This month Natalie Webb is showing us how to make a jellyfish bookmark.

Materials: 

•  A small wooden spoon – can be purchased in craft shops but I got mine from a local cafe.

•  Paint – two colours of your choosing, I used purple and blue.

•  Small piece of card, I used pink.

•  Black marker pen

•  Two different colour wools – I used dark pink and light pink.

•  Glue.

Paint the “head” of the spoon on both sides with one of your colours and, once that has dried, paint on spots with your other colour. Leave to dry.

Cut out 12 strips of wool in different colours, approx 8cm long.

Glue on your wool about 3/4 of the way down the spoon head, so that it dangles down over the spoon handle.

Cut out two small rectangle shapes with a wavy edge on one side. Glue these on to the front and back of your spoon, to cover the top of your wool strips.

To finish off draw on the face of your jellyfish with your marker.

Now the best part.. find your favourite book and settle down for a good read!

I receive a regular online blog from a dog trainer. It’s a great way of giving me food for thought by reading other trainer’s topics or opinions. Even if I question her point of view, I feel that’s good because it makes me look at my own beliefs about dog training. Can I do better? Do I need to have a re-think?

So I was really interested when her blog came in entitled ‘Let Dogs be Dogs’. Her argument was that we bring dogs into our lives and then proceed to coach them out of all their innate canine traits. These include chewing, chasing, jumping up, digging, sniffing, stealing food. I could feel my hackles rising as I imagined all the difficulties that would occur if we allowed our dogs to do as they pleased without putting in any boundaries.

If you translate this into human terms, it would mean that we would allow our children to be ‘free spirits’, able to do as they pleased on a whim with no moral code or behavioural responsibility towards others.

Many years ago, I was called out to a man who had a number of Cocker Spaniels. All of them, bar one, were reasonably well-behaved. But, that particular one was becoming a liability in that she was aggressive to other dogs and people. She was beginning to even be confrontational towards her owner. She looked rather unhappy too. I began to talk to him about training and boundaries and watched as the man’s eyes glazed over. His counter-argument was that dogs should be allowed to do as they pleased. Shortly after this conversation, I made my excuses to him.

After all, our views were so far apart that there was no point in continuing it. But, I knew she was an accident waiting to happen.

And sure enough, about a week later, he called me again in a bit of a panic.

The dog had attacked one of the other dogs in a determined fashion. I called out again and we had another long chat. This time, he was listening. I don’t recall this with any sense of satisfaction. It was just sad that it had taken a disaster for him to be open to the fact that there might be another way.

As she had attacked one of his other dogs, it was highly unlikely that there would be a perfect solution and they’d all live happily ever after. Fortunately, he was able to give her away to someone who could look after her and was experienced in that breed. And the owner went on to do a bit of training with the other dogs too.

But back to the blog and dogs being allowed to be dogs. As you read this, you will probably believe that I’d be totally against this premise. That’s not true. However, I do believe that first of all, it’s important to teach your dog to live happily with you and to be able to be relaxed and well-behaved in company. A lack of training leaves you at odds with your dog if he doesn’t know about your ‘House Rules’. And, from experience, I see dogs without training who keep pushing boundaries looking for them and to understand what you expect of them.

I also believe that knowing what’s needed or expected allows your dog to develop its character. In other words, you allow him to make choices. He can choose to do as you ask or otherwise. The rewards for conforming to your way of life are

huge. He gets to be a trusted member of the family that you can take anywhere and any time. That fulfils the need to socialise and encounter all sorts of different people, dogs and situations.

However, I’m fully in agreement that there are times when dogs just have to be dogs. Therefore, all my dogs have been allowed to have big, ‘growly’, play fights with me. If anyone heard me ‘growling’ with them at those times, they would have me committed! But, the important point to mention is that I can end the game at any time before it gets out of control.

At other times, I’ve always encouraged all my dogs to just run free for as long as they want – the effort flapping their ears, jumping in and out of long grass or performing zoomies; sniffing for as long as they want and following scents; the chance to run and play with other dogs until they drop! Develop their scenting potential by affording them opportunities to find treats you’ve dropped along the path or find hidden toys. That special sigh of satisfaction when they return and flop down in perfect relaxation is something special and to be appreciated! You know you’ve given them exactly what they want. But, it’s all done within certain boundaries. In my opinion, that’s allowing a dog to be truly a dog.

In the first of a six-part series on the nine principles of interior design, Mairead Collier looks at balance, and scale and proportion.

Have you ever walked into a room and felt completely at ease, without knowing why? Or stood in a beautifully furnished space that somehow felt cold and disconnected? The difference, almost always, comes down to design principles.

These are not rigid rules. They are guidelines that professional interior designers use to create spaces that feel intentional, balanced, and genuinely lovely to be in. And the good news is that you do not need a design degree to understand them. Once you know what to look for, you will start seeing these principles everywhere, and applying them in your own home becomes much more instinctive.

Over the coming six months, I will break down each principle and expand on how to apply them in your home. For this first article I will discuss the first two principles; Balance, and Scale and Proportion.

Balance is one of the most fundamental principles of interior design. It refers to how visual weight is distributed across a room. A balanced room is one where its various elements have similar visual weight and aesthetic importance. When balance is right, a space feels stable and calm. The scale, colour and texture of all elements in the room will have an influence on balance. Each object within a room will carry a different visual weight. Large objects carry more visual weight than small objects. Bright and bold colours carry more weight than say pale or cool colours. Likewise, shiny objects versus dull or flat objects. The former has more visual weight than the latter. A busy pattern will carry more visual weight than a simple pattern. The goal is to balance all these elements within the room. When it is off, something nags, even if you cannot quite name it. There are three types of balance. Symmetrical balance is achieved when two identical items are placed on two opposite sides of an imaginary line. For example, two matching bedside tables, a pair of lamps flanking a fireplace. It is formal and reassuring. Asymmetrical balance uses objects of different sizes or types that carry equal visual weight, a tall floor lamp balanced by a low, wide credenza. It feels more relaxed and contemporary. Radial balance arranges elements around a central point, a round dining table with chairs, and a circular rug.In practice, most well-designed rooms use a combination of all three. The key is to step back and ask: does one side of this room feel heavier than the other? If so, something needs to shift. The easiest way to start is to place a focal point centrally, like a bed in a bedroom or a dining table and chairs in a dining room, and work out from this. When deciding where to place an item ask yourself a series of questions. What is the visual weight of the item? Where will it look best within the room? What will need to be placed around the item to give it balance?

