10 gold medals for Show Gardens at Bloom

Gary Graham, Bord Bia's Bloom Manager and Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia Chief Executive with designer Andrew Christopher Dunne, The Sustainable Seafood Garden, Gold Medal Winner and Overall Show Garden Winner at Bord Bia's Bloom 2018. Photo Fennell Photography

The judging panels for Bloom 2018 comprised of 14 Irish and international horticultural experts, who today announced a raft of 113 awards for show garden designers, nurseries, floral artists and amateur garden designers.

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Read More: Bloom 2018 Bord Bia Event Irish Horticulture

Garden designer Andrew Christopher Dunne from the coastal fishing village of Clogherhead in County Louth has been named as the overall Show Garden winner at Bord Bia’s Bloom 2018 for his ‘Sustainable Seafood Garden’ in association with Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).

Following a rigorous two-day judging process with an independent panel of expert judges, the award was announced as Bord Bia opened the gates on the 12^th annual Bloom festival in the Phoenix Park, Dublin.

The Sustainable Seafood Garden tells the story of the journey from tide to table, of the fish and seafood that surround and inhabit this island. It boasts a large water feature with shimmering fish sculptures and an ‘upcycled’ fishing boat which doubles as a kitchen. Throughout the weekend, the boat will host cookery demonstrations featuring sustainably sourced seafood.

Congratulating the winning garden, Gary Graham, Bloom show manager with Bord Bia said: “The sheer scale of endeavour involved in the delivery of this exceptional garden is something which the judges were all agreed upon. This was a hugely ambitious design featuring complex construction and intricate planting schemes in order to create an authentic seaside coastal inlet pier.

“With clever design features such as a custom-built fishing boat , made from up-cycled materials and the wall and pier made from reclaimed sandstone and karst limestone, this garden brings elements to Bloom which we have never seen before.”

The judging panels for Bloom 2018 comprised of 14 Irish and international horticultural experts, who today announced a raft of 113 awards for show garden designers, nurseries, floral artists and amateur garden designers including 35 Gold, 22 Silver Gilt, 19 Silver, 24 Bronze and 13 certificates of commendation.

For a full list of awards, see below.

Show Garden Winners

A total of 10 Gold Medals were awarded to the Show Gardens which are the central feature at Bloom 2018. In addition to the overall large garden category winner, the overall medium sized garden award went to garden designer Linda McKeown for The Enable Ireland Beyond Boundaries Garden, in association with Solus Bulbs; while the overall small sized garden medal was awarded to Peter O’Brien for his Enchanted Wood Garden, sponsored by Plan Eden.

The Best Concept Garden award went to Tünde Szentesi for her Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again garden, sponsored by Universal Pictures International Ireland, and Best Planting was awarded to Alan Rudden for his Life is Rosé, by Santa Rita ‘Living la Vida 120’ garden.

Nursery and Floral Art Winners

Fresh from his Chelsea Flower Show medal win, Billy Alexander from Kells Bay Gardens in Kerry received a Gold Medal and ‘Best in Show’ in the Nursery and Floral Pavillion. In the AOIFA Floral Art competition Adrienne Flood from Sutton Floral Art Club received the overall prize for her ‘In Homage To…’ display while Shevan Doherty from Sandyford in Dublin received a Gold medal and Best in Category for her Botanical Art piece.

Postcard Gardens

Sponsored by FBD Insurance, Bloom also hosts thirteen small but perfectly formed postcard gardens which were also judged. In this amateur postcard garden category, pupils from Villierstown National School in Cappoquin, Co. Waterford received ‘Best in Show’ for their garden which tells the story of a hurling game temporarily stopped to allow players to look for a sliotar somewhere in the futuristic Dromana Gate Garden.

Bloom was officially opened by President Michael D. Higgins with his wife Sabina on Thursday at 11am.

