Diarmuid Gavin: The 19th century Irish gardener who went on to influence the world
In the quiet countryside near Kilmeaden, Co Waterford, a boy was born in 1838 who would go on to transform the way the world thought about gardens. William Robinson was not born to privilege, and yet he became one of the most influential horticulturists in history — an Irishman who reshaped the English landscape, one perennial at a time.
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South Wales Argus
4 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Pupils in Wales show progress in reading and maths skills
New statistics from the 2023/24 academic year show improvements in English reading, Welsh reading, and numeracy across Wales. English reading attainment rose in all year groups compared to 2022/23, with Year 3 pupils performing better than in both 2020/21 and 2021/22. Welsh reading also saw gains across Years 3 to 9, while numeracy (procedural) showed the most improvement among younger pupils. Numeracy (reasoning) remained stable. Lynne Neagle, cabinet secretary for education, said: "It is encouraging to see progress in attainment in reading and numeracy. "This improvement highlights the impact our investments are making in schools to ensure every learner has the opportunity to reach their full potential." The data comes from anonymised results of the national personalised assessments, which are adaptive online tools used to measure pupil progress in reading and numeracy. Personalised assessments aim to support learning by identifying strengths and areas for development. Trystan Phillips, headteacher at Ysgol Gymunedol Penparc in Ceredigion, said the school has changed how it uses the assessments. Mr Phillips said: "We have evolved in our use of the personalised assessments to move away from their use as a summative resource to being a resource that truly influences progress. "They're very much now a device to support pupil progress." Owen Evans, Estyn's chief inspector, said the tools help teachers tailor support and track learning. Mr Evans said: "Personalised assessments are a useful tool for schools. "They enable teachers to tailor support for individual pupils and track progress over time. "We are pleased to see some improvement, but schools need to work together to support attainment, and ensure there is a relentless focus on improving reading and mathematics for all learners."
Time Out
12 hours ago
- Time Out
Central Park's gorgeous Conservatory Garden has reopened after years of construction
For the past three years, tall fences closed off one of the most beautiful parts of Central Park. Now, after three long years of extensive restoration, the spectacular Conservatory Garden is open once again and is in full bloom. The Conservatory Garden is a six-acre formal garden located in the northeastern quadrant of the park known for its peaceful design and historic charm. The garden underwent at $25 million glow-up, the most significant investment in the space since it was built in 1937, the Central Park Conservancy announced this week. Go see it along Fifth Avenue between 104th and 106th Streets in Central Park. The garden's three distinct styles—French, Italian, and English—have attracted many weddings and photoshoots over the years. It's also a beloved spot for New Yorkers looking for a moment of tranquility in the city. Visiting feels like a taking stroll through a European garden without having to buy a plane ticket. In the springtime, peonies and lilacs surge into bloom at the Conservatory Garden. In the fall, look for a bevy of mums among the garden's neatly trimmed hedges. While many of the garden's horticultural elements were addressed in 1983, this restoration focused on the comprehensive renewal of its historic hardscape, such as restoring bluestone pavers, updating stormwater draining, modernizing fountains, installing ramps and realigning paths. This type of restoration work hadn't been done at the garden in nearly 90 years. In addition, staff also replanted the Italian Garden's iconic crabapple allées with disease-resistant trees and repaired the steel pergola. This is a big year for upgrades to Central Park. The long-awaited Davis Center at Harlem Meer is now open. And the historic Delacorte Theater (where Shakespeare in the Park is staged every summer) will soon reopen after reconstruction.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Irish tradie is desperate to get his hands on 'best ever' $89 Kmart item years after moving back home from Australia
An Irish tradie who used to lived in Perth is seeking to replace a beloved work item that he previously purchased in a Kmart Australia store - but so far to no avail. The man recently took to Reddit to explain that he was on the hunt for a 'similar' pair of work boots to the ones he'd bought years ago in a Kmart store Down Under. He shared the details of his search in an 'Ask An Aussie' subreddit post titled: 'Irishman misses Kmart work boots'. 'Lads I know this is weird but I got a pair of Kmart work boots a couple years ago in Perth,' he wrote. 'They brought me all around your beautiful country and helped me work to afford the copious pints of Swan. 'I'm home in Ireland now and I'm sad to say it but the Jackeroos are approaching their last days.' The man proceeded to share a picture of his now highly worn-out pair of Kmart Zip Sided Safety Boots, which currently retail in store for $89. He added that he'd since struggled to find a worthy replacement in his home country. 'I've been searching for a boot similar, but to no success,' he lamented. The tradie went on to detail the characteristics that he missed about his former Kmart boots, such as 'the soft leather, the side zip that refuses to break, the immediate comfort out of the box, the wide soles for my flat Shrek feet'. 'A true piece of art,' he added. The original poster admitted that he'd dabbled with other boot brands, using a humorous dating metaphor to describe the result thus far. 'I've gone through other boots like rebounds after a failed relationship. [H]oping to find what I'm missing. But they're just not the same,' he wrote. The Reddit post ended with a call-out for help to Aussies, begging to know if a 'similar' boot existed, 'not just in appearance but in spirit and soul'. A number of Aussie tradies jumped into the comments to offer some alternatives. The top three brand of work boots recommended in the comments were Blundstone, Mongrel Boots and Steel Blue. But as was noted in the responses, these bigger name brands tend to be priced at around '$250 for a pair'. By comparison, the Kmart Zip Sided Safety boots are less than half the price. Because the original poster was so enamoured with their old Kmart work boots, some commenters helpfully suggested ways to replace them like-for-like. For instance, one reply recommended ordering a new pair of the same boots online from the Kmart website and then arranging to 'get them delivered to a mate in Australia who can forward them to you'. 'Maybe pricey though for postage,' they conceded. It appears the Irish tradie isn't the only one impressed with Kmart's Zip Sided Safety Boots, which have an impressive 4.7 out of 5 star review score on the mass retailer's website. Many of the five-star reviews made mention of how well-priced the boots are for the quality – particularly when compared to other bigger brands. 'Great shoes for work and excellent price, why pay three times more when the quality is the same if not better,' read one review. 'Great quality for the price… plus they have a steel cap. It was a choice between these or a $200 pair. Can't complain,' added another. The work boots are deemed to be 'suitable for electrical, carpentry, labouring and warehouse industries', and currently come in two colours: black and wheat. Importantly, the online product description confirms that the shoes are 'AS 2210.3:2019 SB FO SRA certified'. Some of the features of the shoe include a slip-on design, steel round toe, side zip, high cut and have a pull back tab. From a practical standpoint, the product description touts that the boots have a 'fuel & oil resistant sole', a 'TPU toe bump' and are 'slip resistant'. The sturdy shoe is made from a mixture of full grained nubuck leather, polyurethane (PU) on the mid sole and outsole and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) cutting die on the footbed. Many of the online reviews commended the comfortability of the boots, with one simply declaring that they were the 'best work boots ever! One shopper explained that they'd worn the Kmart buy for 'long periods' without any trouble, noting that was 'unusual for out of the box boots'. 'Excellent boot for the money. Zip side is great,' added another.
