Bloom: Using horticulture to highlight issues in society
Bloom is a festival celebration of horticulture and food, but what makes it remarkable are the collaborative efforts between horticulturalists and agencies to highlight issues in society.
Print5 June 2018
It’s the June bank holiday weekend and that means only one thing – Bloom!
This year marks the 12th year running of the hugely successful horticulture event.
Under the impactful direction of Bord Bia, the organisers of Bloom, Bloom has been able to thrive through both challenging and prosperous economic conditions.
At the heart of Bloom is of course the love for all things horticulture. Award winning landscape architects, nurseries, artificial grass companies, and many more sectors of the horticulture trade all come together for a celebration of the creative with an ever-present focus on society.
Goal’s Garden for women celebrates the role of women in the developing world, and highlights some of the challenges they continue to face. Iain White – Fennell Photography.
What makes Bloom special is that collaborative efforts from Our Lady’s Children Hospital, Crumlin; Enable Ireland; and GOAL show that horticulture is also a medium through which issues facing society can have a light shone upon them.
It is very much a grass-roots movement (excuse the pun) in its own right. Horticulturalists and those with the love of horticulture using the ability to showcase their skills, dedication, and their passion with purpose and to showcase a message.
It’s in this basis I think Bloom is particularly successful, yes it showcases gorgeous plants and cutting edge architecture but it’s done with respect to issues in society and that’s something to celebrate in itself.
Family
Bloom of course celebrates family and the outdoors. With Safe Food reporting now that one-in-four children in Ireland are overweight or obese; getting outside and putting the screens and remote controls away is important now more than ever.
Bord Bia have managed to turn Bloom into a festival as opposed to simply an event.
Kal Smith (1) from Navan enjoys the Fruit Juice Matters Garden at Bord Bia’s Bloom 2018. Photo: Fennell Photography.
Celebrating Irish food producers, providing children entertainment, collaborating with RTÉ, and showcasing a fashion show in association with Debenhams means that there is something for the culturally active, fashion mad, and foodies alike.
Bloom 2018 is guaranteed to be a huge success as it always is.
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