What This Day Covers
Late spring at Hunting Brook Gardens. The woodland is showing fresh foliage and developing structure. You'll spend a full day learning how to select, cultivate, and care for woody plants that form the backbone of successful gardens.
Sam Hoey and Jimi Blake will guide you through:
Selecting choice trees and shrubs for late spring and beyond
Site selection, maintenance and companion planting
Propagation techniques from international gardens
Understanding how climate and context shape plant performance
Using perennial companions to enhance woody planting
Practical plant selection for Irish conditions
Exclusive Learning Opportunities:
Walk and talk through Hunting Brook's woodland areas
Live demonstrations in the garden
llLustrated Lectures Showing Sam's Work Across the Globe
Time to ask questions and discuss your own garden challenges
Create Gardens with Trees & Shrubs That Actually Thrive
Trees and shrubs form the backbone of successful gardens. But getting the best from them requires more than simply planting and hoping for the best.
This isn't a plant catalogue walkthrough. It's a masterclass in making intelligent, informed choices about the plants that will define your garden's structure for the next 20, 30, 50 years.
Get Sam’s international perspective applied to Irish conditions
See how Sam carefully chooses woody plants that truly shine in May
Learn practical maintenance techniques that actually work
Meet The Instructors
Sam Hoey
Horticulturist with 15+ Years International Experience
Sam is a horticulturist with over 15 years of experience, with a special interest in woody plants. He holds an Honours Bachelor's degree from ITB and worked as a student with the National Trust at Mount Stewart and Rowallane Gardens, where his interest in trees and shrubs took root.
He advanced his skills through RHS Level 4 training during two years at RHS Wisley, and gained further international experience working at the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens and on field trips through southern Spain.
Sam also spent two years in Vancouver, Canada, exploring and working within the woody-plant-rich landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.
Across all his roles, Sam combines academic knowledge and global horticultural experience with a deep, ongoing passion for woody plants.
Jimi Blake
Creator, Hunting Brook Gardens
Jimi created Hunting Brook Gardens, which is Ireland's largest private plant collection spanning 20 acres. He's an international speaker, best-selling author of A Beautiful Obsession, and television personality featured on BBC, The Guardian, and The Telegraph.
For over 30 years, Jimi has been selecting and cultivating woody plants at Hunting Brook, creating structure and seasonal interest that draws visitors from across Europe and North America.
Exclusive Learning Opportunities:
Rare Access
Hunting Brook Gardens is normally closed to the public in early May. This is one of the few chances each year to see the woody plants at peak spring flowering.
Expert Combinations
Learn what actually works in our climate, informed by Sam's global experience and Jimi's 30+ years at Hunting Brook.
Hands-On-Learning
This isn't a lecture hall. You'll walk through the gardens, see plants up close, watch demonstrations, and ask questions as they arise.
Small Group
Maximum 25 people. Everyone gets time with Sam and Jimi. No standing at the back trying to hear over a crowd.
Perfect Timing
Early May is a moment of transition in the garden, when early spring blossom gives way to fresh foliage, flowers, and developing structure.
Everything That's Included
Full day with Sam Hoey and Jimi Blake (10:30 AM - 4:00 PM)
Welcome tea / coffee on arrival
Mid-morning tea/coffee and cakes
Walk and talk through Hunting Brook's Woodland Gardens
Practical demonstrations in the garden
Two illlustrated lectures by Sam Hoey
Comprehensive Q&A Session
Access to gardens normally closed to the public
Course notes and plant recommendations
Small group size (max 25 people)
Good mood and friends along the way
Explore Hunting Brook