Scale refers to how objects relate to the size of the room. Proportion is how objects relate to each other. Both matter enormously, and both are frequently the cause of rooms that feel off without anyone being able to say exactly why.The relationship between scale and proportion is in part a matter of function but also of aesthetics, perspective and how we use the space. An oversized sofa in a small room makes the space feel cramped and hard to move through. To counteract this, designers may often upholster the sofa in a neutral colour, then use a bolder colour on things such as cushions or throws. This stops the sofa from dominating the room but also introduces colour and interest. Tiny artwork hung on a large wall looks lost and apologetic. However this too can be rectified if it provides a subtle visual link to other items in the room through shape, colour or texture. The secret lies in being intentional about adding in an under-scale object and not randomly introducing it to a room. Similarly furniture that is too low for a high-ceilinged room can feel awkward and weightless. Getting scale and proportion right is not complicated. But it does require measuring, and resisting the temptation to buy something simply because you love it, without checking how it will actually relate to its surroundings.The golden ratio and the rule of thirds are both useful frameworks here. But honestly, the simplest test is to stand in the room, look at what you are considering, and ask: does it belong here? Does it feel right in relation to everything else? If you are still unsure or not confident then you could use chalk or painter’s tape and mark out the size of your furniture on the floor. Over-scaling is one of the tools designers use a lot and it is an extremely effective way of improving the overall ambience of a room. It also has the added bonus of requiring only one or two elements to make a big impact e.g. a double height headboard or an oversized antique mirror or pendant. 

Mastering balance, scale, and proportion is just the beginning of transforming a space into a thoughtful, harmonious home. Over the next five months, we will explore the remaining principles that bring rooms to life, giving you the tools to trust your own eye. Interior design is an ongoing conversation, and I would love to hear about your projects, whether you are refreshing a single room, planning a full home renovation, or embarking on a complete new build. If you have a tricky layout, a burning design question, or a topic you would like covered in an upcoming column, please get in touch at info@maireadcollierinteriors.com or connect with me online at www.maireadcollierinteriors.com.

Until next month, happy decorating!

by John Hosford

We have had some really hot weather, with record temperatures, and near-drought conditions have put a lot of pressure on many plants and lawns. With hose pipe bans in place, gardeners now need to consider both the storage and careful use of water.

Autumn and early winter are ideal times for planting trees, shrubs and bare-root fruit trees. Late spring and summer plantings may not have had enough time to establish before the onset of hot, dry weather. Hydrangeas, which are planted extensively throughout West Cork, have suffered particularly during the recent hot, dry spell.

Heavy mulching with bark mulch, composted stable manure or farmyard manure is well worthwhile for conserving moisture. Make sure any compost used is free of weeds. Mulching can be carried out in late winter or early spring, or immediately after planting. Roses and perennials can also be mulched in late winter or early spring with composted manure. If this is not available, Gee-up, made in Blarney, Co. Cork, is an excellent alternative.

Water can be stored from the winter rains in water butts or tanks, and gardeners should enquire locally about stockists. Carbery Plastics in Clonakilty manufacture water butts and accessories. Rainwater or grey water can be used when watering new plantings.

Fruit garden: Apples should be picked as they ripen. Earlier varieties such as ‘Beauty of Bath’ and ‘Discovery’ can be picked as soon as they are ripe. Test the fruit by gently clasping it; if it is ripe, it should detach easily without much pressure. Early varieties will not store for long and should be used within seven to ten days of picking.

Autumn-fruiting raspberries should also be picked, while recently planted strawberries need to be kept well watered. Ripening fruit should be protected from birds and wasps with well-secured netting. Gardeners should also be wary of wasps when collecting windfall fruit.

Prune off mildew-infected shoots on apples and pears. Finish pruning summer-fruiting raspberries by cutting out the fruited canes and tying in the new canes securely.

Container-grown peaches and nectarines can be planted in a sheltered spot. Prepare the soil by digging it over and incorporating plenty of well-composted farmyard manure or garden compost. Dig a hole large and deep enough to plant the tree at the same depth as it was in the container, making sure the point where it is grafted remains above ground level.

Greenhouse and under cover:
September is a good time to attend to greenhouse repairs and replace any broken panes of glass. Remove shading before October arrives and reduce watering during the month. Watering early in the day will help reduce fungal infection.

Ventilators should now be closed at night but opened during warm and mild days. Good air circulation will help reduce the risk of disease. Tender plants should be brought indoors in late September or early October, including pelargoniums, tender fuchsias, cannas and lantanas.

Continue picking tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, peppers and aubergines as they ripen. Keep the greenhouse well ventilated on warm days and continue feeding with a liquid seaweed-based fertiliser. Avoid creating damp conditions in the evening.

Lawns: September is a good time to sow grass seed or lay turf, with sowing completed by the end of the month while there is still warmth in the soil. Established lawns can be fed with an autumn lawn feed now.

Thatch, the layer of dead grass and other debris that builds up on a lawn, should be removed. Thatch can cause problems with surface drainage and encourage moss and other weeds to colonise the lawn. On a small lawn, it can be pulled out with a spring-tined rake. For a larger lawn, it is worth considering hiring a powered scarifier from a local tool hire company. The lawn will look a mess immediately after scarifying, but it will do it the world of good and it will soon recover.

After removing the thatch, the next job is aeration. This can be done by pushing a fork 15cm into the ground at 15-18cm intervals. A machine can be hired for larger lawns. Worn patches should be reseeded and broad-leaved weeds dealt with.

