A BLOOM-ing year for Kildare Growers

The gold medal winning garden showcased the best of Irish plants at Bloom

Kieran Dunne of the Kildare Growers Group looks back over the past year and the great success the group has experienced

Landscape

20 July 2015

As Irish growers will all know too well we operate in an industry where it is impossible to simply stand still and wait for things to happen. We are all part of an industry which keeps us having to constantly adapt and innovate and if we stop at all we will soon find ourselves out of business. And while the past few years have placed challenges in front of many of us we have found that the measurers that the Kildare Growers Group have put in place are showing positive returns.

As has been the case for the last number of years, 2015 has seen a clear focus on the promotion and marketing of our stock and also Irish plants in general for the group. The fruits of our labour were clearly seen at Bloom over the June Bank Holiday where we won our first Gold medal in the nine years we have been at it. Showcasing the best in Irish plants and the expert design skills of Anthony Ryan the garden the garden proved very popular with both visitors and the show garden judges. This is a true accolade for all the hard work and time spent designing and creating the Crumlin Children’s Hospital Garden.

Kieran Dunne with President Michael Higgins and Sabina Higgins at Bloom this year

From an investment perspective, our hard work and involvement with Bloom has really paid off. We set out to promote Irish stock and were featured in the press for weeks prior to the show and for weeks after it as well. We will be monitoring the direct and indirect benefits over the coming months but so far our involvement has really paid off.

Following previous trade missions to horticultural shows around England, the belief that Bloom and the Irish industry supporting it is on par if not ahead of its British counterpart. The show continues to grow and promote the high standards of the Irish nursery and design sector. With Bloom turning ten next year we have high hopes for a great show in 2016.

While the coming year will no doubt present us with more challenges, members of the Kildare Growers Group are better placed than ever to meet them head on and enter 2016 as a strong group.