Voice of a community

The lovely people over in the Community Voice were kind enough to write a follow up after their original article about Bloom. Click here to read the follow up.
Click here to read the original.

RTE Nationwide June 3rd 2009 - click link to watch interview

A few of the people who popped by for tea...

Mary and I get ready for Nationwide - Wednesday June 3rd 7pm RTE1

My Nana Jean found the garden incredibly relaxing!

Pat Fitzgerald took a break from the MyPlant exhibit in the main pavillion

I'd like to say Thank you (in no particular order) to...


Javier, Anna, Jeanne, Claude, Sharon, Chris, Helen, Andriy, Sinead, Dave, Debbie, Joe, Mags, Gerry and Ger, Karol and Monica.

Janet, Albert and Dominic - brilliant Bloom neighbours and you were so generous to help me clear up! Thank you

Jer Doran, Pat White and the team at White's Agri - you've been amazing suppliers and supporters - Thank you

Pat Fitzgerald from MyPlant - With no plants there would have been no garden...Thank you for coming to my rescue!

Chad Gilmer and VAZUMO.COM - with no digger we would still be digging - Thank you

Peter Donegan - you advice and support has been invaluable - Thank you!

Paula Banks and Michelle O'Kane for your amazing photographs

Eugene Higgins for covering the story in the Irish Mail on Sunday

Fergus and Mary for the write up in the Community Voice

Everyone who popped by to say hi at the show!

Mum, Nan, Barry for letting me nick your tools and for your continued support.

A heart felt Thank you to each and everyone of you!

(If you think I might have missed someone off this list, infact if it's you I've missed - just let me know as it's not intentional)

The Big Bloom Blog


(I wrote this at 6pm Thursday May 28th 2009 - just adding to the blog today)

It's wind down time on site at Bloom 2009 as today was the opening day and it has been long, hot and emotional..and completely worth it!

I set out on my Bloom adventure to see what I could achieve, what my strengths and weaknesses are and I certainly did, I've learnt an awful lot in a very short space of time.

I'll bring you up to date with the last few days of the build:

The final build weekend went well; Pat from MyPlant dropped in the 3000 Carex buchani and with an army of, very lovely, volunteers, the plants were placed into position along with the Stipa. This weekend was also the weekend that I realised that the wooden seating area could be a problem. Monday flew by and despite the generous help of dome fabulous volunteers, who stayed way past bedtime to lend a hand, I knew that some aspects of the design would be unachievable in the time frame we had left. By Wednesday I was overwhelmed with crushing disappointment in myself; the seating area was a shambles and I was on site at 6am trying desperately to improve it...to no avail.

Granted a medal was never my goal but I had hoped that I could at the very least impress the judges. A predicted call to my mobile confirmed that the "judges were concerned with the safety" of the seating area and suggested that the woodwork be removed and the sunken area be lined with turf. Point taken - I did as they suggested.

Needless to say there was no medal awarded to 'In Amongst the Grasses' according to the rumour mill "the garden wasn't judged at all as it wasn't finished". Such encouraging rumours to add to the already sickening embarrassment that I have.

So I'm down (a bit) but I'm not out. I've achieved what I came to achieve. The judges also told me that I "shouldn't feel discouraged" and I'm not. In fact I already know what I'm doing next year.

Link to photographs of 'In Amonst the Grasses' by Paula Banks and Michelle O'Kane

In the news

Irish Mail on Sunday 24/05/2009

Irish Times 23/05/2009

Click here to read irish Times article

Community Voice 22/05/2009

Click here to read Community Voice Article

The final plee...

Alrighty people, I'm begging you!

If you can spare some time this weekend (even if it's only half an hour) then why not head down to the Phoenix Park and help me plant up my first show garden 'In amongst the grasses'.

I can't guarantee good weather but I can guarantee a good laugh and fresh air.

i really look forward to seeing you there :)

The Irish Garden Magazine hits the shelves today - go grab your copy to get your 30 page Guide to Bloom and to avail of the exclusive 2 for 1 Bloom Tickets offer!

Here's a video to give you an idea of just how fantastic Bloom in the Park really is...

Then there was grass...

Thank you Javier, Helen and all the volunteers for being such good sports and coming along last night to help me out again!

Pics from sand laying...no turf pics because there was no light left fpr photos!

Supported by

The Big Dig Gig

8.30am and it was lashing down, we were literally soaked through but not enough to dampen our spirits. Especially as we had been blessed with a Mini Digger thanks to the kind folks in VAZUMO.COM. After a crash course on how to drive the digger the dig volunteers were off like Bob the Builder on a mission!

As we were digging past a certain depth it was necessary to have an Archaeologist present as we dug. Poor Darragh, out designated Time Team Member, had to stand over the hole and watch as it was slowly dug just in case we unearthed some hidden treasure. A few hours on (and thankfully it had stopped raining) and the hole is done. Sadly no gold was found, sorry Darragh!

Throughout the morning fantastic friends arrived to help with the Big Dig. This project would be impossible without them so a HUGE THANK YOU to...

Javier, Anna, Gerard, Claude, Jeanne, Andriy.

Your hard work and encouragement is really appreciated, thank you all.

By the end of Saturday the main excavations were done, the path was edged and the garden was really starting to take shape.