Bulbs: Spring-flowering bulbs will now be available in garden centres and shops. Bulbs can also be planted or potted up now for Christmas flowering. Hyacinths, early narcissi such as Paperwhite and Grand Soleil d’Or, and freesias are suitable choices.

Dwarf bulbs are ideal for providing early colour in a cool greenhouse or conservatory, or outdoors. Dwarf iris, crocus, scilla, dwarf tulips, dwarf narcissi, tulips and Anemone blanda can all be grown in pots, provided there is good drainage.

Outdoor bulbs for spring flowering can now be planted, although tulips are usually planted in November. Tall varieties of tulips and narcissi can be underplanted with pansies, violas, polyanthus, dwarf wallflowers or forget-me-nots. Combinations could include tall red tulips with blue forget-me-nots, tall yellow trumpet daffodils with blue pansies, or Narcissi Tete a Tete with blue crocus and blue or purple aubretia trailing at the edges or front of a container.

When buying bulbs, check that they are firm, sound and free of mould or fungal infection. Check the heights and colours on the packet and choose lower varieties if you are gardening in an exposed place. It is also worth choosing a selection of varieties that will provide a succession of colour from December to May. Snowdrops will be among the first to flower, with some early varieties flowering even before Christmas. These can be followed by early narcissi such as January Gold, dwarf iris, dwarf tulips, hyacinths, late narcissi and tulips, followed by Dutch iris.

Vegetable garden: In the vegetable garden, harvest potatoes and control slugs on potatoes remaining in the ground. Runner beans, French beans and peas should be picked, while brassicas need protection from caterpillars. These should be dealt with immediately as they can cause considerable damage in a very short period.

Pumpkins, squashes and vegetable marrows should be harvested and brought indoors to a cool, dry and frost-free place. Handle the fruit carefully to avoid damage or blemishes, which will shorten its storage life. Until harvesting at the end of the month, protect the fruit by placing a slab or slate underneath each one to keep it clean.

Amid the current housing crisis, there is a well-documented lack of housing supply, so an increasing number of people are looking at older houses with a view to refurbishing. On the plus side, buying a house that requires renovation can be an effective way to create a home tailored to your needs. It can also provide access to locations or property types that might otherwise be unaffordable. However, renovation projects carry financial, legal and construction risks that must be investigated before contracts are signed. The above risks can also impact your mortgage application. 

The most important rule is simple: assess the purchase and renovation as one project. A low asking price does not necessarily represent good value once building costs, professional fees, energy upgrades and unexpected problems are included. If you feel that this is a viable option for you, though, then we would advise you consider the following.

Budget

Before viewing properties, buyers should calculate what they can afford to spend on both the purchase and the works. Mortgage approval in principle provides a useful starting point, but it does not guarantee that a lender will finance a particular property. As with self builds, there are only three lenders that will look at projects like these: AIB Group (AIB, EBS, Haven), Bank of Ireland, and PTSB. Once you know your borrowing power, you will need to calculate the structural cost of refurbishing the home. I would allow €1,900 per sq. metre in terms of potential cost, as this is the banks’ minimum costs for self-building. It is prudent, then, to cost at least this much, even though you may not be knocking the structure down and starting again.  

While there are grants available to refurbishers, such as the derelict house grant, which gives between €50,000 and €70,000 towards the refurbishment, a person should remember that these grants are only paid out if the work is pre-approved, completed within a certain time frame, and to a certain set standard. In mortgage terms, the banks will not include these retroactive grants into your budget as they cannot ‘guarantee’ you will eventually receive the payment, so best advice is to leave them aside when budgeting. 

When working out the overall purchase and renovation cost, it is important to factor in more than just the purchase price.

Allow for stamp duty, which is generally one per cent unless you are buying a very expensive property, as well as legal and bank valuation fees and any engineer’s fees. You will also need to budget for the renovation itself, including labour, materials and professional services, along with a contingency allowance for overruns and price increases. This should be a minimum of 10 per cent of the renovation costs. Planning costs should also be considered. While not every renovation requires planning permission, with some internal alterations and certain limited extensions potentially qualifying as exempted development, the relevant conditions and size restrictions must be met. Planning permission may still be required where the proposed works materially change the appearance or use of the building.

There are a couple of main options in funding all of the above. 

Option A  — Mortgage
plus cash
In this scenario the purchaser obtains a standard mortgage to purchase the property and then pays for the renovation from their savings. This is relatively straightforward but requires substantial cash reserves. However, even in this scenario the house must be deemed liveable for the bank to fund. As with all purchases, your chosen bank will do background checks on the property, using tools such as Daft.ie, their own valuer assessing the property, and they may request a copy of a structural report. If the house is over 100-years-old, they will always request the structural report. If this report calls out any defects, the banks will require proof that the buyer can afford repair them upfront and may restructure the mortgage, for example by releasing 90 per cent of the  approved mortgage funds upfront and only allowing the remaining 10 per cent to drawdown once confirmation that the necessary works have been completed has been received. 

Generally, though, if the house is structurally sound and in a habitable condition the bank will fund on it and you can use your cash to renovate afterwards. It is really important to remember that while you will look at a house as a potential forever home, the bank will always take a more clinical view of it – it is their security, after all, so they will look at a property and ask themselves, “how easy will it be to sell this house if we ever have to repossess it?”

Option B — Renovation/
self-build mortgage
This mortgage works exactly like a self-build mortgage, the type that someone looking to build a new home from scratch would apply for. The house is basically treated like a site, so the bank will give approximately 80 per cent of the purchase price upfront, with the remaining mortgage to be paid out in ‘stage payments’ as work progresses, just like a new build. Like self-builds, a person must have the full cost of the purchase and renovation, plus associated fees, accounted for ‘before’ a mortgage will be approved for same. 

