Credit crunch fails to dampen Bloom
The five days of flowers, food and family fun, organised by Bord Bia, includes 28 show gardens, an artisan food market, a floral pavilion and other attractions.
But there was no escaping the impact of the credit crunch as many of the colourful gardens and exciting exhibits were designed with the changed economic circumstances in mind.
Bloom project manager Gary Graham said some of the show gardens were constructed on limited budgets this year as many visitors want a beautiful garden but are likely to have less disposal income to achieve it.
“Some of our gardens are designed to show what can be achieved when a professional designer is engaged, often with the garden owner getting ‘dug in’ and carrying out the planting and unskilled labour themselves.
Sheena Vernon, Dalkey, Co Dublin, was among those who took up Bord Bia’s challenge to design a garden on a low budget.
Chic N’ Cheerful – Gardening While the Tiger Sleeps, is the apt title for her garden, which has space for salad crops and herbs, a seat that sits atop a compost area and novel use of materials that bring colour and fun to the project.
Other designs were also focused on showing people that limited space and money should not be an obstacle to creating stylish gardens in which they can relax.
Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith, who officially opened the event, which is costing €1.5 million to stage, said horticulture is a significant part of the Irish economy, employing 10,000 workers.
“When combined with the gardening and landscaping sectors, it is now worth in excess of €1.5 billion each year to our economy, a hugely important industry,” he said.
A replica of the vegetable garden being developed in the grounds of the White House in Washington by United States First Lady Michelle Obama is one of the highlights of the event.
It was built by Bord Bia to educate visitors on planting, harvesting and cooking their own food.
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