“It’s always best to start at the beginning” – Gelinda, the good witch of the North. ‘ The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ was written in 1899 – 2 centuries ago by L Frank Baum, since immortalized in the 1939 Warner Bros film {thus it is in the public domain and out of copyright}.
This garden is our homage, a magical interpretation which invites the public to follow the yellow brick road, recreating Dorothy’s ( and friends ) enchanting quest from the Kansas prarie over the rainbow, through munchkin land, via the cornfield crossroads, into a dark forest, by drousy poppy fields and on to the enticing vista of Emerald City.
Mark O’Loughlin is a farmers son, who sells grass that is guaranteed not to grow! Having gone to College (Receiving an advanced Diploma in Marketing and Administration from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators) and doing his travelling (Around Germany, Sydney and San Francisco) he eventually got an office job with his own desk,computer and he wore a tie most days. Which he hated. Thus he fell into self employment as a landscaper. Now, 15 years later Sanctuary Landscapes Ltd (T/A www.sanctuarysynthetics.ie) employs 9 full time staff and several part timers. Specialising in installing Synthetic grass for the domestic and childcare markets. All non-sports applications basically. He won investment on The Dragons Den in 2010 for his invention "The Hidbin" – from ‘unsightly’ to ‘unseen’- a Synthetic grass hedge screening for hiding wheeliebins which now successfully export to the UK. In 2011, Sanctuary won a Silver medal for our large walk through garden "The Alice In Wonderland Sanctuary Garden". After this Wizard Garden he might retire.
Source: Bloom – The Wizard of Oz Sanctuary Garden | Concept Gardens | Bloom 2013
