With so much happening, so many great garden, superb plants and enticing plant stalls, I don’t have time to write about them all straight away. During the week I will get around to uploading all my photos to my photoshelter site. For now though here are gardens, plants and things that I really liked at Bloom, but have not featured. (In no particular order).
Tig from DYG.IE rolling his compost bin.
Tig and his rolling compost bin- DYG
Wall in Tim Austen’s Garden
3. Steam Museum garden
he Steam Museum Garden designed by Sophie Graefin Von Maltzan and Lodge Park Steam Museum Garden, Kildare
4. Foxgloves in Deirdre Pender’s garden
Foxgloves - AOS Sí designed by Deirdre Pender, Talamh Landscapes, Carlow
5. First ever international entry
6. Outdoor gallery
An Outdoor Gallery designed by Sophie Graefin Von Maltzan, Dublin
7. Delphiniums in the walled garden
8.Primulas
9. Japanese maple in Jane Mc Corkell’s garden
10. GIY Vegetable map
Vegetable map of Ireland - GIY
11. SEED – Edible School Garden
Edible Garden - SEED
12. Schefflera on Rare Plans ireland Nursery Display
Schefflera - Rare Plants Ireland
13. Pine Wood Deck in Deirdre Pender’s garden
Pine wood deck - AOS Sí designed by Deirdre Pender, Talamh Landscapes, Carlow
14. Tripod for outdoor cooking -DYG.IE
Tripod for cooking over open fire - DYG
15. Seats in Oliver and Liat Schurmann’s Garden
Seats - Large Garden: To The Waters Edge designed by Oliver & Liat Schurmann, Mount Venus Nurseries Dublin
16. Green Roof in Tim Austen’s garden
Green Roof - The Growise Garden in association with Kildare Growers designed by Tim Austen, Austen Associates, Wicklow Engaging Space
17. Water Features – Tim Austen’s garden
The Growise Garden in association with Kildare Growers designed by Tim Austen, Austen Associates, Wicklow Engaging Space
Philip Bankhead of Penninsula Primulas picking the right plant
4 pm. A bell rings, sounding like a the teacher ringing the end of lunch time, but it is the start of the exhibitors displays sell off in the floral marquee. The thronging crowds are in a frenzy. Plants are being pointed at, pulled at, stand owners prodded. Rare delights are removed and sold, special deals offered, and gladly accepted. I had to keep a keen eye on our stand, “Is this pot for sale?”, “are you giving away anything” our plants and pots from our garden are endangered! But it is all good natured and fun.
Boyne Garden Centre Sell-off
Hanna helped Philip Bankhead of Pennisula Primulas. This is an annual arrangement ever since the first Bloom when Philip innocently said “help yourself’ t and his invitation to the public to pick their desired primulas and queue to pay for them was misunderstood. Now Hanna marshals the crowds with Finnish organisation and a teacher’s command. An orderly queue is formed around his stand as customers choose their plants, Philip packs them, all are paid for; everybody’s happy. Around every nursery stand their is a type of bedlam, as foxgloves fly and lupins leap into grateful arms. Japanese maples move through the air, concealing people in a cloud of purple foliage that waves from side to side through the floral marquee. Smiles are on the faces of happy plant buyers.
Finlay Colley of Rare Plants Ireland in action
Bloom is as much about people as it is about plants, gardens and food. Each year we see the familiar faces, Koraley Northen photographing plants, people and gardens, Gerry Daly of The Irish Garden mingling and talking, giving lectures and talking on the radio. Orla Woods of Kilmurry Nursery, she performs her duties as Nursery Pavilion Organiser with good humour and efficiency and works the whole weekend selling plants on her nursery and making sure everyone is happy. This year we also had teams of Bloom Ambassadors referred to as “bloomers” milling around and helping the public with directions for toilets, restaurants, and anything else they need to know about Bloom. This year’s record attendance figures made sure they were kept busy all the time.
We have had great neighbours around our stand; Jimi Blake from Huntingbrook our breakfast companion and plant spotter and tipster, Finlay Colley of Rare Plants Ireland who stocks a most temting range of trees and shrubs, we could not resist. Then we had Oliver Schurmann of Mount Venus flying around on his bicycle before the show opened, zooming between his show garden and nursery stand. Now that the show is over, the stand removed and packed in the car, our heads still whirring from the past five days, we are tired but happy. It has been a great show, thanks must go to Gary Graham and Carol Marks at Bord Nia for all their hard work through the year that makes the event happen.We have attended Bloom since its inception and each year it keeps getting bigger and better, looking forward now to next year.
