BLOOM GARDEN DESIGNS TAKE HOME MEDALS
WICKLOW’S THREE ENTRIES IMPRESS THE JUDGES IN THE PHOENIX PARK
After beginning her career in the financial sector, Sofi decided to do something else and started studying Landscape Design. She was a new talent at Bloom this year and at just 21 years of age has surely impressed the judges and visitors alike with her unique and intriguing design.
Tünde Szentesi, who lives in Kilcoole, won a silver gilt medal for her show garden.
Marking her third medal, her show garden, Out the Other Side: A Garden of Hope garden, was designed to offer hope to people affected by breast cancer. The garden, sponsored by the Marie Keating Foundation garden by Roche, was inspired by the recent ‘Out the Other Side’ exhibition, which featured the stories of ten brave women who have all survived the disease.
The garden’s colour scheme symbolized the journey of breast cancer survivors.
Hugh Ryan from Aughrim won a silver medal for his impressive show garden Well Centred, which encouraged people to think for a moment about who we are and what it is we want out of life.
Hugh’s design drew on both the natural landscape and on the footprint which humans have left behind.
The medals at Bloom are highly coveted and months of planning go into the design and creation of each one of the gardens. The highly experienced and renowned team of international Bloom judges, led by head judge Andrew Wilson, spent over two days meticulously observing and deliberating before announcing the much anticipated results.
In addition, Bray’s Carol Bone of the Association of Floral Artists, was awarded a silver medal, in the Floral & Nursery Pavilion, which showcases the very best of plant nurseries and floral art.
This year’s Bloom Festival was the 10th anniversary of the festival celebrating food, horticulture and gardening.
The festival featured 23 show gardens, more than 100 Irish food and drink producers, 200 retailers and 50 of Ireland’s top nurseries, all providing gardening tips, artisan food and craft beer.