Show Garden Medal Winners

Best in Category

• Large: ‘The Sustainable Seafood Garden’ – designed by Andrew Christopher Dunne, sponsored by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM)
• Medium: ‘The Enable Ireland Beyond Boundaries Garden in association with Solus Bulbs’ – designed by Linda McKeown, sponsored by Enable Ireland
• Small: ‘Enchanted Wood’ – designed by Peter O’Brien, sponsored by Plan Eden
• Concept: ‘MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN’ – designed by Tünde Szentesi, sponsored by Universal Pictures International Ireland
• Planting: ‘Life is Rosé by Santa Rita ‘Living la Vida 120’’– designed by Alan Rudden, sponsored by Santa Rita

Gold Medal Winners

• No Limits – GOAL’s Garden For Women – designed by Cornelia Raftery, sponsored by GOAL
• Life is Rosé by Santa Rita ‘Living la Vida 120’ – designed by Alan Rudden, sponsored by Santa Rita
• FBD Insurance’s “Deep Play” Garden – designed by Niall Maxwell and Marina Andreeva, sponsored by FBD Insurance
• Resistance, a garden for Trócaire – designed by Barry Kavanagh, sponsored by Trocaire
• MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN – designed by Tünde Szentesi, sponsored by Universal Pictures International Ireland
• DLR Fernhill ‘An Exercise in Sustainability’ – designed by Ruairí Ó Dúlaing and Nicola Haines, sponsored by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
• Fruit Juice Matters Garden – designed by Kevin Dennis, sponsored by Fruit Juice Matters
• The Sustainable Seafood Garden – designed by Andrew Christopher Dunne, sponsored by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM)
• The Greener Way for Fingal – designed by Fingal County Council and Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown, sponsored by Fingal County Council and Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown
• A Different Outlook – designed by Oliver and Liat Schurmann, sponsored by Savills

Silver Gilt Medal Winners

• Enchanted Wood – designed by Peter O’Brien, sponsored by Plan Eden
• Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin Garden – designed by Anthony Ryan and Kieran Dunne, sponsored by Kildare Growers
• The Enable Ireland Beyond Boundaries Garden in association with Solus Bulbs – designed by Linda McKeown, sponsored by Enable Ireland
• Marie Keating Foundation SunSmart Garden – designed by Peter Cowell and Monty Richardson (AKA The Hairy Gardeners), sponsored by the Marie Keating Foundation / MSD
• The Sanctuary Nurture Garden – designed by Dominic O’Donohue, sponsored by Sanctuary Synthetics

Silver Medal Winners

• Moving Statues to Marriage Equality– designed by Brian Burke, sponsored by Woodie’s

Bronze Medal Winners

• The Sanctuary Upside Down Garden – designed by Mark O’Loughlin, sponsored by Sanctuary Synthetics
• Growing Shed Garden – designed by Melanie Webb
• Moments in Time – Dementia: Understand Together Garden – designed by Dementia Friendly Garden (DFG) Team, sponsored by Dementia: Understand Together Campaign

New Award

Best Contractor

• Mark Mohan – Silverstream Landscapes

Nursery Display Medal Winners

Best in Category – Best in Show Winner

• Kells Bay Gardens, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry

Gold Medal Winners

• Navan Garden Centre, Navan Co. Meath
• Hughes Roses Ltd., Garristown, Co.Dublin
• Springmount Garden Centre, Gorey, Co. Wexford
• Boyne Garden Centre, Slane, Co. Meath
• O’Reilly Nurseries, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan
• Indoor Plant Store Ltd., Dublin 8
• Heritage Bulbs, Glasnevin, Dublin 9
• Fuchsiavale Nurseries, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, UK
• Premium Pelargoniums (Fuchsiavale), Kidderminster, Worcestershire, UK
• Riverlane Nurseries, Trim, Co. Meath
• Kells Bay Gardens, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry
• Kilmurry Nursery, Gorey, Co. Wexford
• Middleton Garden Shop, Dublin 1
• Irish Water Plants, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon
• Green Art Production, NL-1760 AB Anna Paulowna, Alkmaar
• S. Warmenhoven, Hillegom, The Netherlands

Silver Gilt Medal Winners

• Western Plant Nursery Ltd., Skreen, Co. Sligo
• Papervale Trees, Newry, Co. Down
• Association of Irish Floral Artists (AOIFA), Rathfarnham, Dublin 14

Silver Medal Winners

• Garden Direct, Naas, Co. Kildare
• Cois Na Trá Plants, Westport, Co. Mayo
• Three Gates Nursery & Florist, Naul, Co. Dublin

Bronze Medal Winners

• Shady Plants, Clashmore, Waterford
• Teagasc, Glasnevin, Dublin 9
• Irish Fuchsia Nursery, Gorey, Co Wexford
• Doran Nurseries (Irish Plants), Naas, Co. Kildare