The Orb designed by Anne Hamilton, Fox Gardens, Enniskeane, Cork
There are so many gardens of high standard at Bloom this year, it is impossible to write about them all on my blog and also fit in time to sleep. So here area selection of photos from some of my favourites that I have not featured already. More will follow in the next few days. (Click on image to enlarge).
The Kells Bay Garden designed by Frazer McDonogh, Wicklow & Billy Alexander, Kells Bay Gardens, Kerry
The Kells Bay Garden designed by Frazer McDonogh, Wicklow & Billy Alexander, Kells Bay Gardens, Kerry
The Kells Bay Garden designed by Frazer McDonogh, Wicklow & Billy Alexander, Kells Bay Gardens, Kerry
The Kells Bay Garden designed by Frazer McDonogh, Wicklow & Billy Alexander, Kells Bay Gardens, Kerry
Place of Belonging designed by Damien Costello & the customers of Focus Ireland
Place of Belonging designed by Damien Costello & the customers of Focus Ireland
Place of Belonging designed by Damien Costello & the customers of Focus Ireland
Place of Belonging designed by Damien Costello & the customers of Focus Ireland
Silene flos-cuculli ‘White Robin’ – Place of Belonging designed by Damien Costello & the customers of Focus Ireland
Place of Belonging designed by Damien Costello & the customers of Focus Ireland
Place of Belonging designed by Damien Costello & the customers of Focus Ireland
AOS Sí designed by Deirdre Pender, Talamh Landscapes, Carlow
AOS Sí designed by Deirdre Pender, Talamh Landscapes, Carlow
AOS Sí designed by Deirdre Pender, Talamh Landscapes, Carlow
The lyric fm Garden, ‘Where Life Sounds Better’ designed by Sheena Vernon with Michael Corr, Garden Force
The lyric fm Garden, ‘Where Life Sounds Better’ designed by Sheena Vernon with Michael Corr, Garden Force
Trish Taylor and Gerry Daly -The lyric fm Garden, ‘Where Life Sounds Better’ designed by Sheena Vernon with Michael Corr, Garden Force
AOS Sí designed by Deirdre Pender, Talamh Landscapes, Carlow
The Orb designed by Anne Hamilton, Fox Gardens, Enniskeane, Cork
The Orb designed by Anne Hamilton, Fox Gardens, Enniskeane, Cork
The Orb designed by Anne Hamilton, Fox Gardens, Enniskeane, Cork
The Orb designed by Anne Hamilton, Fox Gardens, Enniskeane, Cork
The Orb designed by Anne Hamilton, Fox Gardens, Enniskeane, Cork
The last day approaches, Bloom 2011 is nearing the end. We really enjoy doing our stand at the show, not only do we get to meet lots of keen gardeners but we also get to catch up with our friends from the nurseries. There is always a great camaraderie between the participants at Bloom, sharing food, watching each others stands and swapping stories. Even though the days are long and the work is tiring, there are always plenty of laughs. Lots of chat about plants takes place, opinions, recommendations and critical appraisal. There is also lots of temptation. Each year I promise myself that I will exercise amazing self control and not buy many plants. This year, like each year before, my resolve has crumbled when presented with the wonderful choice of beauties on display. I could not resist the double flowered ragged robin, Lychins flos-cuculli ‘Jenny’ from Kilmurry nursery, nor the biggest hosta in the world, so they say, that can reach 1.2m high with huge leaves, Hosta “Empress Wu’ from Boyne Garden Centre.
There are too many to mention, not all were purchased but there is still tomorrow to go. Below are some of the delights on offer at Bloom. (click on image to enlarge).
