Buzzing for Bloom

THE Phoenix Park is buzzing in anticipation for this year’s Bloom festival, which celebrates its thirteenth year this weekend from May 30 to June 3.

Northside garden designers Maeve O’Neill, from Glasnevin, and Raheny’s Kevin Dennis, will join Fingal County Council, IT Blanchardstown and VTOS Horticulture Cabra in this year’s show garden line-up.

O'Neill is a landscape architect and sculptor and founder of landscape design practice, Realise Landscape Architects. For Bloom she is creating the ‘Grounded’ show garden that will explore the need to educate people on the language of mental illness in Ireland.

Dennis is a garden designer, horticulturist and founder of Cityscape Gardener and he’s creating the FBD Garden 2019, which will bring to life the moments that spark the flames of our Irish spirit. 

The Floral & Nursery Pavilion features four North Dublin garden shops and nurseries as well as the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, based in the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin; while in the Food Village, eight North Dublin food and drink producers will showcase the best of Irish food and drink.

The celebrated horticulture, food and family festival, which attracted over 120,000 visitors last year, will feature 22 show gardens, 14 postcard gardens, over 100 Irish food and drink producers, 25 plant nurseries, 25 live cookery demonstrations with some of Ireland’s best-known chefs and some 100 retailers.

“This year, it is really encouraging to see issues such as sustainability, biodiversity, water conservation and mental and physical health being addressed in an accessible way through floral displays, talks and family-friendly exhibits,” said Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia.

“With something for everyone, from gardening, arts and crafts, to music, food and drink as well as talks, workshops and live cookery demonstrations, we can look forward to five fun-filled days in the Phoenix Park this June Bank Holiday weekend.”

Fingal County Council and Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown (ITB) will create the ‘Bee Positive’ garden – a ‘pollinator friendly’ concept garden targeted at children to increase their understanding of the importance of pollinators and sustaining a diverse range of pollinator insect species for the future.

The students at VTOS Horticulture Cabra Community College will create the ‘Tóg go Bóg é’ (Take it Easy) garden that will celebrate nature and highlight the many benefits of gardening.

The Destination Garden has been designed by PACE, Blanchardstown, an organisation that provides long-term accommodation units for ex-prisoners with access to ongoing support.

The garden will celebrate the organisation’s 50th anniversary and will recognise its role in helping participants to reach a place of tranquillity in their lives. 

Keeling’s Farm, St Margaret’s, North County Dublin, will create an interactive display to show visitors exactly how fruit is grown on the farm. 

Tickets for Bloom are on sale from Ticketmaster, priced €16 for seniors/students, and €20 for adults, plus booking fee. Children under 16 go free.