The traditional rose remains Ireland’s favourite flower according to a new Bord Bia survey released today during its 9th annual Bloom festival. Over 1,800 people surveyed selected roses as their garden flower of choice, followed by lavender, daffodils and tulips.
Sunday June 1st 2015 The traditional rose remains Ireland’s favourite flower according to a new Bord Bia survey released today during its 9th annual Bloom festival. Over 1,800 people surveyed selected roses as their garden flower of choice, followed by lavender, daffodils and tulips. The survey, which was carried out among Bord Bia’s Club Bloom members, found more than two thirds of people (66%) like to garden every week, while another 20% garden at least ‘a couple of times a month’. Unsurprisingly, weeding was voted the least favourite gardening task, meanwhile planting was almost universally (97%) selected as the favourite.
The value of Ireland’s gardening industry is growing for the first time since 2011 according to a Bord Bia study launched earlier this year. The ‘Garden Market Value’ research, carried out by Ipsos MRBI, shows Irish consumers’ gardening spend has increased by 22% since 2011 to reach €631 million in 2014.
Designers’ Choice Award Choice Award
Today also marked the announcement of the Designers’ Choice Award, a coveted accolade, where the garden designers vote for their favourite show garden. Niall Maxwell from Oldtown in Dublin, scooped the award for his show garden ‘Darkness into Light – The Pieta House Garden’.
Bloom is Blossoming
Bord Bia, who organise Bloom, have said that the festival is still very much open for business, despite the wet weather overnight. Bloom is an all weather event and offers 3 acres of covered marquee space, 3km of trackway and 1,200 square metres of walkway linking the main features. Visitors should continue to avail of free shuttle bus transfers every 20 minutes from Heuston Station to the festival. Additional hard surface parking has been made available for those planning to drive to the event and as traffic arrives onsite organisers and Gardai will be directing visitors to optimum parking spaces. Met Eireann has said that conditions remain cool with sunny spells and only passing showers of rain.
Still to Come at Bloom
Bord Bia’s Bloom continues today and (tomorrow) Monday June 1st, opening 9am – 6pm daily. The festival hosts 25 stunning show gardens, over 40 displays from Ireland’s top nurseries, 125 Irish food and drink producers onsite, over 200 retailers, 25 cookery demonstrations, daily fashion shows and 6 stages with plenty of gardening talks, music and lively debate to entertain.
The Banter at Bloom marquee, chaired by music journalist Jim Carroll, is hosting a series of discussions, talks, and conversations on topical issues around food, sustainability, agriculture, and everything in between. Well-known faces yet to entertain the crowds include Michelin Starred chef Oliver Dunne, RTE Radio One’s Aine Lawlor and Ear to the Ground presenter Darragh McCullough.
For those in need of foodie inspiration, the Quality Kitchen stage is a must, with a number of cookery demonstrations taking place featuring Neven Maguire, Catherine Fulvio, The Lazy Chef Simon Lamont, all still to come. TV personality Ella McSweeney as MC is also introducing Bloom visitors to some of Ireland’s top food producers live on stage.
Tickets are priced between €14 – €20 and children go free! While parking will be available onsite, a number of courtesy shuttle buses will run from Parkgate Street to Bloom from 8.30am – 7pm each day. For more information see www.bloominthepark.com
Follow Bloom on www.facebook.com/bloominthepark or join the conversation on Twitter @Bloominthepark @bordbia and #bloom
Rosaleen O’Shaughnessy
Corporate Communications Manager
DD: (01) 6142245 | Mob: (086) 4054639
Bord Bia | Clanwilliam Court, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2
www.bordbia.ie