In this scenario, lenders will normally want detailed information about the proposed project, including detailed engineer’s costings on the bank’s specific template, plans, valuations and professional reports. A customer ‘must’ engage an engineer to cost and oversee the proposed works – they cannot perform this role themselves, even if they happen to have experience in the building trade. 

Grants
There are numerous governments grants available that will apply to older properties, and these can improve comfort, reduce running costs and make an older property more attractive in the future. Typical measures include rebates for attic and wall insulation, airtightness improvements, ventilation, heating controls, heat pumps, solar photovoltaic panels and upgraded windows.

SEAI provides several routes for home energy upgrades, including individual grants, fully managed upgrades through registered One Stop Shops and support for qualifying households. Crucially, we would strongly advise that a person seeks professional guidance and advice from professionals rather than relying on hearsay and anecdotal information. 

If a person is looking to use the Vacant house or Derelict house grant, they should not assume that a property will qualify simply because it looks abandoned. They may need evidence showing how long it has been vacant, proof of ownership, quotations and confirmation that work has not started prematurely. Conditions concerning occupancy, rental use or repayment may also apply. Grant eligibility should therefore be confirmed with the relevant local authority ‘before purchasing the property or commencing work’. These grants should be treated as conditional funding rather than guaranteed money. One point to note, though, is that if a person successfully claims the derelict or Vacant house grant, a second charge will be put on the title for a period of 10 years. This may lead to difficultly switching mortgages during that 10-year period. 

If you have any questions on the above, or would like to speak to us in connection with a mortgage, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  www.mtf.ie

August is one of the most rewarding months in the gardening calendar, with borders, containers and vegetable plots all reaching their peak. This year, we have experienced some of the warmest weather on record over the past few weeks, making careful attention to watering more important than ever.

Water thoroughly and regularly during prolonged dry spells, aiming to water early in the morning or later in the evening when temperatures are cooler. Avoid watering during the hottest part of the day, as much of the moisture will simply evaporate before reaching the roots. Direct water to the base of plants rather than onto flowers and foliage, helping to reduce the risk of disease while ensuring the moisture reaches where it is needed most.

Plants growing in containers dry out particularly quickly during warm weather and should continue to receive regular liquid feeds throughout the month. An organic seaweed-based fertiliser is an excellent choice, promoting healthy growth, strong root development and prolonged flowering.

Regular deadheading remains one of the most important summer maintenance jobs. Removing faded flowers keeps plants looking tidy and encourages them to direct their energy into producing fresh blooms, ensuring colourful displays continue well into the autumn.

Dahlias are undoubtedly among the stars of the August garden. With regular watering, feeding and deadheading they will continue producing magnificent flowers until the arrival of the first autumn frosts. Few plants can rival dahlias for the sheer diversity of colour, flower shape and size available.

Gardeners can choose from elegant single-flowered varieties as well as richly double blooms, while the different groups include dinner plate, cactus, pompon, decorative and bedding dahlias. One particularly outstanding variety is ‘Bishop of Llandaff’, whose rich copper-coloured foliage provides a striking contrast to its vivid scarlet-red flowers.

Birds: During prolonged periods of hot, dry weather it is essential to provide birds with an adequate supply of fresh, clean water for both drinking and bathing. Refill bird baths regularly to ensure the water remains cool and hygienic.

Roses: Rambling roses should be pruned immediately after flowering to encourage healthy new growth for next season. Continue deadheading repeat-flowering roses throughout the garden and remove unwanted side shoots as soon as they appear. Container-grown roses benefit greatly from a weekly liquid feed, while recently planted roses should receive generous watering during dry spells. As with all plants, keep water away from the flowers and foliage wherever possible.

Take cuttings: August is an excellent month for propagating many tender perennials. Healthy cuttings can be taken from pelargoniums, fuchsias, salvias and lemon verbena to provide beautiful plants for next year’s garden. Keep the young plants in a frost-free greenhouse throughout the winter and inspect them regularly for signs of pest damage.

Collect seed: Many annuals and perennials will now be producing ripening seed. Collect seed from your favourite plants while it is fully mature and dry, storing it in clearly labelled packets or containers with waterproof labels for future sowing.

Fruit garden: Plant new strawberry runners into clean ground that has not recently grown strawberries, helping to minimise the build-up of soil-borne pests and diseases. Complete the summer pruning of apples and pears during the month to maintain healthy trees and encourage quality fruit production.

Weeding: Keeping on top of weeds is essential throughout August. Weeds compete with ornamental and edible plants for both moisture and nutrients at a time when water is already in short supply. Hoeing remains one of the most effective methods of control, particularly during long periods of settled weather. Choose a warm, dry day – ideally with a drying breeze – and hoe early in the morning, allowing uprooted weeds every opportunity to wither in the sunshine.

Bulbs for autumn planting and spring colour: Autumn is not far away, making this the perfect time to begin planning next spring’s displays. Autumn and spring flowering cyclamen, together with colchicums, should be planted without delay as bulbs left unplanted for too long can begin to shrivel.

Garden centres will soon be well stocked with spring-flowering bulbs including dwarf iris, narcissi, crocus, hyacinths, anemones, fritillarias and ornamental alliums.

Hyacinths can also be planted now for colourful Christmas displays indoors. For the most effective results, plant a single variety and colour in each container, placing the bulbs close together, almost shoulder to shoulder. Where containers lack drainage holes, use bulb fibre, which provides excellent drainage while keeping the growing medium fresh and healthy. Other excellent bulbs for early indoor colour include amaryllis, freesias and fragrant narcissi such as ‘Paperwhite’ and ‘Grand Soleil d’Or’.

Tulip bulbs will also begin appearing in garden centres this month. It is well worth choosing your favourites early while the widest selection is available. However, tulips are best planted later, during November or December, so store them in a cool, dry place in wooden slatted trays until planting time.

Wisteria can be pruned during August to keep vigorous growth under control and encourage better flowering next spring.

Vegetable garden: Sweetcorn should be harvested as the cobs ripen, while courgettes are at their very best when picked young at around 15 centimetres in length. Allowing them to become oversized reduces both flavour and tenderness.

