‘What can't she do' – RTE Super Garden contestant faces huge design setback as worker quits mid-build

The Irish Sun

29-04-2025

RTE Super Garden contestant Eileen Sung was left with a major setback tonight as one of her workers quit mid-build.
The brand new series of Super Garden continued tonight with five new budding designers battling it out for a coveted show garden spot at Bord Bia's Bloom in 2025.
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Eileen transformed the couple's garden
Credit: RTE
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Eileen faced numerous set backs during her build
Credit: RTE
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Eileen's landscaper walked off the job
Credit: RTE
The super gardeners hoping to have their designs shown off at Bord Bia Bloom are Chris, Jorge, Debbie, Eileen and Rosie.
And overseeing the competition are three judges; Brian Burke, former Super Garden winner Monica Alvarez, and Carol Marks.
In tonight's show, viewers met 72-year-old gardener Eileen Sung from Derry, who currently lives in Belfast.
Eileen is a self-admitted latecomer to gardening and design, something which she only began 12 years ago, at age 60.
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Before studying horticulture, Eileen picked up a wealth of experience across many fields, including being a police officer in Hong Kong for eight years.
When she returned to Ireland from Hong Kong, she took up a job at the Northern Irish Assembly - where she worked until retirement.
Retiring at 60 is when she reskilled, went back to school to study, and graduated in 2024 with a degree from the University of Ulster in horticulture.
Eileen has been a big fan of the show, and her dream is for her designs to be presented at Bord Bia's Bloom in the Phoenix Park.
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Putting that dream to the test, she designed a garden for new homeowners Vasile and Sarah.
The happy couple who live in Baker Hall, Navan with their three-year-old son, Francesco, want the perfect space to raise their growing family.
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As Sarah revealed she is pregnant with another child for the couple, they want a space where they can relax and their children can grow up and play in.
Understanding their needs, Eileen set out to create a garden she called, New Beginnings.
The first step she took in creating "New Beginnings" for the family, she wanted to plant four trees in the garden, each representing a family member.
But her build got off to a rocky start, when she changed a core aspect of the design before any of her materials arrived.
'SHOW MUST GO ON'
In a bid to be more sustainable, Eileen changed her idea of including gravel in the garden - to only using grass.
With her mind constantly changing and the design ever evolving, Eileen's lead landscaper quit mid-build.
Undisturbed by the setback, Eileen insisted the "show must go on" as she roped in students from her college to help pull off the build.
She also enlisted the help of her fellow Super Garden contenders to get her flowers planted in time.
SUPER SETBACKS
After a to-the-bone final polishing of her garden, Eileen finished her design, although it slightly deviated from her initial concept - and finished her first ever garden design.
The judges also seemed impressed by what she managed to pull off as they noted her planting was "some of the best" they'd ever seen.
RTE viewers inspired by her conviction to get the job done, despite setbacks, raced to social media to champion the retiree.
Una said: "Come on Eileen!"
Charlotte commented: "There's nothing this lady can't do.... She's amazing."
Frances remarked: "Can we have a documentary about Eileen herself, she sounds fascinating."
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Eileen took up gardening just 12 years ago at age 60
Credit: RTE