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Four viral garden trends making guests cringe as soon as they walk in to your space, according to royal gardener

Four viral garden trends making guests cringe as soon as they walk in to your space, according to royal gardener

The Irish Sun20-05-2025

A FORMER royal gardener has revealed four trends that leave guests cringing as soon as they walk into your garden.
With another bank holiday just around the corner, many of us have likely made plans to invite friends and family over for BBQs or garden parties.
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Jack was a royal gardener for more than 20 years
Credit: Twitter/X
However, guests could be secretly judging your outdoor space,
Grass Chairs or Sofas
Chairs made from mounds of soil that have been turfed over were a trend a few years ago, but according to Jack, are guaranteed to make guests cringe.
"You had these turf-like seats in the garden, which might sound like a great idea", he told Fabulous, on behalf of
"I think you even used to be able to buy the innards made out of cardboard that you'd fill with soil and then you'd plant grass seed over - they're a bit cringey.
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"They don't ever really do that well. You can never really sit in them and people don't tend to anyway because the grass is always either wet or it's too dry and then it just becomes sort of like a muddy patch."
Pampas Grass
Pampas grass was a huge trend in the '70s, but Jack said that if you still have it in your garden, it's bound to make guests cringe.
"I consider it massively cringey whenever you see them in a garden," he said.
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Jack revealed that Pampas grass is bound to make guests cringe
Credit: Alamy
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"A friend of mine recently moved house and as soon as I walked into the garden, it was the first thing I noticed."
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Plus, thanks to the urban myth that if you have
Gardens Full of Gnomes
Having gnomes in your garden may add a touch of whimsical charm to your outdoor space, but Jack revealed that having too many of them is a huge no no.
"I'm not saying don't have them," he said.
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Jack recommended sticking to just one or two gnomes
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"But maybe just stick to having one or two gnomes.
"You shouldn't have like 20 gnomes around a fishing pond or playing sports on the lawn, that's what I would consider as very cringe."
Themed Gardens
You may be tempted to fashion your garden into a shrine to your favourite film or book, but according to Jack, this is bound to make your guests cringe.
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Jack advised against theming your garden around a favourite book or film
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"For example, when people go off to Disney, and then come back and think that their garden should be Disneyland-themed and try to re-create this in their garden.
"Or they go to see a movie, like Titanic, and they might try and create this in their garden.
"It just reminds me of a crazy golf course - but in a garden!
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"Just stick to a classic garden, as nothing beats those in my
opinion
."

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June bank holiday in Limerick: here is what's on around the county
June bank holiday in Limerick: here is what's on around the county

Irish Independent

time7 hours ago

  • Irish Independent

June bank holiday in Limerick: here is what's on around the county

With so much on, there is no reason to not find something of interest in the county. Here are just some of the events taking place: Visit Limerick's famous Milk Market on Friday, Saturday and Sunday As it does every weekend, Limerick's milk market will be running over the Bank Holiday weekend and is sure to be bustling with crowds enjoying all that will be on offer. Friday and Sunday will see crafts, antiques and vintage put on display, will live music played by local artists will provide a fine atmosphere. Of course, there will be plenty of nourishment on offer too. Saturday will be all about the food, with a wide range of fresh produce and street food set to be available. The farmer's market will boast goods including cheeses, chutneys, just-caught fish and artisan meats. The Milk Market should provide plenty to see and taste for those of all ages this Bank Holiday weekend. Irish Acro Festival 2025 at Irish Aerial Creation Centre from Friday to Tuesday The second edition of the Acro Festival will be of interest to acrobats of all varieties. The five day festival promises plenty of fun and is set to welcome participants from all over the world. More than 20 local and international teachers are each set to share their unique skills and passion for Acroyoga through classes while traditional dance workshops will also be held. The festival is open to all level of participants and a family fun day, with special events for kids, will be held on Saturday. A range of tickets at various prices are available at Swiftees and fans of popular music will have a ball at this Taylor Swift-themed night. The hours-long event will feature all the best tunes of the pop queen, while deep cuts and extended mixes of Taylor's tunes are also promised. The show is perfect for serious Swiftees as well as those who are looking to dance into the early hours of Saturday morning. Tickets for this fan created Taylor Swift-themed club night cost €12 each. The event is strictly for those over the age of 18. Fleadh Cheoil Luimnigh at Croom on Saturday and Sunday Fleadh Cheoil Luimnigh returns to the town of Croom this Bank Holiday, and it promises an unforgettable weekend of Irish music, song, dance and craic. The fleadh, based in the town's school, will see young musicians compete in a variety of categories based on the instruments they play for a chance to compete at the Munster fleadh. The weekend-long event will be perfect for all who enjoy Irish music and culture or who wish to delve into it. There will be plenty surrounding the festival too, such as a craft market and a tractor run. Follow Independent Limerick on Facebook For more information visit the Limerick Comhaltas page on Facebook. First Annual Model Railway and Hobbies Exhibition at the Castletroy Park Hotel on Saturday and Sunday 11am-5pm Train enthusiasts of all ages will be delighted by Mid-West Model Railway Club's inaugural annual exhibition over the Bank Holiday weekend. The event will feature impressive layouts from prize-winning designers, engineering experts, skilled craftspeople and artistic wizards from all over the island of Ireland. The creations on show will include Rathmichael, which depicts a rural halt in the south-east, and Under the Swan Rock, a layout displaying a scene set in the Bavarian mountains. The special exhibition will be held on the exact 199th anniversary of the signing into law, on May 31, 1826, of the legislation that provided for the steam-train connection between the mid-west and the rest of Ireland. Tickets for this special event are priced at €5 for Adults and €3 for those aged between five and 18. 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Quiz: How well do know these Junes, Julys and Augusts?
Quiz: How well do know these Junes, Julys and Augusts?

