Super Garden: Wicklow designer creates a 'culinary canopy'
The 16th series of beloved gardening competition Super Garden has returned to our screens on RTÉ One, with this week's episode introducing viewers to Wicklow designer Chris Walsh.
With a background in environmental science, the 32-year-old has a passion for the environment and previously studied Wildlife Biology at IT Tralee.
Although he previously worked in environmental consultancy, he ultimately decided to pursue his passion for gardening, enrolling in a part-time course in the Garden Design Academy.
Additionally, he underwent work experience with a garden design company in Dublin, which eventually led him to set up his own landscaping business, Birch & Fern.
Chris has a passion for transforming blank spaces, which is part of the reason he applied to Super Garden, to show what can be achieved in a small area.
If he wins Super Garden, he will showcase his winning design at Ireland's largest gardening festival, Bord Bia Bloom, which is set to welcome over 100,000 visitors. As a new business owner, the opportunity to display at the festival would be the pinnacle of his career.
In order to be in with a chance to win, though, Chris must design an award-winning garden for Brazilian couple Aline and Marcelo.
As a chef, Marcelo is adamant about having a beautiful barbecue area to entertain family and friends in the summer. Additionally, Chris hopes to welcome wildlife to the area, bringing his love for the environment to his design.
The eco-minded gardener aimed to create a 'culinary canopy' that would deliver a stepping stone pathway surrounded by creeping thyme, an entertainment space canopied by an impressive pergola, and a comfortable dining area.
Two large flower beds, filled with pollinator-friendly plants, as well as a wildlife-friendly water bowl, would complete the space.
Of course, that is all easier said than done.
Although Chris had great experience with landscaping, which stood to him over the course of the build, Judge Brian Burke was quick to raise concerns about the functionality of the space and the flow of the garden.
On a positive note, Judge Carol Marks was thrilled with the Wicklow man's use of colour, thanks to the wide variety of plants used.
And while Judge Monica Alvarez was initially concerned that the garden lacked a 'wow factor', Chris won her over with the level of detail he brought to the garden, including a floating timber shelf made from a 220-year-old tree that had been struck by lightning.
In the end, with just three weeks and a €15,000 budget, Chris delivered a beautiful garden that the homeowners were thrilled with.
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