One of the most prestigious awards in gardening presented by the Royal Horticultural Society in Britain has been won by Helen Dillon, who is well-known for her programmes on RTE television and her own garden in Dublin.
Ms Dillon has won the Gold Veitch Memorial Medal, which is awarded to those who have helped in the advancement and improvement of the science and practice of horticulture.
Ms Dillon's garden in Dublin is visited by gardeners from many countries and she has lectured and gone on planthunting expeditions to many parts of the world, including Nepal, the US and New Zealand.
Until recently, she presented a weekly gardening programme on RTE. She also writes regular gardening columns for newspapers and has written several books, including In an Irish Garden, which she co-edited, Garden Artistry, The Flower Garden, in association with the RHS.