape around them. He dreams of one day designing a show garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show!

A.G.M. and Social Evening
2020-06-02 20:00 - 22:00 | Foxrock Church Pastoral Centre, Foxrock Church Pastoral Centre, Dublin, Co Dublin, 18, Ireland
TUESDAY, 2nd June 2020 @ 8 pm
A.G.M. and SOCIAL EVENING

"Gardening for Pollinators" - Brian O'Toole
2020-05-26 20:00 - 22:00 | Foxrock Church Pastoral Centre, Foxrock Church Pastoral Centre, Dublin, Co Dublin, 18, Ireland
TUESDAY, 26th May 2020
“Gardening for Pollinators”
Brian O’Toole – WildAcres

All are welcome, non-members €7 at the door.