Continue harvesting cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and kohlrabi as they mature. Keep a careful watch for caterpillar damage and treat promptly where necessary. Rabbits and pigeons can also cause considerable damage, particularly to brassicas, so effective protection should remain in place.

Providing colour now: August gardens can be filled with colour from an outstanding range of reliable flowering plants.

Cosmos produces masses of delicate flowers in shades of white and pink above attractive feathery foliage and continues flowering for many weeks.

Osteospermum is an excellent sun-loving perennial, thriving in warm, well-drained positions and performing particularly well in coastal gardens.

Hydrangeas continue flowering from late summer into autumn. During prolonged dry weather they require deep, thorough watering followed by a generous mulch to help conserve soil moisture.

Begonias provide continuous displays of vibrant flowers well into autumn and are particularly valuable in containers and bedding displays.

Penstemon ‘Garnet’ remains one of the finest penstemons available, combining exceptional flowering with excellent winter hardiness.

Salvias are available in an impressive range of colours and flower continuously into autumn, performing equally well in borders and containers.

Sweet peas remain one of the garden’s finest cut flowers, offering a wonderful fragrance together with a remarkable range of colours. Regular cutting encourages continuous flowering throughout the season. Weekly feeding with a seaweed-based liquid fertiliser will help maintain vigorous growth and abundant blooms.

‘Euryops pectinatus’ is a cheerful, sun-loving half-hardy perennial producing bright yellow daisy flowers almost continuously from April until November. It is especially well suited to coastal gardens.

Fuchsias are invaluable for beds and borders, often flowering from May until late November. Continue monitoring plants for signs of rust and downy mildew throughout the season.

Pelargoniums, often referred to as geraniums, also provide a remarkably long flowering season. Gardeners looking for something a little different should consider the beautiful rosebud varieties.

Verbena offers attractive shades of pink, red, white and lavender, making it one of the finest choices for containers and hanging baskets, with flowers continuing well into autumn.

With regular maintenance, careful watering and timely feeding, August rewards gardeners with some of the finest displays of the entire gardening year while also providing the opportunity to prepare for the seasons ahead.

by Liz O’Mahony

The question of whether or not dogs feel guilt is a very interesting premise and one that has been researched at length by many people including a 2009 study by dog cognition expert, Dr Alexandra Horowitz. All have concluded – probably not!

“Not true,” I hear you say. “If I come home to find something torn to shreds, my dog looks really guilty!” Let me refute this argument. Dogs live in the moment. They get excited or frenetic while tearing something apart and enjoy the adrenalin rush that it generates. Once that arousal is over, they forget the action including the pleasure, and possibly curl up and go to sleep. The point is that dogs don’t actually relate to past historic actions unless that history is repeated or they imagine it could be replicated – such as the horror of an aggressive dog attacking them. That fear or feeling the need to retaliate manifests itself each time they encounter a strange dog or the culprit reappears to threaten their personal space. But, that is something entirely different.

So why does my dog look so guilty when I return to find the results of his destruction laid before me you ask? It’s not guilt. It’s because your dog is reading your body language, your face, even your thoughts. You return home to find a cloud of stuffing, paper, whatever, littered across the room from a canine riot! On being faced with this disaster, your body language changes immediately. Your face registers surprise, shock, horror, swiftly followed by anger and consternation. Your whole body stiffens with outrage. Your normal soft vocal tones are replaced by shouting, possibly even expletives!

These are all natural reactions to the situation. However, your dog registers all of this but has no idea why. He doesn’t connect your reaction to his earlier errant behaviour. All he notes is that you’ve turned into a monster who must be appeased. And appeasement is what you interpret as guilt for his actions. So he makes himself as small as possible to indicate that he’s no threat. You interpret this as him cowering with remorse for his misdemeanour under the might of your wrath. His ears flatten on his head; his head lowers, and he avoids eye contact. All of these actions are submissive and an act of appeasement to counteract your anger. It’s easy to interpret that as the human emotion of guilt.

However, you need to take a reality check here. First of all, as already explained, you need to understand that there’s absolutely no point in scolding your dog for a past action because he’s no idea why you’re irate. All you are doing is making your dog nervous around you fearing you might explode at any time in the future. Therefore, you’re undermining any trust that might have been building in your relationship with him.

Here are a few positive pointers to better manage this situation:

If your dog is destructive by nature, use a crate for the times that you are absent. Or place him behind a child gate in a room that has nothing ‘chewable’ except for his own toys but these should be indestructible. Think of it as “avoiding the occasion of sin!” If he can’t get access to items that can be destroyed, he may simply grow out of or forget this unwanted behaviour.

Only intervene if your dog is actually making a beeline to chew something he shouldn’t. But that obviously means you have to be present to do this. And ensure you preempt his actions rather than attempting to stop him when his adrenalin is aroused, as he’ll be less inclined to listen to you.

Remember to reward all good behaviour with praise and treats. Dogs get to enjoy those words of praise from you. They’re a guideline that you’re happy with what they are doing. Therefore, your silence when your dog starts doing something bold will speak volumes.

If you do come home to destruction, take a deep breath and try to stay calm. It’s important for you to control your emotions as an example to your dog. But again, maintaining silence and ignoring your dog will help get the right message across that you’re not impressed with his behaviour. Ranting and raving in front of your dog teaches him nothing except that you’re scary! And as dogs copy our behaviour, you don’t want him mirroring your lack of self control in canine terms.

If your dog persists in destructive behaviour despite your best efforts in training, you may need to call in an expert who can give you advice and methods as to how to deal with this.

Some breeds of dogs are more inclined to chew than others. But, if you start teaching them from the moment they come to live with you, you will have success.

This month Natalie Webb is showing us how to make a rocking boat.

Materials: 

•  Four different coloured pieces of card – I used red, yellow, black and blue.

