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Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘Lots of colour, great atmosphere': Sunshine returns to Bord Bia Bloom as thousands turn out for second day
While the opening day had been hit by rain, 'real Bloom weather' as some called it, returned yesterday and brought with it a smell of sunscreen in the air. It was the first day of Bloom for Aisling Newe, from Co Galway, who praised the 'vibes' and the exhibits on display. 'I'm loving the show gardens – judging them as if I know, like an expert here. But they're really good, to see what they could do with such small spaces. It's really inspiring.' She found the Bee Happy wildlife garden – which won a silver medal and was the winning garden on RTÉ One's Super Garden – the most inspiring. Ms Newe said she came to the festival for a 'bit of inspiration for the future'. 'I don't have green fingers, but I like to think I have. I love a lot of indoor plants, so I am interested in plants… I'd love a really nice garden like this.' Fionnuala and Emmet Savage from Dublin, who were wandering through the gardens with two big bags of plants, most definitely do have green fingers. 'I can't believe the amount of vendors since I was here first, which was probably about six or seven years ago,' Mr Savage said. 'Feels like it's about 10 times larger than the first time we were here, between food and natural producers, and then, of course, plants. 'I enjoyed walking through the model gardens, but I just enjoy walking through the place and absorbing the summer atmosphere.' His wife, Fionnuala, who was looking for gardening inspiration, said: 'It's elevated again this year. More space, bigger, and everything is just fabulous. Very impressive.' ADVERTISEMENT The best show garden for Anita Deane and Margaret Deane Carolan was Nature's Symphony: Celebrating Organic Growth, which pays homage to the Bloom patron, President Michael D Higgins. 'The Michael D Higgins garden is fabulous, you can smell seaweed,' Ms Deane Carolan said. 'Lots of colour, great atmosphere.' Always the biggest attraction of the festival, the 21 show gardens were all designed with sustainability in mind and incorporating environmental measures. Many visitors admiring them were chatting with their designers and asking for gardening advice. The Repak Most Sorted Garden won the overall large garden category award and was very popular with the public, and designer James Purdy said winning the gold feels like a 'recognition for your hard work'. 'It's not normal to put wine bottles, crushed cans and old brick in a garden and make it look beautiful. So I'm glad I've got it over the line well,' he said. In his garden, he wanted to 'look for the beauty in recycled, refined and reused materials'. Another winner was The European Commission's Renewed Blooms Garden, designed by David Negus from Suffolk, England, who won the overall medium garden category award. It is his first time at Bloom, and he said it felt 'surreal' to win the award for his garden, which features a discarded railway track. 'When you're self-employed, like I am, it's actually really nice, because I haven't got anyone telling me if I'm doing well. It's just me, my own brain,' he said. 'So it's really nice to do an event like this and say: 'Oh, I kind of know what I'm doing'. It kind of reaffirms that.' Designer Alan Rudden, who created The Pot Gallery Garden, won the overall small garden category award – his ninth gold medal in 10 years of attending the festival. The Rainbow Brick Balcony Garden, designed by Gary Kirwan as a tribute to Lego, and the How To Train Your Dragon Garden, designed by Tunde Perry and Barry Kavanagh, were especially popular among the visitors. Benny Magennis, from Co Monaghan, designed The Early Bird Catches the Worm garden, sponsored by the Marie Keating Foundation, and won a silver-gilt award. 'Bloom is a great day out. It's very inspiring for people. They're asking for advice all the time. That's all part of it,' Mr Magennis said.
