Ireland’s top floral, food, and family festival to Bloom on June bank holiday weekend

Bord Bia has this week announced the return of Bloom, its hugely successful gardening, food, and family festival, which will take place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, this June bank holiday weekend. Now in its seventh year, the event attracted more than 80,000 visitors last year.

Bloom 2013 will be officially opened by President of Ireland Michael D Higgins on Thursday May 30 and will run until Monday June 3. Visitors will have the opportunity to view 28 spectacular show gardens, sample a wide range of artisan food as well as craft beers and spirits from over 100 Irish food and drink producers, and attend some 25 cookery demonstrations by some of Ireland’s best loved chefs. The popular floral marquee will also return featuring 50 nurseries along with almost 200 retailers.

Orla Walsh 2013 collection at Kilkenny

Celebrate Irish design this year with the Kilkenny Shop, marking the company’s 50th anniversary supporting Irish craft and design. If you fancy something a little quirky and retro when it comes to homeware, look no further than the fabulous creations by Irish designer Orla Walsh. Acclaimed for her 1960s Warhol-style pop art paintings and inspired by Irish, British, and American pop culture, Orla Walsh’s collection gives classic themes a contemporary twist.

Orla Walsh’s graphic paintings were first discovered on the railings of Merrion Square in Dublin, where she was selling her adventurous creations. Her use of bright and bold colours, stand-out text, and iconic products have allowed her to catch the attention of some very influential people over the years and grow her popularity. Since her chance encounter with a Heinz lawyer (which catapulted her career), her work has depicted some of the world’s favourite brands such as Guinness, Jacobs, and Tayto, earning her the title of one of the leading artists in pop culture.

Organic Gardener reaps awards

The Organic Gardener recently won two prestigious awards at events held in Galway. The company won an award in the Best of Galway Awards in the home and garden section. Meanwhile Fergus Whitney, director of the business, won a Junior Chamber award for moral and environmental leadership.

The Organic Gardener is a consultancy business which helps clients who wants to grow food by assisting people to get over the difficult stages in growing organic vegetables, fruit, and herbs.

More Gardening

• Ireland’s top floral, food, and family festival to Bloom on June bank holiday weekend
• Orla Walsh 2013 collection at Kilkenny
• Organic Gardener reaps awards
• Enjoy up to sixty per cent off at your local HSS Hire
• First Clare Garden Festival to take place later this month
• Free talk on growing your own in Claregalway
• Learn more about Ireland’s native newts
• Call to award winning Radharc for landscaping expertise
• Liven up your garden with beautiful handmade birdhouses
• Fence off those fencing problems with Colourfence
• Innovative energy showroom opens
• West Coast Insulation – your insulation questions answered
• Better Bedding sale to help post-Christmas pocket worries
• Solid fuel heating made simple with Stoveman Galway
• B&Q survey finds the Irish are tops for home improvement and gardening
• Gift somebody a pain-free Christmas
• Elves and Fairies Day at Brigit's Garden
• Weed control with Gardener’s Choice bark mulch
• Create a dream kitchen with Comer Granite and Marble
• Elves and fairies descend on Brigit’s Garden for a day of fairy magic
• Public talk on building with mud tonight
• Chronic fatigue, low immunity, poor stamina — get to the root of the problem now
• B&Q launches nationwide sunflower giveaway to get children growing
• The future is growing
• Moycullen child-centred garden to feature on Supergarden next week
• Brigit’s Garden to unveil new visitor centre
• Galway Modern Homes and Building Exhibition a great success
• Great value on attic stairs from Galway Carpenters
• Premium timber flooring from Sean Sheerin Carpentry
• Fun, games, and entertainment with the Easter bunny and chicken at Turoe Pet Farm