•  Scissors  •  Glue  •  Marker  

•  Googly eye (optional)

Choose a colour that you want your boat to be (I chose red) and draw a circle approx 17cm diameter on it (I drew around a saucer). Cut out your circle, then fold it in half and you will have your rocking shape.

With a different colour card (I used yellow) draw out a rectangle 4cm x 10cm. Cut it out and put glue along the edge before sticking it onto the top of your rocking shape.

Now cut out another rectangle from the same colour card as your main rocking shape, glue along the edge and stick it behind your first rectangle so that the top edge is showing.

Cut out three black circles and stick them onto the larger rectangle.

With the same colour card as the large rectangle, cut out a small circle approx 5cm diameter. Then cut a circle in the middle to make a ring. 

With the same card cut out two funnel shapes 1cm wide, with one slightly taller than the other.

Stick the ring on the bottom left of the boat and glue the funnels on the back of the boat, at the top so that they are sticking up.

Using a red marker draw stripes on your funnels and lines on your rubber ring.

To finish off I thought it would be fun to stick a little fish on, so with your last colour card draw and cut out a little fish. Draw on scales and if you have a googly eye, stick it on… you can also draw on an eye. Glue your fish on to your boat and there you have it, a cute little boat that rocks. Now make a few more in different colours!

For decades, our housing priority in Ireland has been entirely about survival in the winter: keeping the cold, wind, and damp out while staying cosy inside. But is that about to change? With recent extended heatwaves, we are all looking at ways to keep cool, especially if this trend of warmer summers is here to stay.

Modern and retrofitted Irish homes tend to be well-insulated and draught-free, which is great for keeping warm. But when a heatwave hits, those very same tight envelopes can trap heat indoors, turning well-insulated living rooms into stuffy hotboxes. The good news is that you do not have to choose between a freezing house in January and a sauna in July, (not the nice mobile ones!). By combining smart passive design, modern inverter-driven cooling technology, solar power, the right choice of insulation, and a sprinkling of common sense, you can keep your home comfortably cool and your energy use low. 

One of the common misconceptions among self-builders and renovators is that highly insulated homes will turn into an oven during the summer months. In reality, thermal insulation acts as a two-way shield. It stops heat from escaping your living room in the depths of winter and keeps blistering midday summer heat from penetrating your roof and walls. However, not all insulations perform equally when the sun beats down, which comes down to a physics concept called decrement delay.

Decrement delay measures the time it takes for heat from the outside air to travel through a building material and reach your interior rooms. Lightweight insulations, like standard expanded polystyrene or foil-backed PIR boards, have low thermal mass. Heat from outside can penetrate relatively quickly, often in just three to four hours, meaning the afternoon sun hits your living space just as evening arrives. Conversely, high-density, natural materials such as wood-fibre, hemp, or cellulose act like a thermal sponge. Because of their mass and specific heat capacity, they can boast a decrement delay of eight to twelve hours. By the time solar heat finally works its way through a wood-fibre roof insulation layer, the sun has gone down, the night air has cooled, and you can easily ventilate the heat back outside. If you are building or upgrading your roof in West Cork, choosing high-decrement materials is your first line of defence against summer overheating.

Another key factor in keeping heat out is the amount and orientation of your glazing and, to a lesser extent, the specification of the glass itself. While less relevant for retrofits, good architectural design can eliminate the need for active cooling entirely if you are building from scratch or even extending. Windows are the primary culprits for solar heat gain, so it pays to consider whether all that south-facing, floor-to-ceiling glass is really necessary. South and west facing glass needs external shading, such as deep roof eaves, brise-soleil architectural fins, or external roller blinds or shutters, because once sunlight passes through a window pane, the heat is trapped indoors. Design your windows to allow cross-ventilation, and consider glass specifications carefully. Triple glazing generally allows less solar gain than double glazing, and special low-solar-gain coatings can further inhibit heat on exposed elevations. High-level windows or automated roof skylights let trapped hot air escape via the stack effect at night, drawing fresh, cool breezes through the lower floor, a method we have been using to cool our own home in the evenings over recent weeks. Finally, incorporating exposed concrete, tile, or stone floors gives your interior a thermal mass heat sink to absorb daytime heat, though caution is needed, as combining high thermal mass with overglazing can release excess heat overnight and worsen overheating. If you are building a new house, assessing overheating risk is just as important as checking energy ratings and heat loss.

When passive measures are not enough, mechanical cooling steps in, though systems should always be a last resort. There are several options based around heat pump technology. If you have underfloor heating paired with a ground-source or air-source heat pump, it can often be adapted for cooling. Ground-source geothermal systems are preferable because cooling can be done passively via a small heat exchanger that takes water directly from the ground loop to cool the underfloor circuit, bypassing the compressor. The only energy used is by the circulation pump; a clever, low-cost solution that I have heard anecdotally has reduced indoor temperatures by about four degrees in several West Cork homes this summer! Reversible air-to-water heat pumps can also supply cold water, though this requires running the compressor and consumes more electricity. Neither method works with standard metal radiators, as they lack sufficient surface area and will collect condensation that drips onto floors and causes corrosion.

Alternatively, air-to-air heat pumps operate like modern European air conditioning, using an outdoor unit to feed indoor room units. These have not traditionally been popular in Ireland due to our historic familiarity with wet radiator systems, lower SEAI grant support and historical lack of need. They do however work exceptionally well for both heating and cooling in smaller retrofitted properties without an existing wet distribution system and I have been involved in a few projects like this. 

All modern heat pump systems utilise inverter technology. Unlike older air conditioners that blared at full power until hitting a temperature target and then shut off completely, inverter-driven compressors act like a dimmer switch. Once the target temperature is reached, the compressor slows down smoothly to maintain a steady climate while drawing minimal electricity. When paired with a rooftop Solar PV system, the economics align. As I have often told clients, while solar power rarely matches winter heating demand, peak cooling needs occur on the sunniest days when panels generate maximum output. Instead of drawing grid power, your home essentially runs on free West Cork sunshine.