RTÉ News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
8 things to see and do at Bloom 2025
A staple of the June Bank Holiday Weekend, Bord Bia Bloom is an annual extravaganza of food, fashion, flowers and craft. Now celebrating its 19th year, Ireland's premier garden festival takes place across 70 beautiful acres of Dublin's Phoenix Park from Thursday, 29 May - Monday, 2 June. This spectacular gardening festival is a great event for garden designers, flower lovers, landscapers, garden furniture admirers, food fanatics and anyone who loves to spend time in nature. This year's festival will feature 21 Show Gardens, 30 live cookery demos, 40 live talks,and more than 100 of Ireland's top food and drink producers. To get you started, we've highlighted eight of our must-see spots for 2025: 1. Visit the Super Garden winner Visit the winning garden design from this year's Super Garden! Last night, Laois woman Debbie Brophy was crowned the winner of Super Garden 2025 thanks to her 'bee happy' wildlife garden, which was inspired by a honeybee colony that moved into her own garden. Thanks to her win, Debbie will have her design exhibited at Bord Bia Bloom, and she is buzzing for it. Speaking on her win, she said: "It's an immense feeling; there will be a hundred thousand people coming to see our garden and it means the world". 2. Make your garden eco-friendly The Most Sorted Garden, sponsored by Repak, is a living, breathing showcase of the circular economy in action. Designed by award-winning garden designer James Purdy, the space will help visitors understand how to recycle better at home. Across the five days, there will be a range of engaging and educational experiences including panel discussions, cooking demos and child-friendly workshops. Highlights include a panel discussion hosted by sustainability advocate Jo Linehan, as well as a waste-cutting cooking workshop from Donal Skehan. For even more tips, make a beeline for the Conservation Area where you can chat with leading conservationists and environmentalists. Here you will also find the inspirational Sustainable Living Stage, which will host a packed programme of talks on a wide range of topics, from the circular economy and renewable energy to gardening with fewer chemicals and sustainable fashion advice. 3. Taste the best of Irish food and drink The Food Hall within the Food Village features more than 100 of Ireland's artisan producers. From chocolates to cheese and oysters to teas, there is plenty to tantalise your tastebuds. While you're there, you can pop over to Bloom Inn, where some of the country's best craft brewers and distillers are gathered. For more delicious dining options, head to The Seafood Terrace, Country Crest Restaurant, or choose from more than 60 food trucks who are serving a wide variety of cuisines in the Picnic Area, Food Village, and Bloom's dedicated grill zone, BBQ Bliss, sponsored by Ninja Woodfire. If you want something extra special, there is 'A Taste of Bloom', curated by Neven Maguire, which features a three-course menu designed by the MacNean House chef-proprietor to showcase some of the very best ingredients from quality Irish producers. The special package is available on Ticketmaster, priced at €79 per person, which includes entry to the festival and a three-course lunch. 4. Watch your favourite chefs and culinary stars in action Donal Skehan, Neven Maguire, Aishling Moore and Catherine Fulvio are among a collection of culinary stars taking to the Dunnes Stores Quality Kitchen Stage this year. With 30 live demos planned for the weekend, this is a must-see for anyone who loves to cook. Seafood fans should also check out Bloom's new Seafood Kitchen, where chef Trisha Lewis is hosting three demos each day. 5. Catch more gardening, floral art and craft demos and workshops With 300 talks, demos, performances and workshops taking place across the Bloom weekend, there is ample opportunity to grow, taste and learn at this year's festival. You can learn how to care for houseplants or make a floral crown in the new Botanical Hub Demo Space; discover some fascinating facts and enjoy the simulators at the Horticulture is Life area; find out how to grow abundant kitchen gardens in the Eat Well Garden; enjoy farming demos at the Agri Aware Farm; and see some of Ireland's master craftspeople demonstrate their skills in the Design & Craft Council Ireland (DCCI) Irish Craft Village. You can see the full event schedule here. 6. Visit the RTÉ stage There is no shortage of musical entertainment planned for the Bloom weekend. Head to the Entertainment Stage to watch an eclectic collection of artists perform and make sure to stop by RTÉ's outdoor broadcast area to see your favourite presenters broadcast live, including Louise Duffy, Derek Mooney, Philip Boucher-Hayes, Marty Whelan, Simon Delaney and more. You can see RTÉ's full programme here. 7. Invest in some top-tier plants Whether you're a budding gardener or a veteran plant parent, visit the Nursery Village and The Plant Emporium for some retail therapy. If you buy too many to carry, fear not. You can store them in the Plant Crèche, sponsored by Certa Renewables, until it's time to go home. If plants aren't your thing, head to the Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) Irish Craft Village. Here, you'll find a selection of Ireland's most talented craftspeople showcasing their wares in a charming village of 38 tents. There will also be workshops, demonstrations, and drop-in craft activities for all the family. 8. Have fun with your Budding Bloomers The Budding Bloomers Children's Area is perfect for little ones. There will be face painting, crafting, and a rip-roaring lineup of performances from some of Ireland's favourite children's entertainers. Elsewhere in the festival, children can visit the Phoenix Park Playground, the Agri Aware Farm. and get their hands dirty in the Westland Horticulture Potting Shed. Remember, two children aged 16 and under can enter for free with every adult ticket. Getting there If you plan on attending, be sure to visit the Plan Your Day section of the Bloom website to get the most out of your trip. Visitors are encouraged to take public transport to the festival when possible. A regular, free shuttle bus is available to take visitors from Parkgate Street, next to the Luas Red Line and Heuston Station, to the festival's entrance on Chesterfield Avenue.
