This year’s Bloom will feature a re-constructed Medieval Garden from Bremore Castle, Balbriggan Co. Dublin.  The Medieval Garden is a collaboration project  initiated by Fingal County Council in conjunction with the lecturers and students  of the Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown

(ITB).

The medieval theme takes inspiration from the history of Bremore Castle, the area’s association with St Mologa, a Seventh Century Irish saint long renowned  for beekeeping, and highlights the skills (in particular aspects of wood carving and stone building) which are the focus of the Local Training Initiative based  here.  The design includes the use of recycled stone from the Bremore Castle  site, local willow from Skerries for edges of raised beds, and Irish handmade  straw bee hives (skeps). Having won a Silver Gilt medal and the Best in Show Award at last year’s Bloom, Fingal County Council is moving up in size by entering  the Medium Gardens Category this year.

The garden build commences on site in the Phoenix Park on Friday, May 12 and  will take three weeks to complete.  After Bloom, the Medieval Garden will be reassembled in Bremore Castle. Garden designer, Jane McCorkell, lecturer in horticulture at ITB and a seven times Gold medal winner at Bloom, has worked  with her students on the design of the Bremore Castle Medieval Garden for  Bloom 2016,  while the show garden plants have been cultivated in the college’s urban horticulture facility.

Wishing the Bremore Castle Medieval Garden well at Bloom, Chief Executive  Fingal County Council, Paul Reid commented: “This is a fantastic example of the great work that has been ongoing in Bremore Castle for the last number of years and I’m delighted we can showcase these skills to Bloom visitors. I am also pleased that the partnership that we have enjoyed with IT Blanchardstown is continuing on this joint initiative”.

Cllr. David O’Connor, Mayor of Fingal said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing the Bremore Medieval Garden at Bloom. Huge credit is due to the staff of Fingal County Council and IT Blanchardstown on this collaborative project which will put Bremore on the map.”

Fingal County Council has worked closely with the Department of Horticulture at ITB for the past five years, providing a training ground for their students in Fingal County Council’s parks. Last year’s award winning entry was entitled “Beech Park Garden” a design representative of the former Shackleton family owned Beech Park in Clonsilla Dublin 15, which won in the Small Gardens category.

Bord Bia’s Bloom, Ireland’s largest gardening, food and family festival will take  place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin from Thursday, June 2 to Monday, June 6. Now a key feature of the June Bank Holiday Weekend, Bloom attracted more than 100,000 people last year. Bord Bia’s annual showcase of the best of Ireland’s horticulture and food industry will once again feature a range of impressive  show gardens, food features and family entertainment. Tickets are on sale now  on kids go free!

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