Garden chemicals can seem like a magic wand. But this is the lesson I’ve learned
It’s liberating to accept that you’re never going to be master of your own garden, and this isn’t a failing
Nature
Articles related to nature
Ireland has a dismal amount of tree cover but ‘wild’ is partly between our ears
A Polish forest gives a glimpse of what Ireland and Britain might have looked like 10,000 years ago
Cornish hedges are works of art, with abundant nature providing the painterly flourishes
Two layers of stone filled inside with compacted earth and topped off with vegetation or turf, these are irresistible places for plants and animals to live
As the duck flies: what are these lake-dwelling midges?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on apple thieves, the Burren’s strange beauties, and the pheasant’s introduction
How do I stop birds uprooting my vegetable seedlings?
Unfortunately, this is often a problem for kitchen gardeners at this time of year
Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane: A potentially transformative vision
With little hope that environmental disaster can be staved off, Macfarlane finds grounds for optimism
The fall of an ancient tree is a sad occasion. It marks the death of a living monument
Paul Clements spent a year living in a cottage on the grounds of Montalto Estate in Co Down
How to stop hungry slugs and snails from wreaking havoc in your garden
May is a risky month for gardeners – take timely precautions now for a flourishing summer garden
When is a crane fly not a daddy longlegs?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on the Leisler’s bat, a clawless crab, and an invasive ladybird
In search of the Congolese corncrake
Our mission: To discover whether this small migratory bird was faring any better in its (probable) winter home
I’m learning to wear my new glasses, not to be dismayed by what’s now clear
For a week, thrush nestlings, owls thrillingly close, frogs and an otter were all breaking news, urgent, fascinating. But this can’t be real life
Life had drained from a farmer’s soil. He asked for advice - and nature has made a return
Ella McSweeney: It is possible to counteract relentless damage to our soils caused by human activity
My quest to see kingfishers helped me discover the river Dodder’s amazing diversity of wildlife
Photographing one of these unforgettable birds on a Dublin river led me on journey of reconnection with the natural world
Is my house plant a menace to society?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on sand martins, the peacock butterfly and a dead frog
Books in brief: Hermit; Flower; Spring is the only Season
Reviews of new works from writer and spoken art performer Chris McQueer, contemporary artist Ed Atkins and sports and wildlife writer Simon Barnes
Squirrels don’t hibernate? This information shook me to my core
These creatures have made a laughing stock of me. There’s an army of them working shifts, and I’m not the only local feeding them
Pollination: How to bringing the buzz back into our countryside, towns and cities
Pollination is a crucial and vibrant interaction between plants and animals, one that is also captivating
Pope Francis’s green legacy is his radical encyclical Laudato Si’ that upended centuries of Catholic teaching
Published in 2015, Laudato Si’ spoke of our serious moral responsibility to protect the planet
Why is this bug causing a big stink?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on the hawthorn shield bug, underground bees, and the red-listed yellowhammer
Rooks are on par with chimpanzees in terms of intelligence
A study showed an ability to modify sticks and even bend a straight piece of wire into a hook to retrieve food from a tube
Drink to your elf: what is this striking red growth?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on the scarlet elf cup, plastic pollution and a Kiwi invader
‘Our health is intrinsically linked to the natural world. Quite simply, no nature, no health’
If you think hospital waiting lists and access to GP care are challenging now, climate change will bring more difficulties
Has this buzzard fallen prey to bird flu?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on how to report dead birds, a bone of contention, and an imported lizard
Looking forward to a future where doctors prescribe time to take in a hedgerow
A new study finds that people watching nature videos reported electric shocks as less intense, a pattern also observed in their brain scans
Who’s been gnawing on my door?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on rats’ incisors, the house martins and a suspicious sparrowhawk
The starling: Decades of work to comprehend movement patterns in this feathered species
‘The shapes we see in starling murmurations are an example of “emergent behaviour” ... from relatively simple underlying rules’
Hedgerows are a shining example of nature benefiting from human intervention
The mix of plants provides a range of ecosystem services and habitats that natural colonisation would not achieve
‘Our cherry tree has stopped fruiting. What can we do?’
Readers’ questions: The cherries were a wonderful surprise in the first year, but the tree has not been particularly bountiful since
Spring has sprung, so here’s what to prioritise in the garden
Key to keeping on top of the to-do list at this time of year is to prioritise ruthlessly
What species is this bumblebee feasting on dandelions in my garden?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on the smallest bird in Ireland, an invasive moth, and the fluted bird’s nest fungus
Yet another of our natural treasures is in deep trouble
Despite its status as a protected area for birds and wildlife, Lady’s Island Lake in Co Wexford is now suffering from a dangerous, if not fatal, level of pollution
What is the cause of this rook’s very unusual beak?
Éanna Ní Lamhna identifies and explains readers’ other unusual nature findings
Gamma rays could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions here on earth
Findings will inform targeting of emissions cuts, say University of Galway scientists
Striking the right balance on Irish offshore wind and protection of marine life
High-value habitats can be avoided if identified but it is the less obvious impacts that are so far known to cause the biggest effects
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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