Monday, 23rd May 2016 According to Bord Bia, this year’s Bloom event will draw attention to many important societal issues including mental health, breast cancer survivorship and Crumlin Children’s Hospital. Mindfulness, the plight of Syria refugees and the need for social inclusion in rural Ireland will also feature as key themes within the popular show garden area.
The GIY Food Matters Stage will address and debate issues such as health and wellbeing in the workplace, the real cost of cheap food and whether hospital food is making us sick. Meanwhile, keynote speakers at the Banter at Bloom tent include Fr. Peter McVerry on Ireland’s homelessness crisis and a number of Irish chefs on the importance of a healthy diet.
This year marks Bord Bia’s 10th Bloom event. Launched in 2007, Bloom was primarily developed as a promotional vehicle for amenity horticulture; providing a showcase for Irish garden plants, garden design horticulture as a hobby. Today, the show is widely regarded as Ireland’s largest garden, food and family festival, attracting over 100,000 visitors last year. In addition to all things green, the Bord Bia festival now includes over 100 Irish food and drink producers at part of the Food Village, over 25 cookery demonstrations with Ireland’s top chefs and 200 retailers all within a 70 acre site. This year, there will also be a strong focus on highlighting Bord Bia’s Origin Green initiative and how Ireland is a world-leader in terms of sustainable food production.
Some of the show gardens include:
Out the Other Side: A Garden of Hope (Breast Cancer)
The Marie Keating Foundation garden, sponsored by Roche, is designed to offer hope to people affected by breast cancer. Designed by Bloom medallist Tünde Szentesi, the garden’s colour scheme symbolizes the journey of breast cancer survivors. It starts with dark purple and red planting, representing the emotions felt by women when first diagnosed. The foliage brightens and the flowers become pink, signifying compassion, nurturing and love. Finally, there is white, reflecting new beginnings, protection and encouragement. The garden features a ribbon-shaped bench and a pond containing pink and white water lilies. The focal point is the hammock, made from women’s bras, designed by students of the Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun, and the National College of Art and Design.
War and Peace – GOAL’s Damascus Courtyard (Syria)
The GOAL Syria Garden designed by Brian Burke, winner of last year’s RTE One Supergarden TV series, symbolises the loss, devastation and displacement families in Syria have been subjected to. The situation in the country exacts a terrible human cost, with families and the country torn apart, and its rich cultural heritage ruined. This Damascene design is a symbol of the devastation, and a metaphor for the plight of the Syrian people. By using a diagonal “fault line” to delineate pre- and post-civil war Syria, the garden will seek to convey a sense of the enforced, violent and traumatic departure of one family from their homeland. The garden will be rebuilt in the Refugee Reception Centre in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare.
Sharing the Load (Mental Health)
Designed by Padraic Woods, ‘Sharing the Load’ depicts how mental health issues can feel, as well as showing that there is light at the end of the tunnel and recovery is possible. The designer is encouraging people to consider Mental Health First Aid. A see-saw will depict the shifts in mood accompanying mental health issues. Tightly-planned trees to the rear of the garden create a shaded area, which represents a deep depression. Dark-coloured plants with spikes and thorns block out the world. Loose gravel gives the sense of instability. In contrast, the front of the garden is a colourful space, showing that life gets easier with help. Following Bloom, Padraic will rebuild the garden on the grounds of Saint John of God Hospital, Stillorgan.
The Tao of Now (Mindfulness)
The Tao of Now’ is a garden built upon the foundations of mindfulness and therapeutic horticulture. In a very aesthetic format, it offers a contemplative or respite space that can be easily copied and transferred to an urban community garden, hospice, hospital, health centre, school, college, or even a workspace courtyard. Veteran Bloom designer Fiann Ó Nualláin believes we all need a little time out now and then, and latest research is proving that sitting in a well-designed garden dramatically reduces stress. The garden is premised upon green healing – the use of predominantly green foliage plants to cause a relaxation effect upon the user of the space. The prime structure of the garden is a sculptural seating platform in the form of a Gyan Mudra – the yogic and meditational hand gesture that represents unity between the self and divine consciousness and which is also the symbol of wisdom. Fiann recently launched his third book in the Holistic Gardener series, entitled ‘Natural Cures for Common Ailments’.
Across Boundaries (Social Farming)
This show garden is a representation of how the concept of Social Farming can play a vital therapeutic role within the healthcare system. The garden, designed by Barry Kavanagh, is broken up into different areas of representation. The square room represents conventional therapy. Within the room is a figure facing an open barrier. Crossing this barrier, the participant takes their transitionary step from conventional care into a naturalistic farm-based therapy. The garden is further broken up into primary farm environments, held together by a natural stone wall. Gwen Wilkinson’s sculptures represent farm animals using chicken wire as material, while traditional stiles recall the built heritage of Ireland. Following Bloom, the garden will be integrated into an existing social farm.
Other show gardens, including Serene Sanctuary, the Savills Face to Face garden and Well Centred focus on mindfulness and finding peace in our busy lives, while the Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin garden will look to increase awareness of its vital services.
Bloom by Bord Bia will run for five days over the June bank holiday weekend in the Phoenix Park, Dublin fromThursday, 2nd to Monday 6th. Tickets are on sale now and visitors are encouraged to book by visiting www.bloominthepark.com
Follow Bloom on www.facebook.com/bloominthepark and join the conversation on Twitter @bloominthepark and @bordbia using hashtag #bloom.