RTÉ News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
The winner of Super Garden 2025 has been crowned
Laois woman Debbie Brophy has been crowned the winner of Super Garden 2025 thanks to her 'bee happy' wildlife garden. Watch the episode back on RTÉ Player now. The garden design challenge, now in its 16th series, has once again showcased the extraordinary talents of aspiring designers from across the country. Five designers paired up with homeowners in a new housing development based in Baker Hall in Navan, Co Meath. Each was challenged to create a fitting home for their clients within three weeks, and with a budget of €15,000. In the end, Debbie stole the show with her wildlife garden, which was inspired by a honeybee colony that moved into her own garden last year. Based in Kildare, but originally from Laois, Debbie grew up with green fingers thanks to her parents, both of whom were keen gardeners. Having studied Fine Art Painting at Limerick School of Art, Debbie always had a creative flair, but says she never channelled her "full potential" as an artist. In recent years, she has worked full-time in a fabric shop where she realised that she missed creating her own designs. Aged 41, she decided to return to school and completed her postgraduate diploma with the Garden Design Academy, all while raising her young daughter, Poppy. At present, she is doing a bit of garden maintenance and is selling hanging baskets, a business born out of the pandemic when she started to sell indoor plants online. On Super Garden, Debbie was challenged to create a 'nature-friendly garden' for young family Anju, Jaison and three-year-old Steve. Creating a low-maintenance space suitable for the family, she created hexagonal flower beds that she filled to the brim with pollinating plants to attract bees and butterflies. Paving at the front of the garden gives the family a space to entertain, while the back features an all-weather pergola where they can enjoy the sounds of a beautiful water feature. Super Garden judge Brian Burke, representing Woodie's, said: "People often ask me what makes a winning design in Super Garden. The answer is that it is a combination of things: originality, flow, dynamism, interesting plant combinations, strong built elements, an eye on sustainability, and a full and faithful response to the homeowner's requirements. This year Debbie provided all of those things, and more." The final episode of Super Garden aired this evening (Tuesday, 27 May) on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, with the Laois native announced as the winner. She will now have her garden exhibited at Bord Bia Bloom, Ireland's premier garden festival this June bank holiday weekend. Speaking on her win, Debbie said: "It's an immense feeling; there will be a hundred thousand people coming to see our garden and it means the world".
The Irish Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘It means the world', says RTE Super Garden winner as she's left speechless during emotional final episode
RTE Super Garden have crowned their well-deserved winner in an emotional final episode. The garden design challenge, now in its 16th series, once again showcased the extraordinary talents of aspiring designers from across the country. Advertisement 3 RTE's Super Garden showcased the extraordinary talents of aspiring designers Credit: RTE 3 Debbie was crowned the winner of the competition Credit: RTE 3 The gardening guru said 'it means the world' Credit: RTE This year's season saw super gardeners Chris, Jorge, Debbie, Eileen and Rosie battle it out for a coveted spot at Bord Bia's Bloom. Overseeing the competition was three judges; Brian Burke, former Super Garden winner Monica Alvarez, and Carol Marks. The final decision on the winner was made by Kerrie Gardiner, Show Garden Manager for The final episode aired this evening, with Kerrie viewing each of the contestants' garden designs before making her choice. Advertisement READ MORE ON RTE After a discussion between all four judges, Debbie Brophy, from The Debbie was visibly emotional as she was announced the winner, saying: "I think you could see from my reaction, the tears came to my eyes instantly." She will have her garden exhibited at Bord Bia Bloom, Ireland's premier garden festival this June bank holiday weekend. Advertisement most read in the irish sun Latest Exclusive Speaking on her win Debbie said: "It's an immense feeling; there will be a hundred thousand people coming to see our garden and it means the world." Kerrie Gardiner praised Debbie Brophy following her victory in the competition. RTE Today guest 'sneaks' backstage in new clip She said: "Debbie is a very worthy winner of Super Garden 2025. She truly delivered for the homeowner, creating the 'Bee Happy Garden' filled with colour and family-friendly elements that also encourage pollinators and biodiversity. 'WINNING DESIGN' "There was great attention to detail in the garden bespoke insect hotels, and the water butt harvesting waster from the pergola roof all contributing to promoting environmental sustainability. Advertisement "The design further includes engaging play areas and interactive installations that foster creativity and outdoor learning for the younger member of the family. "Overall, the garden reflects the personality and desires of the homeowners, making it a well-rounded design delivery." The other garden designs featured in this season of Super Garden were Jorge Aragon Cano's 'Failte Fiesta' garden and Eileen Sung's 'New Beginnings' garden. Advertisement However, Super Garden judge Brian Burke told how Debbie provided all aspects of what "makes a winning design in Super Garden".
