Tullamore Library host gardening event for Midlands Science Festival

A free event in Tullamore Library on Thursday November 14 at 6.30pm will explore gardening as part of the Midlands Science Festival.

The event will explore in particular the huge contribution that tweaking our gardening practices in terms of both design and maintenance, can make in terms of helping biodiversity.

The talk will be given by Lynn O’Keefe Lascar who is the Head Craft Gardener at Portumna Castle Gardens.

This is a unique opportunity to hear from one of Ireland’s leading gardeners about how gardening can help biodiversity.

Lynn O’Keefe Lascar studied commercial organic vegetable production at Otley College of Agriculture in Suffolk in the 1990’s and worked on a number of commercial organic farms in Italy and Ireland.

She now lives in Kinvara and helped to set up a community garden there and a community orchard.

Lynn writes a regular article on wildlife gardening for WINGS , the Birdwatch Ireland quarterly magazine. Since 2009, in partnership with Anna Jeffrey Gibson, she worked with Kinvara Sustainable Living, as an outreach horticulturist.

She is currently the Head Craft Gardener at Portumna Castle Gardens.

Jackie Gorman, CEO of Midlands Science said: “In developing science week events for the public, we are always keen to have events which relate to everyday life and things that people enjoy or find interesting. Most of us have an interest in our gardens and plants and in recent years have become increasingly aware of the impact our gardening practices can have with wildlife and nature.

"We are delighted to welcome a gardener of Lynn’s experience and reputation to the festival and to learn more about how gardening can help support biodiversity.”

All Midlands Science Festival events are free and places must be booked on www.midlandsscience.ie. The Midlands Science Festival is supported by Research Ireland and this event is kindly hosted by Offaly Libraries.