Waterford garden designer wins bronze medal at Bord Bia Bloom

As the gates opened on the opening morning of Bord Bia Bloom in the Phoenix Park, Dublin today a total of 36 medals were handed out to show gardens; plant nurseries and floral and botanical art exhibits ahead of the five-day festival opening to the public today at 9am. From Waterford, two Bronze medals were awarded to garden designer Joe Kelly and Shady Plants Nursery. 

The judging panels for Bord Bia Bloom includes 14 Irish and international horticultural experts judging Show gardens, Postcard gardens, nursery displays, and botanical and floral art.

Show Gardens

At the centrepiece of Bord Bia Bloom, a total of 22 small, medium, and large show gardens and feature gardens provided a colourful demonstration of the latest trends and innovations in garden design. Among the show gardens this year was Out of This World from garden designer Joe Kelly from Dungarvan received a Bronze medal for this small concept garden.

Joe Kelly is a pharmacist in Dungarvan by day but loves to garden in his spare time. Joe credits the late Barney Johnson, whose programme The Garden featured on RTÉ, for developing his early interest in plants and he cites his green-fingered mum as another key influence. This is his first time to Bord Bia Bloom with a small show garden that represents a traditional cottage garden with a unique twist. This quiet idyll is a place of mindfulness and joy… or it was until an unidentified flying object (UFO) crashed into it. While no alien life forms have been spotted yet, keep your eyes open during your visit.

Nursery and Floral Pavilion Awards 

A total of 10 gold medals were awarded to nurseries exhibiting at this year’s event. From Clashmore, Shady Plants Nursery, a small family run nursery specialising in hardy ground ferns and other shade loving plants also received a Bronze medal.

Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia Chief Executive, congratulated the awards winners announced today: “The medals awarded this morning is testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the Irish horticulture community and we are incredibly proud to showcase this talent. As we prepare to open the doors to Bloom 2023, I’d like to thank and acknowledge all those involved whose sheer dedication has helped Bord Bia to deliver what we believe will be a unique and truly uplifting experience for this year’s visitors.”  

Opening day

The festival will be officially opened by Bord Bia Bloom patron, President Michael D. Higgins, with his wife Sabina at 10am. In addition to the stunning gardens, the event offers a variety of activities and experiences including live talks across five stages, performances and activities in the Budding Bloomers Kid’s Zone, cookery demonstrations on the Quality Kitchen Stage, and musical performances.

Bord Bia Bloom continues in the Phoenix Park until Monday 5th June. A full list of all awards can be accessed here: bordbiabloom.com/2023winners