Bringing the Burren to Bloom – Fiona (14) shows off green fingers
IT’S a busy week for Galway student Fiona Bichard.
Not only is the 14-year-old facing a week of summer exams, she’s also getting her pots and plants in order ahead of Ireland’s largest garden festival.
Fiona is one of the youngest landscape designers featuring in this year’s Bloom festival and will make a bee-line for the Phoenix Park once she has finished her final exam paper.
Fiona and her mother Mairead attend the festival every year.
On the train back home last year, Fiona was struck with inspiration to create a postcard garden that paid homage to her favourite place in the world – the Burren.
The Bichards live half an hour away from the karst landscape which is known for its unique topography and distinctive flora and fauna.
Fiona wanted to transpose some of that rugged and wild beauty to Dublin.
“I love all the colourful, wild flowers in the Burren and the way they grow from the rocks,” Fiona told the Irish Independent.
“There is also a dolmenstyle bench for people to sit on and a Celtic design on the back wall.”
Her garden has been created using natural materials found near Fiona’s home including limestone, wood, and beach pebbles.
“It took about six weeks to put it all together. My parents have been really helpful and they are bringing all the materials down tomorrow when I’m doing exams. I’ve given them the orders,” she laughed.