Irish Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
RTÉ's Super Garden winner confirmed as design set to showcase at Bloom
The winner of RTÉ's Super Garden said it 'means the world' that her creation will be showcased to over 100,000 people at Bloom. Debbie Brophy was elated as she was announced as the winner of the coveted television competition on Tuesday night. Originally from Laois but based in Kildare, the garden enthusiast wowed judges with her 'Bee Happy' wildlife garden. Inspired by a honeybee colony that moved into her own backyard last year, Debbie created a fun and vibrant garden for young family Anju, Jaison and their three-year-old, Steve. The homeowners asked for a low-maintenance garden that could be enjoyed by their son and his friends - and that's exactly what Debbie delivered. She paved the front of the garden for entertaining space and designed a series of hexagonal flower beds filled with pollinating plants to fit with the theme. The gardener showed off her artistic flair as she studied fine art painting at Limerick School of Art. However, at the age of 41 Debbie decided to shift her talent elsewhere and completed a postgraduate diploma with the Garden Design Academy, all while raising her young daughter, Poppy. Now she is the envy of every amateur garden designer in the country as her 'Bee Happy' wildlife garden will be showcased at Ireland's biggest garden festival - Bord Bia's Bloom. Speaking after she proudly held her trophy in her colourful garden, Debbie said: 'It's an immense feeling; there will be 100,000 people coming to see our garden and it means the world." Show Garden Manager for Bord Bia Bloom Kerrie Gardiner said Debbie is 'a worthy winner of Super Garden 2025'. She added: 'She truly delivered for the homeowner, creating the 'Bee Happy' garden filled with colour and family-friendly elements that also encourage pollinators and biodiversity. There was great attention to detail in the garden bespoke insect hotels, and the water butt harvesting waster from the pergola roof all contributing to promoting environmental sustainability. 'The design further includes engaging play areas and interactive installations that foster creativity and outdoor learning for the younger member of the family. Overall, the garden reflects the personality and desires of the homeowners, making it a well-rounded design delivery.' This year's competition on RTÉ saw five designers battle it out to be crowned the winner of Super Garden and have the chance of showcasing at Bloom. All contestants were matched with a family of a new build home in Baker Hall in Navan, Co Meath and given €15,000 and three weeks to complete their masterpiece. Each episode saw judges Brian Burke, Monica Alvarez and Carol Monks cast their expert eye on the gardens and give feedback to the designers. Judge Brian, who represented Woodies, said Debbie was the deserved winner because she incorporated all the elements he looks for in a garden. He said: 'People often ask me what makes a winning design in Super Garden. The answer is that it is a combination of things - originality, flow, dynamism, interesting plant combinations, strong built elements, an eye on sustainability, a full and faithful response to the homeowner's requirements. This year Debbie provided all of those things, and more.' Judge Monica, who is a former Super Garden winner herself, said there was 'good quality' across all the gardens. Speaking about Debbie's design, she said: 'Debbie's garden makes a perfect addition to Bloom, having demonstrated her ability to carry out good quality work and produce a garden with a strong message. I am very proud of what she has created.' The four other gardens were Jorge Aragon Cano's 'Failte Fiesta' design, Eileen Sung's 'New Beginnings' garden, Chris Walsh's 'Culinary Canopy' creation and Rosie Alabaster's garden inspired by WB Yeats' Lake Isle of Innisfree. Bord Bia's Bloom takes place in Dublin's Phoenix Park from May 29 to June 2, where Debbie's 'Happy Bee' garden will be on display.