A.O.I.F.A Floral Art Competition Medal Winners

Best in Category – Best in Show Winner

• Adrienne Flood, Portrane, Co. Dublin (Sutton Floral Art Club), Category: {In Homage To…}

Gold Medal Winners

• Adrienne Flood, Portrane, Co. Dublin (Sutton Floral Art Club), Category: {In Homage To…}
• Aisling F. Mullen, Sandyford, Dublin 18 (Doddervale Flower Club), Category: {Simple Pleasures}
• Kathleen Barrett, Athea, Co. Limerick (Newcastle West Desmond and District Flower Club), Category: {Summer’s Rich Tapestry}
• Mary Hayde, Naas, Co. Kildare, (Naas Flower & Garden Club), Category:{Summer’s Rich Tapestry}
• Terese Kilcullen, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, (South Dublin Flower Club), Category: {Flowers Dance Upon The Air}
• Ann Clifford, Dundrum, Co. Dublin, (Doddervale Flower Club), Category: {Flowers Dance Upon The Air}
• Christine Foley, Kells, Co. Meath, (Navan Floral Art Group),  Category: {Microcosm}
• Christine Hughes, Blessington, Co. Wicklow, (Naas Flower & Garden Club), Category: {Microcosm}

Silver Gilt Medal Winner

• Christine Foley, Kells, Co. Meath, (Navan Floral Art Group), Category: {Simple Pleasures}
• Ann Hester, Passage West, Co. Cork, (Cork Flower Club), Category: {Simple Pleasures}
• Harumi Langford, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, (South Dublin Flower Club), Category: {In Homage To…}
• Dolores Hand, Donabate, Co. Dublin, (Naul Flower Club), Category: {Summer’s Rich Tapestry}
• Una Whelan, Bray, Co. Wicklow, (Bray Flower Club), Category: {Summer’s Rich Tapestry}
• Carol Bone, Bray, Co. Wicklow, (Bray Flower Club), Category: {Flowers Dance Upon The Air}
• Christine Hughes, Blessington, Co. Wicklow, (Naas Flower & Garden Club), Category: {Flowers Dance Upon The Air}
• Bridget Morley, Oughterard, Co. Galway, (Galway Flower and Garden Club), Category: {Microcosm}

Silver Medal Winner

• Libby Reddin, Swords, Co. Dublin, (Swords), Category: {Simple Pleasures}
• Ciara Nichol, Ashbourne, Co, Meath, (Ashbourne Flower Club), Category: {Simple Pleasures}
• Marie Dodrill, Drogheda, (Sutton Flower Club), Category: {In Homage To…}
• Adrienne Thompson, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare, (Naas Flower & Garden Club), Category: {In Homage To…}
• Nell Stritch, Clonlara, Co. Clare, (Limerick Flower & Garden Club), Category: {In Homage To…}
• Maura Worthington, Swords, Co. Dublin, (Sutton Floral Art Group), Category: {Summer’s Rich Tapestry}
• Elizabeth Murray, Tara, Co. Meath, (Navan Floral Art Club), Category: {Summer’s Rich Tapestry}
• Margaret Quinn, Tonlegee Road, Co. Dublin, (North Dublin Flower Club), Category: {Summer’s Rich Tapestry}
• Olive Clifford, Sandyford, Co. Dublin, (Doddervale Flower Club), Category: {Flowers Dance Upon The Air}
• Ann Clifford, Dundrum, Co. Dublin, (Doddervale Flower Club), Category: {Microcosm}

Bronze Medal Winner

• Anne Butler, The Naul, Co. Dublin, (Sutton Floral Art Group), Category: {Simple Pleasures}
• Clare Whelan, Artane, Co. Dublin, (Sutton Floral Art Group), Category: {Simple Pleasures}
• Louise Bolger, The Naul, (Naul Garden & Flower Club), Category: {Simple Pleasures}
• Terri Kennedy, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9, (North Dublin Flower Club), Category: {Simple Pleasures}
• Eileen Fair, Newcastle Galway, (Galway Flower & Garden Club), Category: {In Homage To…}
• Sharon O’Sullivan, Malahide, Co. Dublin, (Sutton Floral Art Club), Category: {In Homage To…}
• Maria Watchorn, Dundrum, Co. Dublin, (Doddervale Flower Club), Category: {Summer’s Rich Tapestry}
• Elizabeth Murray, Tara, Co. Meath, (Navan Floral Art Club), Category: {Flowers Dance Upon The Air}
• Marion McGee, Tynan, Co. Armagh, (Monaghan Flower & Garden Club), Category: {Flowers Dance Upon The Air}
• Ali Dietrich, Portrane, Co. Dublin, (Sutton Floral Art Group), Category: {Microcosm}