The Journal

time11 hours ago

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Quiz: How well do know these Junes, Julys and Augusts?

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My dad was wrongly jailed so now I fight for justice – at least 30 long-term inmates are innocent, says actor Tom Conti
My dad was wrongly jailed so now I fight for justice – at least 30 long-term inmates are innocent, says actor Tom Conti

The Irish Sun

time12 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

My dad was wrongly jailed so now I fight for justice – at least 30 long-term inmates are innocent, says actor Tom Conti

HE is one of our giants of stage and screen, starring in everything from Shirley Valentine to Oppenheimer. Stalwart actor 14 Tom Conti believes there may be as many as 30 long-term inmates in the UK who have committed no crime Credit: Getty 14 After starring in Twelve Angry Men, Conti started tyring to identify potential real-life miscarriages of justice Credit: Supplied 14 Tom as Albert Einstein in Oppenheimer Credit: Alamy 14 Tom with Pauline Collins in Shirley Valentine Credit: Alamy But it was a stage role in Twelve Angry Men that led the Oscar-nominated actor to discover a passion that few movie fans know about. The actor — once described as the thinking woman's crumpet after starring in 1989 romantic comedy Conti says it does not take a rocket scientist to realise there is something seriously wrong with Britain's dangerously overcrowded jails. Read More on crime And the actor blasted the notoriously slow Criminal Cases Review Commission for dragging its feet on cases such as ' Conti told The Sun: 'It's an absolutely shocking story. 'I don't know how this guy is going to manage now. He's been completely institutionalised. 'He's been told what to do every minute of the day for 38 years.' Most read in The Sun 'Damaged my father' Conti became interested in forensics while researching a book he wanted to write in 2014, and got in touch with Tracy Alexander, an expert in cold cases. As a thank you for the advice, he left her tickets for his latest play at the time, Twelve Angry Men, in London's West End. Man jailed 38yrs ago for beating florist to death CLEARED after DNA bombshell They later went for dinner, where Tracy told Conti about UK charity Inside Justice, which campaigns to resolve major miscarriages of justice. It was a conversation that struck a personal chord. Conti's father Alfonso was one of 4,000 Italians interned by Britain during World War Two. They were sent to camps on the Isle of Man in 1940 after Italy's Almost overnight, ordinary Italians were considered the enemy. Conti said: 'Winston Churchill famously said, 'Collar the lot'. 'Collar the lot' 'It must have damaged my father a bit, but he got over it and never resented the British because it was a time of war. 'So, I kind of had knowledge, second-hand, of what it was like to be locked up having committed no sin.' The actor soon found himself on Inside Justice's advisory board, giving guidance on cases to a panel of blood spatter, fingerprint, fibre and DNA experts. It might be easy to dismiss Conti as another do-gooder with too much time on his hands, but he is clearly no pushover. While he worries about the state of the UK's overcrowded jails and questions whether rehabilitation programmes might be the answer, he also says 'we need to take violent people off the streets'. A bear of a man, a charmer with twinkling eyes and an aura of mischief, the actor caused a stir in 2015 when he publicly switched political allegiance from Labour to the Tories. 14 Peter Sullivan, branded 'Beast of Birkenhead', was wrongly convicted of killing 21-year-old Diane Sindall in 1986 14 After serving 38 years, Sullivan was acquitted of killing Diane Credit: Mercury Press Agency 14 Inside Justice is also battling for Roger Kearney, whose case was featured on BBC investigation Conviction: Murder At The Station Credit: Solent News 14 Kearney remains in prison for Paula Poolton's murder Credit: Hampshire Police The Tony Award winner said that socialism was becoming 'a religion of hatred' and even considered running for London Mayor after Boris Johnson. Conti acknowledges there are a huge number of prisoners who apply to Inside Justice 'because they are bored and it gives them something to do', but insists there is a vigorous vetting process. He said: 'It's fairly easy to weed out the ones who are doing that, but there are genuine cases — maybe between 20 and 30 individuals — who are serving long sentences.' The charity is currently working on several high-profile cases, including that of killer nurse Colin Campbell, formerly known as Colin Norris, who was jailed for life for killing elderly patients in two Leeds hospitals in 2008. Originally from Glasgow, His case is currently being heard at the Court of Appeal, where his barrister argued that the evidence against Campbell, 49, was circumstantial, and medical advances could now provide other reasons for the women's deaths. 