Green Cork projects in spotlight on TV series

The Field of Dreams project in Curraheen, the rooftop farm in City, and Fota Wildlife Park are all featured in the next episode of Home Grown on RTÉ1 on Wednesday at 8pm.
At Fota Wildlife Park in Cork, Kitty Scully meets Lynda McSweeney, its Head-of-Education (both pictured on TV Week cover), to discover how tailored habitats animal welfare.
Kitty also speaks with Fota staff Julien Fonteneau, Lead Ranger, and Ron Dool, Design Consultant, about deg natural environments and planning diets that mimic wild ecosystems.
Also on the programme, Colm O’Driscoll visits Field of Dreams in Curraheen, a garden project ing individuals with Down Syndrome.
Chairperson of Down Syndrome Cork, Tara Casserly, and Field of Dreams Care Coordinator Debbie Kelleher share how the space fosters life skills, confidence, and employment opportunities through horticultural therapy.
Colm also meets students participating in the programme, showcasing the transformative power of gardening.
The episode of Home Grown also features a visit to Cork Rooftop Farm.
Kitty visits Brian McCarthy’s plot where unused urban spaces are transformed into vibrant growing spaces.
This innovative project reduces food miles with fresh microgreens and vegetables, highlighting how urban growing can inspire sustainable communities across Ireland.
Plus, the programme includes a report on peonies, flowers which are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America.
Colm visits Killowen Orchard in Waterford and meets peony grower Adam Green to explore the delicate world of these flowers.
They bloom for just 6–8 weeks each year, so the race is on to harvest them at their peak.
Colm tries his hand at harvesting and arranging these stunning blooms, with guidance from Kay Dunne, Quality Control Manager.
This is the third series of Home Grown, which celebrates the world of Irish horticulture, as presenters Kitty and Colm travel the country, searching for stories that highlight the very best in the industry.