Bloom 2014 boasts 30 incredible show gardens which have been designed and constructed by some of the top Landscape Architects and Garden Designers Ireland boasts. Showcasing the high horticultural standards and practices Ireland has to offer, the show gardens provide visitors with inspiration and ideas that they can bring back to their own garden regardless of the size of garden or budget they are working with.
Each year the show gardens at Bloom set out to excite the imagination of visitors and 2014 is no different. From a 17 foot tall Mr Tayto with garden depicting the pathway from field to crisp packet to the reconstruction of the iconic kitchen set from the Mrs Brown’s Boys television show, the whimsy and magic takes hold as soon visitors enter the show gardens area.
Alongside the out of the ordinary features on display, the show garden for 2014 widely presented very naturalistic and organic planting scheme. This scheme see’s colours and textures from a wide range of different plants meld together in perfect harmony. From the rich woodland planting of Deirdre Pender’s ‘Idir’ garden to the lush colourful flow of plants above the bog area in the ”Wellbeing Wetlands” garden from Gardens Now, the same idea of a naturalistic planting runs throughout many of the show gardens.
Following a surge in popularity this year among the show garden community, Foxgloves, play a key role in the planting schemes of many of the show gardens here at Bloom 2014. Throughout the plant selection at Bloom visitors will get a sense of familiarity, with the plants seen being used firm garden favourites known for their good performance and garden merits. Irises, lupins, peonies and birch trees, to name just a few, pop up across the show gardens. While these plants feature in many gardens across Bloom, the garden designers each offer unique and insightful ways these garden favourites can be adapted to suit different styles and sizes of garden in new and interesting ways.
In keeping with the trend of previous years, edible gardens and gardens which set out to be productive as well as beautiful take centre stage at Bloom. The increasing popularity of Grow Your Own has continued straight through from last year into the show gardens on display this year. Productive gardens are showcased across the spectrum from the formal and traditional designs as seen in the ‘Tankardstown – A work of Heart’ garden to the modern interruption of the idea for a small urban garden with ‘The Pantry’ garden designed by Deirdre Walsh and Gavin Foy.
The idea of Grow Your Own is taken a step further this year by Fiann Ó Nualláin who’s garden sets out to show visitors that they can grow medicine as well as food. The garden showcases the many plants gardeners can grow themselves to cure common garden injuries and gardener aliments.
Drawing on the imagination and expertise of its designers, the show gardens at Bloom 2014 set out to invigorate visitors with new ideas and concepts all the while promoting and highlighting the top quality plants Ireland has to offer.