For homeowners looking to fund these upgrades, government support is structured around targeted schemes. The SEAI Warmer Homes Scheme provides fully funded energy upgrades for low-income homeowners receiving qualifying welfare payments. A Medically Vulnerable Scheme also offers fully funded solar installations for households with registered medical needs requiring heavy power use. For general homeowners, standard SEAI grants offer up to €1,800 alongside zero percent VAT on solar panel installations, up to €12,500 for heat pumps providing space heating, and up to €2,000 to insulate attics with cellulose to combat summer heat.

As always, if you would like to get in touch about anything discussed here or your own retrofit project, feel free to reach out to Ruairí at ruairi@retrofurb.ie.

For generations, building a home on family land has been a familiar route to home ownership, particularly in rural Ireland. With house prices continuing to rise and housing supply remaining tight, more people than ever are now considering buying a site and building their own home as a practical way of entering the property market. For many families, this can also provide an opportunity for adult children to gain independence without moving far from home, or to install a modular unit where there is suitable space on an existing family property.

The Government is now proposing changes to planning policy aimed at creating a more consistent approach across all local authorities, replacing the current ‘location lottery’ with a unified national planning framework that provides greater certainty for applicants. The proposed amendments would ease local housing need restrictions by expanding eligibility to include economic need as well as those working in farming, forestry and essential public services such as teaching and nursing. They would also remove blanket bans on ribbon development and eliminate limits on the number of homes that can be built on a family farm. In addition, under exceptional personal or health circumstances, elderly people wishing to downsize and families caring for a person with a disability could build a home of up to 90 square metres within the site boundary of the original family home. These homes would be subject to conditions, including that they must be used as the owner’s primary residence for a minimum of 10 years and cannot be used as short-term rental accommodation.

The shift has brought renewed attention to self-build mortgages, planning rules and government supports, It has also made the process more complicated, as the cost of construction, land, and professional fees can push many projects beyond what families can afford.

Over the past few years, the cost of building a home has increased significantly. As a result, some people who had planned to self-build are now being told they can no longer afford to do so and should consider buying an existing property instead. In some cases, the total cost of a self-build has even exceeded the market value of the completed home.

Anyone considering building a home should begin by setting a realistic budget. The first step is to speak with a mortgage broker to establish your borrowing capacity before engaging with an architect or engineer. Understanding how much you can borrow, together with your total available budget, allows you to work backwards and plan a home that is financially achievable.

Having a clear budget from the outset helps shape the house design around what is realistically affordable rather than what is aspirational. It is also worth asking your architect or engineer to prepare a ‘gold-plated’ design that includes all of your desired features, with each item individually costed. This allows you to identify where savings can be made during the initial build while ensuring the design can accommodate those features in the future if your budget allows.

Planning permission remains a key step in most self-build projects. A mortgage application generally cannot proceed until conditional planning permission has been granted, and lenders will also want to review the specific conditions attached to that permission.

One of the most significant recent changes to Ireland’s planning system is the introduction of new exemptions for modular homes, which came into effect on July 27, 2026. The measures are designed to make it easier for homeowners to create additional living space by allowing standalone modular homes in back gardens, larger home extensions and, in certain circumstances, the subdivision of existing homes.

Under the new rules, detached garden units, often referred to as ‘granny flats’, of between 32 and 45 square metres can now be built for family use without planning permission, provided they do not have a separate utility connection and are not used for short-term letting. The maximum size of exempt rear house extensions has also increased from 40 square metres to 45 square metres, with any previous extensions taken into account when calculating the total floor area.

The changes also allow an existing home to be divided into two self-contained units, each with a minimum floor area of 32 square metres, provided the development meets the specified criteria. In addition, the exemption threshold for general garden structures, such as home offices and outbuildings, has increased to 30 square metres.

The new exemptions are subject to a number of conditions. They apply only to construction carried out between July 27, 2026 and December 31, 2030. The main house must retain at least 25 square metres of private outdoor space, although there is ongoing debate about how this requirement will be interpreted, as the total includes both front and rear outdoor areas. Other requirements, including minimum distances from septic tanks where applicable, must also be met. Detached garden units must maintain a minimum 0.6-metre setback from walls and property boundaries.

Government supports are available for some self-build projects, although qualifying has become more challenging. The Help to Buy Scheme can be used for self-builds, but applicants must still meet the scheme’s lending criteria. In practice, this means the loan-to-value calculations must align with the valuation of the completed property. Borrowers must take out a mortgage of at least 70 per cent of the completed property’s value, and the completed home cannot be valued at more than €500,000.

The First Home Scheme may also be available for some self-builds, although it is subject to property value limits and other eligibility criteria. For applicants who are unable to borrow enough through the main pillar banks, a Local Authority Home Loan may provide an alternative, depending on the borrower’s circumstances and the value of the property. Maximum property value limits vary between local authority areas.

For anyone considering a self-build, the key message is that it remains an achievable route to home ownership, but it requires more careful planning than ever before. Rising construction costs, stricter lending criteria and planning considerations mean prospective builders need to do far more research before committing to a site or finalising a design.

Modular homes may offer a faster solution in some cases, particularly in light of the recent planning changes. However, buyers should not assume they are exempt from planning rules or other regulations. The best approach is to have your budget, planning position and finance fully in place before construction begins.

Whether you are planning to build your forever home, create a garden home for an adult child or develop additional accommodation to generate rental income, Moneytree can help you identify the lender best suited to your circumstances. Whatever your project, we can guide you through the available lending options and help you find the mortgage solution that best fits your needs.

If you have any questions, please contact the Moneytree team on 023 881 0001.

With a proliferation of electric cars coming from Kia’s Irish headquarters in Ballymount, Dublin, out of the blue two months ago came a regular petrol car, the Kia K4.

In recent months Ronan Flood, M.D. of Kia in Ireland and his marketing manager Cathal Kealey have been busy introducing Irish motor writers to their range of electric cars and we have had launches for the EV5, EV4, EV2 and the PV5, their first electric van.