Sunday morning was designated to cutting the posts for the path wall after which we loaded them into the car and headed down to the garden site in Phoenix Park. Sunday's progress was good, the posts went in and now stand firm and the path wall is really starting to take shape. Although, in it's unfinished state it does resemble an unused mine shaft! We left at dusk only because we could no longer see where we were digging.

Our determination to finish this garden project to the high standard we want means that we will be there every evening this week installing woodwork and preparing for planting.

Create a Free Slideshow

supported by

Turfs Up!

The Big (Bloom) Dig started yesterday at 8am and I loved every minute of it! I've posted new pictures in my photo album for you to see what I got up to, which was basically laying it all out and taking up the turf from the areas that will be dug out at the weekend.
I finished up there at 7pm and after a spot of dinner got cracking on the wood work. Most of it is cut to length now and I'll hopefully be able to start putting it all together tonight and tomorrow.
I am very excited! :)

Step 1: locate site

Step 2: measure out plot and mark out features with twine

Step 3: Grab spade and dig in

Step 4: Swap spade for fork and start making progress!

Step 5: consider running away with the circus

Step 6: think better of it and crack on

More to come...

supported by

Bloom...the count down begins

Working Bloom around the day job is tough and this week I'm fighting with a cold from hell too (no it's not swine flu!). I always say "I like a challenge" but this is madness!

I need to get the final timber measurements over to the lovely chaps in Whites Agri who are going to take what I need from their seconds pile. I need to call my plant supplier as he's a little slow on getting back to me and I'm starting to panic a bit.
Edited designs need to go back to the judges to show plans for wheelchair accessibility. Will send those next.

Heading over to Wales first thing tomorrow to pick up the 'natural sculpture' which my mum and stepdad have kindly been storing for me for the last 10 years! I'll tell you all about that another time; it's a great story. Hoping that I can borrow my mum's amazing stash of gardening tools for the Bloom build...don't tell her or she'll hide them all.

Next on the list is contact all the lovely volunteers and give them directions, check times and check if they have any mates that like to dig holes too. Then call all the 'slow to volunteer' volunteers and make them feel bad!
Then, when I finish work I'm going to call Mr Peter Donegan and pick his brains for tips for Bloom. Hope he doesn't mind.

Hmmm, pretty sure I've forgotten something?

Building Bloom

Years ago I read an article about Diarmuid Gavin's early career. According to that article Diarmuid turned up to build his first Chelsea Show Garden in 1995 with borrowed tools and a bunch of friends to help him complete what was to become an award winning garden.

True or not that story has stayed with me for years playing over and over in the back of my mind. The simplicity of Diarmuid Gavin’s plan, which I can only assume was driven by his ambition to succeed, appealed to me back when I read the article and appeals to me even more today.

Inspired by Diarmuid’s determination I will be turning up to build my very first show garden with tools that I’ve borrowed, time that I have stolen* and wood that I’ve begged for.**

There are two main components to the garden I’m building for Bloom in the Park 2009. The first is Stipa Tenuissima a wispy type of ornamental grass that I’ll be using en-masse. The other is good old fashioned timber. As a firm believer in the need to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as we can I set about sourcing recycled and waste wood to use in the build.

After corresponding with many businesses around Ireland I settled on two main contenders. One was a privately owned waste disposable company and the other an Agricultural Supplies business in Lusk. I visited both at the weekend and to see what, if anything, they could offer.

The first trip was out to Lusk, on the old Belfast road (R132) to visit agricultural supplies business Whites Agri. Whites Agri supply all manner of products and have a drive through depot which I think is brilliant; no more lugging heavy loads out to the car on wonky trolleys!
I met with White's Agri Director, Jer, and went through the design and details of Bloom before heading outside to see Whites Agri’s timber-seconds pile. The timber on this pile can’t be sold due to weather damage etc and so was going nowhere until I came along. I have to say I was really pleased with the timber and with the enthusiasm of Jer and Pat White (owner of Whites Agri). Although the timber is damaged there is enough of it that can be rescued and cleaned up to build with. Happy days!

After Lusk I headed over to the other side of the county to visit the waste disposal company. Kitted out with hard hats and steel toe cap boots I received a tour of the depot and a brief insight into what they do before heading over to the wood pile they had created on my behalf. The pile was huge, about the size of my house. Unfortunately though it was a case of take it all or nothing. Had it all been usable I would have gladly have found a place to store it all but as far as I could tell the majority of it was MDF and the similar waste types. The timber planks that I could see were ruined and splintered. All in all I was disappointed. Although, I am very grateful to the waste disposal company for offering what they could and for going to the trouble of putting what they had to one side for me.

So with the timber sorted now all I need is to put it all together and build a fabulous garden...lets hope I make Diarmuid proud!

For more details about White's Agri you can contact them or take a look at their website;
http://www.whitesagri.ie/
Office Phone +(00353) 01-8438521 Fax +(00353)01-8437574
Email address: info@whitesagri.com


*(from friends & family who I am very grateful to)** OK, I suppose ‘asked politely for’ would be more accurate than ‘begged’ but then the sentence doesn’t flow as well!

Don't forget that you can book your tickets for Bloom online at www.bloominthepark.com you can also follow them on twitter at www.twitter.com/bloominthepark