Clematis ‘Ooh La La’ – Ashbourne Climbers
Paeonia ‘Bowl of Beauty’ – Boyne Garden Centre
Papaver orientale ‘Karine’ – Boyne Garden Centre
White Foxglove – Boyne Garden Centre
Paeonia ‘Bowl of Beauty’ – Boyne Garden Centre
Paeonia ‘Bowl of Beauty’ – Boyne Garden Centre
Lysimachia atropurpurea ‘Beaujolais’ – Boyne Garden Centre
Lysimachia atropurpurea ‘Beaujolais’ – Boyne Garden Centre
Astrantia – Mount Venus Nursery
Mount Venus Nursery Display
Eryngium flower
Papaver orientale – Kilmurry Nursery
Papaver orientale – Kilmurry Nursery
Papaver orientale – Kilmurry Nursery
Verbascum and Achillea Kilmurry Nursery
Verbascum and Achillea Kilmurry Nursery
Verbascum and Achillea Kilmurry Nursery
Lychnis flos-cuculi ‘Jenny – Kilmurry Nursery
Lychnis flos-cuculi ‘Jenny’ – Kilmurry Nursery
Lychnis flos-cuculi ‘Jenny’ – Kilmurry Nursery
Foxgloves – Kilmurry Nursery
Foxgloves – Kilmurry
Mount Venus Nursery display
Eryngium – Mount Venus Nursery
Anthericum liliago – Mount Venus Nursery
Disporum cantoniense ‘Night Heron’ – Mount Venus Nursery
Disporum cantoniense ‘Night Heron’ – Mount Venus Nursery
Two more gold medal winners from this year’s Bloom
THE AWARDS
Table under pergola – THE HIDDEN CUBE STYLE GARDEN
Above: Medium Garden: The Hidden Cube Style Garden with Arnotts designed by Gary Hanaphy & Colm Quinn, from Kwik Fit Gardens by Rockstar & Jasper, Dublin
River Run Dublin UNESCO City of Literature Garden designed by Mary Ann HarrisRiver Run Dublin UNESCO City of Literature Garden designed by Mary Ann Harris
Small Garden: River Run Dublin UNESCO City of Literature Garden designed by Mary Ann Harris from Dublin City Council
The Hidden Cube by Gary Hanaphy & Colm Quinn is a garden filled with modern urban style, an impressive pergola and geometric shapes, in particular, cubes. River Run Dublin UNESCO City of Literature Garden designed by Mary Ann Harris features quotations in stone, sculpture and planting with subdued use of colour.
Portach - Anu Green and Peter Little from Hortisculptures, Cork
There is so much to see at this years Bloom and the standard of the show gardens is really high. This is reflected in the awards with the judges giving a medal to each garden for the first time since the garden festival started. Away from the main show gardens stuck in an unflattering corner of the outdoor retail area is a garden that is designed to create the atmosphere of a woodland bog. This is Portach designed by Rita Higgins & Paul Quirke from Anú Green and Peter Little from Hortisculptures, Cork. Despite the visual distraction of bight red crepe stalls and bustling activity all round, the garden entered in the category of Engaging Space achieves its aim.
Created using natural materials and planted with a combination of both native and organic plant species to maximize biodiversity, the moist and magical atmosphere of a woodland garden oozes from the the earth and the structures. Constructed beneath the dome of a massive sculpture that mimics a woodland tree canopy, mosses and foliage provide a verdant foil for airy flowers of Rodgersia flowers. Pendant pods are cosy enclosures dangling from the dome, while the bog oak sculpture and framework is reflected in a still water pool. An intriguing garden that blends art and horticulture, wood and steel, natives and exotics; a beautiful garden combining humans’ artistry with nature’s magic.
Our second day at Bloom. We started by doing what should have been doing at the end of the day. Imagine sitting in a sunken garden under blue skies surrounded by greenery and tranquility, beauty and liquidity. Hanna paddled in cool water, well at least the soles of her feet caused ripples in the shallow flow that ran over the stone walk way to the sunken island in a tranquil water-scape.
Oliver & Liat Schurmann - At The Waters Edge
Few garden designers manage to capture atmosphere and mood in show gardens, at least not in the same way as Oliver and Liat Shurmann of Mount Venus Nurseries do it. Their entry into this year’s Bloom’s show gardens is to my mind the obvious choice of best in show, gladly, the show judges agreed. Plane trees create seclusion from the outside, their open canopies playing with reflections on the water. Borders of green and exotic foliage are dressed with euphorbia flowers, adding a sulphurous luminosity to the mellow planting. The sylvanian atmosphere embraces the water filled garden, where in the centre a sunken island invites you to cross a slightly submerged stone path. Circled around a central round channel, four stylish and modern seats demand that you rest and soak in the atmosphere. A trickle of water flows beneath your feet, creating a whirlpool pattern on the concrete surface. The mirror-like water surrounding the low seating area is an an ever changing canvass of reflection and light. Tree silhouttes, greens and reds of foliage play with the surface of the pool.
Oliver & Liat Schurmann - At The Waters Edge
As a backdrop, a pillared wall frames tall windows that display sculpture, art work created by Liat. Somehow this garden manages to both soothe the mind, stimulate the senses and feed the soul. It was with reluctance that we dragged ourselves away from the sunken retreat, there was a long busy day ahead.
Oliver & Liat Schurmann - At The Waters Edge
There are many other great gardens at Bloom 2011, small, medium and large as well as engaging spaces. Tomorrow I will return to the show gardens with views of other Gold medal winners and personal favourites.
Ciaran The Gardener 