14 Colin Campbell was jailed for life for killing elderly patients in two Leeds hospitals in 2008 Credit: PA:Press Association 14 Ethel Hall, 86, was one of Campbell's victims Credit: Handout 14 Bridget Bourke, 88, was another of his victims Credit: Ross Parry 14 Doris Ludlam, 80, was also murdered by Campbell Credit: Collect 14 Irene Crookes, 79, was also a victim of killer nurse Campbell 14 Forensics expert Tracy Alexander Credit: Inside Justice is also battling for Roger Kearney, whose case was featured on 2016 BBC investigation Conviction: Murder At The Station, which later streamed on Netflix in 2023. Viewers were left 'flabbergasted' after Hampshire police destroyed evidence that Kearney, 67, hoped would prove his innocence after lover Paula's family remain convinced the cops got the right man, while police claim an officer destroyed the items without first consulting his senior. Conti said: 'Our fibre expert went to get the exhibits but, when she arrived, the police said they had been destroyed. I find that jaw-dropping. 'This was this man's last hope of getting a conviction overturned and this is what happened.' The actor is hugely frustrated at the pace of the Criminal Cases Review Commission which, he says, does not act quickly enough to refer cases to the Court of Appeal — or force the police to hand over exhibits. Conti revealed that Inside Justice has even offered to loan its experts to the CCRC to speed things up, but were rebuffed. He said: 'The CCRC is just not fit for purpose. Most of them work from home when they really should be in the office to discuss cases face to face. 'A real travesty' 'They resolutely refuse to pass cases to the Court of Appeal. They decide whether or not there's a chance of success. 'They don't have any scientists examining evidence and our experts have offered their services for nothing. 'Our scientists have said, 'If you want to send us exhibits, our people will examine them free of charge'. Instead they send them to a lab for 'presumptive' substance tests, whereas we would test for everything.' The CCRC refers around 3.5 per cent of its cases to the Court of Appeal — and around seven in ten of those cases succeed. In 2008, Peter Sullivan, now 68, asked the CCRC to look for DNA evidence that could exonerate him from the murder of 21-year-old barmaid The technique that ended Peter's ordeal this year was available back then — but the CCRC says it was told by forensic scientists that they were unlikely to uncover any useful DNA. There have been absolutely massive advances in science that can reveal new things... the Criminal Cases Review Commission is not fit for purpose Conti says: 'It's a real travesty. There have been huge advances in science over the past ten or 15 years, absolutely massive, that can reveal new things about cases. 'We need the CCRC to move quicker.' Conti might be earnest about the issues close to his heart, but he is also entertaining and fun, with a sharp sense of humour. He's very proud of his daughter Nina, a comic ventriloquist, who he calls a genius for going on stage without a script, and his actor grandson Arthur, who starred in last year's hit Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Conti, who lives in Hampstead, also retains a sense of childlike wonder, talking about how excited he was when he got the chance to sit in He avoided early starts on set by insisting the make-up artist left his wild He said: 'The first morning, I was in the make-up chair at about 5am because the hair had to be done and the moustache curled properly. 'Later that day, I went back into make-up and they said, 'Right okay, we'll get you cleaned up'. 'I said, 'Wait, we're doing four days of shooting, so why don't we just leave it?'.' Conti laughs: 'There were definitely double-takes when I went out for supper those nights.' The star might not be the real Einstein, but he is hoping that, with a handful of clever experts, he can make a genuine difference.

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