We received a delivery of shrubs into our Monkstown shop this week. The ornamental cherry trees are starting to come into full bloom, as well as the Chimonanthus praecox and Corylopsis pauciflora. 

Faced with worrying gloom over our environment, it's natural to feel powerless, as individuals, to bring about meaningful change.

The problems feel too big for any individual to tackle. Yet society is ultimately made up of individuals, and our personal consumption and habits do have collective effect. As gardeners, or indeed anyone with a patch of land, balcony or even windowsill under our care, there is much we can do to make the world a healthier place.