The Kia K4 is a mild-hybrid 1.0-lite petrol-powered five-door hatchback. The name may be a bit confusing as K4 is also the name of one of the trim levels names already used by Kia. A more powerful 1.6-litre version is expected to be on sale in Ireland by October this year. 

The K4 replaces the popular Cee’d and I get the impression that some of the staff in Kia’s Irish office would have preferred if the new car was also called a Cee’d. It would probably be easier for marketing purpose.

Kia are currently in fifth place in the Irish manufacturers sales chart and can do no wrong right now. They are holding on to their top five place behind: Toyota, Volkswagen, Skoda, and South Korean cousins Hyundai.

Obviously there is demand in the Irish market for affordable petrol cars such as the K4 as not all drivers are ready make the big switch to electric.

I drove a white version and it looked good, but of course the problem with white cars is that they get dirty quickly. It has Star Map lights Star Map Signature Lighting inspired by the EV9 and rear hidden door handles integrated into the C-pillar.

I have had a bit of trouble with my back recently, maybe sitting too long at my PC. So, every time I had to go on a journey last week I found the driver’s seat in the K4 very comfortable. The car is set fairly low and the length of the car is 4.440mm.

Inside a large touch of cream on the steering wheel really caught my eye. That cream colour is replicated on the top of the black seats, which are synthetic leather, all adding up to a very attractive look. The driver gets electric adjustment for their seat also. The interior is bright thanks the glass sunroof, but that sunroof is only available in the GT version.

Prices start at €31,500. The only ‘free’ colours for the K4 are a grey-green hue called Morning Haze and Clear White. The car is also available in: Fiery Red, Azure Blue, Interstellar Gray and Aurora Black, but those colours will cost you an extra €650.

In the back seat if you have only two passengers, they have use the arm-rest for drinks etc. Some of the boot based is taken up by the mild-hybrid battery, but there is also space underneath to carry items.

I think this new K4, which Kia hope will take over where the Kia Ceed left off, should be able to maintain Kia sales against models like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Peugeot 308 in the C-segment SUV hatchback segment.

I liked it, but then I am a paid up member of the hybrid club..

Also on the way from Kia is a face-lifted Stonic which will also be available in petrol and mild-hybrid. And Kia will soon introduce their Seltos to the Irish market. It’s also a petrol car and is Kia’s second best seller globally after the Sportage.

My personal philosophy on caring for your dog means looking after him holistically. By that I mean nurturing him physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. This begins with respecting him as a sentient being. He experiences the same emotions as we do. It’s up to us to give him direction, to develop his potential and help him live life to capacity even within the limits of reduced health or old age. If you like, it’s the lifestyle we, as humans, desire for ourselves.

Responsibility: When we bring a dog into our home, we immediately have a duty of care to look after him to the best of our ability. That means giving him the best diet we can afford that suits his needs and lifestyle. It entails exercising both his mind and body in order to help him reach his potential.

Your dog adopts you as his ‘go to’ person: the most reliable, favourite person who looks after his needs. That’s a huge responsibility and one we shouldn’t take lightly. It’s an opportunity to establish a relationship that can thrive both in good times and bad. It’s a partnership, a two-way relationship based on mutual respect bringing enormous satisfaction to both of you.

Education: This is a basic need – to identify your chosen breed and then to find out all you can about its character traits.

By this, I mean that you find a dog that suits your lifestyle. If you hate routine and physical activity, don’t invest in a dog that needs loads of exercise and mental stimulation. If you hate an established routine and training sessions, then you need to think about your choices.

Sometimes the best people to talk to are the veterinary nurses who see all breeds coming through their doors. And most will be glad to give you the benefit of their wisdom and advice.

If you’re getting your first dog, it’s probably a good idea to avoid those breeds or combinations that come with a caveat such as ‘very independent’, ‘can be difficult with other dogs’ or some such proviso. Much better to choose a dog that is known to be biddable. But, having said that, there’s always the exception to every rule! So don’t be afraid of asking for help in choosing the ‘right’ dog for you.

Socialising: When you’ve made your choice, then you’ll be embarking on a course of training which should include socialising him. That covers many aspects. Obviously, you need to help your dog to meet and be happy with other dogs and people. It may suit you to find some socialisation classes to do this where a trainer orchestrates the ‘Meet and Greet’ between other dogs.

However, you need to really know your dog. A shy dog, a confrontational one, a fearful one, even an over-exuberant, friendly one: they all need a different approach to socialisation. A trainer may be your best bet lest you make your dog’s life more difficult by overwhelming him through your own ignorance.

Playtime: This means playing with your dog; teaching him games; giving him quality time with you. It’s so important when developing the relationship between you and him. It’s also a way of incorporating training while having fun. For example, instead of simply throwing a ball for Saffron, I will ask her to sit and wait while I throw it. Then I encourage her to ‘go fetch’ it.

Or I will ask her to sit and stay while I disappear around the house and hide the ball from her. Then I call her to ‘Go find’. Not only has she shown complete self control by sitting and waiting, she then uses her brain and nose to sniff out where I’ve hidden it.

And, of course, you can teach your dog tricks. Most dogs will enjoy learning as long as you make it easy for them, and provide plenty of praise and rewards in the process.

Esteem: It’s important to appreciate your dog: his qualities, his ability to focus and learn, his value in your life. Cherish your dog for all the good things he brings to your relationship.

Caring: By caring for your dog, I mean giving him the best diet, all the veterinary care he needs, extra training, if necessary. And most of all, loving him to the end of his life. Dogs love us wholeheartedly. We need to follow their example.

Training: Every dog thrives from learning basic obedience training. It gives them boundaries and lets them know exactly what you want and expect of them. It also gives them choices. If you’ve got the training right, they will want to follow your guidance and do as you ask. If not, they may just walk away! And then you have to question what’s gone wrong. Training should be a way of life, not a chore.

As you can see, respect for your dog covers many facets.