Postcard Garden Medal Winners

Best in Category – Best in Show

• Villierstown National School – ‘Dromana Gate and the Lost Sliotar’

Certificate of Distinction

• Villierstown National School – ‘Dromana Gate and the Lost Sliotar’
• VTOS Horticulture Cabra Community College – ‘An Eye to Sea’
• Bray Community Addiction Team – ‘Living With Heart’

Highly Commended

• Aliçia S Kavanagh in affiliation with Meath Springboard Family Support Services – ‘Rainbow’s End’
• Brothers of Charity Services Horticultural Group – ‘A Feast of the Senses’
• CDETB Adult Education Service – ‘Grow Your Own Rainbow’
• KOTG Garden Group – ‘On the Verge of Greatness’
• North Kildare Educate Together National School – ‘Growing While Learning, Learning While Growing’
• Shine The Basement Resource Centre in association with SeeChange – ‘The Green Ribbon Garden’

Commended

• Inchicore College Furniture Design and Horticulture Students – ‘Core Values Wright Design: Harmonising architecture with nature, Frank Lloyd Wright’s influence on Inchicore College’
• PACE Social Enterprise – ‘Upcycled Balcony Garden’
• Coolmine T.C. – ‘Coolmine Woodland Hug’
• Batteries for Barretstown – ‘Batteries for Barretstown’

Botanical and Floral Art Medal Winners

Best in Category – Best in Show Winner

• Teloschistes chrysophthalmus’ (Best in Category) by Shevaun Doherty, Sandyford, Co. Dublin (Botanical)

Gold Medal Winners

• ‘Teloschistes chrysophthalmus’ (Best in Category) by Shevaun Doherty, Sandyford, Co. Dublin (Botanical)

Silver Gilt Medal Winners

• ‘Davallia sp. , Hare’s foot fern’ by Fionnuala Broughan, Dundrum, Co. Dublin (Botanical)
• ‘Crocus vernus, Dutch crocus’ by Shevaun Doherty, Sandyford, Co. Dublin (Botanical)
• ‘Hydrangea’ by Siobhan Larkin, East Wall, Dublin 3 (Botanical)
• ‘Arisarum probiscideum, Mousetail Plant’ by Elaine Mackey, Dublin (Botanical)
• ‘Yellow flag’ by Anne Mc Leod, Wexford (Floral)
• ‘Iris ‘Turkish Blue’ ‘ by Holly Somerville, Baltinglass, County Wicklow (Botanical)

Silver Medal Winners

• ‘Iris’ by Sue Van Coppenhagen, Ladysbridge, Co. Cork (Floral)
• ‘Anthurium hybrid’ by Jane Stark, Moycullen, Co. Galway (Botanical)
• ‘Douglas Fir’ by Lynn Stringer, Wicklow (Botanical)
• ‘Iris “Haute les voiles”’  by Lynn Stringer, Wicklow (Botanical)
• ‘Dahlia “Univesity of Vienna”’ by Margareta Pertl, Dublin (Floral)

Bronze Medal Winners

• ‘Metaplexis japonica’  by Soyoung Sin, Seoul, Korea (Botanical)
• ‘Hawthorn Hedgerow’ by Kathrine Geoghegan, Straffan, Co. Kildare (Floral)
• ‘Hedgerow Study Ash’ by Yanny Petters, Bray, Co. Wicklow (Botanical)
• ‘Hedgerow Study Spindle’ by Yanny Petters, Bray, Co. Wicklow (Botanical)
• ‘Wild bindweed’  by Anne Mc Leod, Wexford (Floral)
• ‘Sanctuary’ by Holly Somerville, Baltinglass, County Wicklow (Floral)

Highly Commended Entries

• ‘Peony’ by Nicola Morrin, Athy, Kildare (Floral)
• ‘Oriental Poppy’ by Nicola Morrin, Athy, Kildare (Floral)

Read More: Bloom 2018 Bord Bia Event Irish Horticulture

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