With May just around the corner, Bloom Show Garden Manager, Kerrie Gardiner explains how a number of new initiatives will help to make this year’s event the best yet
Joining the Bloom team last year was a fantastic feeling. The opportunity to work on such an important event in the Irish horticultural calendar is a real honour. I work closely with the Bord Bia team and there’s a real feeling that Bloom 2016 will be really special! One of the most satisfying things for me has been working with the team to develop new ideas as to how we might go about making the show even better than previous years. Here are some of the ideas we’ve come up with and are in the process of rolling out for Bloom 2016.
WORKSHOPS:
In preparation for 2016, we have run a series of workshops for both show garden designers and nursery and floral pavilion exhibitors. In addition to our annual designer’s workshop held in the autumn, we had a very well attended ‘How to plant your show garden’ workshop in February with key speakers including Bloom’s show garden head judge, Andrew Wilson and Bloom’s multi-gold medal and best in category winner Jane McCorkell. Both speakers shared their own experience of designing and building show gardens, sharing tips which ranged from logistics and strategy – the importance of planning, large orders of plant stock, etc. – to the finer details such as factoring in time to allow plants to bed into the finished garden before the show opens. The planting workshop was a great success with lots of positive feedback from designers.
MENTORING:
We’ve launched a mentoring programme whereby experienced garden designers from previous festivals will support new designers during their preparations for the show. Be it advice on planting, sourcing materials or scheduling for the build, the programme will allow newcomers to benefit from their mentor’s valuable experience and lessons they may have learned over the years. This unique support will help to make this year’s festival one of the best!
NEW PLANTING MEDAL:
Also new for 2016 will be the Best Planting Medal within the show gardens. To assist in judging this award we have leading Dutch garden designer, author-lecturer and nursery owner, Cor van Gelderen. With his experience, Cor will provide a valuable addition to our already stellar judging panel.
OPPORTUNITY TO SELL PLANTS USED IN THE SHOW GARDENS:
This year we are exploring the possibilities of facilitating a plant sale opportunity within the Plant Village for nurseries supporting the Bloom show gardens. This is a new opportunity for the suppliers to sell plants at Bloom without the commitment of taking an entire stand.
BLOOM’S NURSERY & FLORAL PAVILION
This summer, Bloom’s Nursery & Floral Pavilion will host fifty different nurseries and florists from around Ireland all seeking to create wonderful floral exhibits using plants in their prime.
In early February we held a Nursery and Floral Pavilion Workshop with key speakers including Bloom’s Nursery & Floral Pavilion judges, Frances McDonald and Jim Buttress and multi-gold medal and best in category winner Orla Woods.
THE SHOW GARDENS
This year’s Bloom Festival will include over 25 show gardens, often referred to as the jewel in the crown of the Bord Bia festival. The designers have continued the tradition of repeatedly raising the bar on previous years, to develop beautiful, imaginative and thought-provoking designs. The gardens will vary in size from large, medium and small gardens, each developed with a unique theme and style to inspire those who wish to create their own garden at home. Some show gardens already confirmed include “Serene Sanctuary”, “Bridge the Gap” and “Sharing the Load” as well “The Designer’s Backyard”.
The design for “Bridge the Gap”, by Chicago Parks Department, features two large living sculptures that can be seen as two sides of a bridge however they do not connect. One side of the bridge features planting known for its Irish heritage and history while the other side of the bridge will have plants seen in Chicago and used throughout the Chicago Park District Conservatories. The two sides are separated by a negative space and in using two viewing areas to observe the structure, visitors will be able to see through the bridge and notice patrons viewing from the other side.
“Serene Sanctuary”, a medium-sized show garden, by Alan Coffey in association with Alan Battersby of Ashbrook Landscaping, seeks to renew the adage of the garden as a sanctuary in creating a contemplative space as a retreat from busy lives or a meeting space for family and friends. Each area of the garden will provoke different emotional and sensory responses. The dominant structure within the garden will be a wooden pergola which allows the space to be enclosed.
In the small garden category “Sharing the Load” by Padraic Woods with St. John of God Hospital and Councillors Association of Ireland, will highlight mental health awareness in Ireland and the support available. The main structure within the garden is a seesaw depicting the highs and lows associated with mental health. Oliver Schurmann, who has previously won a gold medal and best in show at Bloom, will bring “The Designer’s Backyard”, a garden that is built for a designer who lives in a built-up, urban area. It is intended to provide habitats for various plant species and house materials and ornaments from other jobs, all while making the space appear larger than it is by creating a sunken area, a water cascade and vertical layers of plants. ✽
 KERRIE GARDINER, Kerrie Gardiner CMLI BA (Hons) is a Galway based Landscape Architect who has worked on the design of commercial, public and private landscapes for over 12 years. She now divides her time between her successful design practice and her role as Bloom Show Garden Manager. |
