Inspirational Offaly garden to feature on RTE television series

A famous Offaly garden will feature on the RTE television series 'Home Grown' - the popular seven part series celebrating Irish horticulture – next week.

Industry advocate and presenter Kitty Scully visits the inspirational garden of Angele Jupe Garden at Bellefield House, Shinrone.

Angela Jupe left Ireland with an amazing legacy, and Kitty visits the garden which is now in the expert care of the RHSI, and Head Gardener Paul Smyth.

The programme will be televised on RTE next Wednesday evening, March 13.

Gardening activity surged during the Covid-19 pandemic resulting in a growth in spend by consumers to circa 1.5 billion euro in 2021 (IPSOS Bord Bia Value of the Garden Market study 2021), and a whole new cohort of new and returning gardeners. 

Home Grown series 2 sees Kitty and Colm meeting people involved in greening public spaces, growing exotic mushrooms, community gardening initiatives, outdoor salad leaf production, restoring historic gardens, and learning how bees play a vital and integral role in large scale fruit production. 

Other stories include visiting an amazing sensory garden developed for health and wellbeing, following the young designer who won the Cultivating Talent competition on his first foray into designing and building a show garden at Bord Bia Bloom 2023; and meeting with a new, innovative generation of growers, and finding out how social media influencers are inspiring a new generation into gardening. 

Kitty Scully, Head Grower on a private estate commented: "Last year was a really challenging growing season with unprecedented levels of rainfall in March, followed by drought before a wet and cold July/August.

“It was worrisome but yet inspiring to witness first hand the resilience and determination of growers as they navigate our ever changing climate, and reiterated the importance of buying Irish when it comes to plants, produce and inputs.

“Chatting with growers across the country it became clear that climate was not the only challenge facing growers in 2023. Coupled with ever increasing input costs and vulnerable supply chains, the struggle to maintain viability and stay in business was real. It was encouraging to see some growers respond with a focus on shortening supply chains, which in turn boosts local economy and reduces carbon emissions. The capacity of growers to rethink, reimagine, adapt and act in times of crisis never fails to amaze me.”
Kitty is a well-known organic gardener and local food advocate. Growing up on a mixed organic farm in Co Laois, she picked up a love of eating and growing good food at a young age. She nurtured this inherent passion with a formal education and by working on organic farms and gardens around the world.

An MSc in Organic Horticulture is her highest paper accolade, but her practical achievements go far beyond. Kitty has had a diverse career in horticulture to date – from managing a market garden for nuns in North Cork, to spearheading the evolution of the kitchen gardens in Airfield Estate; writing for national papers and co-presenting garden shows on RTE, ‘Home Grown’ being her most recent.  

She currently writes for The Irish Garden Magazine, co-ordinates the Organic Growers of Ireland Network and is Head Grower on a private estate.
Kitty is a natural communicator who regularly gives talks, lectures, and teaches workshops on gardening using organic methods.  Kitty’s energy and enthusiasm for growing, learning, and talking about all things soil based is endless.