Caherhurley is one of Ireland's last nurseries where plants are propagated and not just potted on from imported young plants. Caherhurley plants are fully Irish. But what's even more important: they're different from what's available everywhere else. Generally available plants are often varieties that are commercially attractive for growers: fast crops yielding fast money. These varieties might look attractive, but they're not always the best ones for gardeners. Many unusual varieties grown at Caherhurley have been proven to perform better. Also they are better able to withstand the challenges of the harsh Irish climate. For 50 years we've been searching rare, but better performing varieties in small specialist nurseries and botanical gardens all over Europe and America with a similar climate to ours.

• Gardeners love to talk to the growers, who can provide essential expert information. Also, it's a unique, refreshing experience to visit a nursery where you can actually see how the nursery work is done. There's a great atmosphere in our nursery with the enthusiastic plant persons of the Caherhurley team working here. On your request we'll show our motherstock and propagation area with 1200 varieties, and we're happy to share information how to propagate your purchased plants.

• The sales area of the nursery is divided in sections and bays with plants for specific purposes: for instance a section with plants for pollinators, for damp soil, plants fast filling a large area, coastal plants etc. This makes it easy to find the right plants.

• Caherhurley Nursery is Ireland's only certified organic nursery of ornamental garden plants. This is the only guarantee that no bee-killing chemicals were used.

• Caherhurley Nursery plants have the lowest possible environmental impact: they're home grown, not brought in from the continent in cooled lorries, not fast grown with artificial fertilisers. Caherhurley Nursery plants were never in glasshouses or polytunnels. We love to keep things simple.

At Caherhurley Nursery, we believe plants should be grown in ways that complement both the Irish climate and the conditions that are commonly found in Irish gardens. We aim to do this in the following ways:

1. We only select the hardiest plants to grow at our nursery. We find that many plant varieties available in Ireland are just unsuitable for our climate: Some are vulnerable to frost, but winter dampness can also cause trouble. Then there is the problem of poor performing plants that looked so good when purchased. Many varieties do not flower as abundantly as they would in other, less hostile parts of Europe. We thought decided to do something about this by offering varieties that can cope with the more challenging Irish climate.

2. By growing our plants in the harsh conditions of our windy mountain slope, without any protection from glasshouses or polytunnels, we give them a far better chance to survive the challenging circumstances anywhere. They are much better adapted to the extremes of the Irish climate than the few-months-hardened-off polytunnel-grown plants out of the modern fast-crop mass-production nurseries which have been ‘hardened off’ only briefly.
   
   3. Our plants are grown to certified organic standards (IOA licence 4308) without chemicals or artificial fertilisers. They are grown slowly into compact, strong, fresh and healthy looking plants, waiting to burst out into something wonderful in your garden. By purchasing our plants, you will make a positive contribution to the environment.
   
   4. We cultivate plants that differ from those commonly grown in Irish gardens. We predominantly grow plants that have a natural appearance. We value plants that display true beauty. We find that some newly-introduced plants fall short of the expectations promised by their developers, and that our favoured, less common varieties perform better.