FOR MANY GARDENERS, the June Bank Holiday weekend marks not only an extended weekend that can be spent enjoying their green space but it also marks the annual trip to the Phoenix Park for Bloom in the Park. This trip offers many gardeners a fantastic opportunity to seek inspiration for new planting combinations and a chance to purchase new plants for their gardens at home.
SuperGarden-DavidCorscaddenWhile the five day garden festival may seem awhile off at the moment, the countdown is already heating up with preparation underway for those organising this year’s show. For many at home however the true countdown to the festival does not begin until when Super Garden starts to air on our television screens.
Super Garden, the Irish gardening worlds answer to Xfactor, sees five garden designers compete against each other to design and implement a winning garden design in a persons home garden and one that can be recreated at Bloom.
For many who follow the show this is one of the highlights of a visit to Bloom as visitors can see how the winning garden has been replicated in to a show garden format. Even if it is not the garden that you were root to win during the series, it is a fantastic chance to see the back story of a garden, it’s construction and then being able to interact with it at Bloom.
Those who are fans of the show will remember last year’s competition and the winning design by Cian Hawes. Cian designed a contemporary zen garden with a very modern twist. His garden had notes of traditional Japanese zen gardens with plantings of Japanese Maples, tree ferns and bamboo with strong elemnts of rock and water within the design also. Planted gabion walls and a contemplation room and furniture, made from reclaimed materials, added a modern feel to the garden. Having won the competition and Cian’s garden was then recreated a few weeks later at Bloom.
Currently designers and garden enthusiasts are being invited to apply to compete in Super Garden 2015 which means we are only a few short weeks away from the next series of Super Garden appearing on our television screens.
While this marks the return of some good gardening television for us gardeners sitting at home, it also offers budding designers or those with a flare for plants a chance to showcase their passion and talent on national television. Those interested in applying should contact Andy or Julia on 01 8641444 or email supergardenshow@gmail.com for an application. Applications must be submitted by Friday 20th of February.
My Name is David Corscadden and I have just finished my degree in horticulture from UCD. I have a keen interest in wildlife friendly gardens or as I like to call them “Wild Gardens”. I have in the last year taken a u-turn in what I thought I would do after college. I have moved more in to the literature side of horticulture and plan to do a masters in journalism next year.
Source: Beyond The Wild Garden – Can You Make A Super Garden? – David Corscadden
