Virtual festivities for second year running — but all still Blooming lovely

While people can’t obviously come together physically to celebrate Ireland's five-day flower, food and family festival, they can take part via a series of virtual initiatives and events

Alanna & Alyssa Keeley Bord Bia Bloom 2021. Photo Chris Bellew /Fennell Photography Copyright 2021

A celebrated quote from Lady Bird Johnson, wife of the 36th President of the United States Lyndon B Johnson, goes: “Where flowers bloom so does hope”.

Right now there’s a global need for fresh hope in a world struggling to recover from the impact of Covid-19.

Ireland is well positioned to meet that challenge with a green fingered population and a growing interest in planting and cultivating flowers and shrubs.

A survey conducted some years ago revealed that over 1.3 million Irish people from almost one million households were gardening on a regular basis countrywide.

They were mainly female (69%), and four in 10 were over the age of 55. Some 75% of all the adults believed gardening was good for mental health.

Almost all (98%) adults who did so regularly knew this to be the case. Three in four considered digging to be a “pain”. Yet, 95% said it kept them fit and active.

Cutting grass with a push lawnmower for half an hour burns about 243 calories while gardening in the fresh air has the potential to lower blood pressure, ease stress and engage people physically and intellectually. With 63% of the population living in urban areas, the survey concluded that gardening within a limited space was set to become ever-more important, especially in Dublin, where 25% of inhabitants had no garden.

Around 340,000 adults (19% of gardeners) in Ireland grew vegetables regularly at home. Over four in 10 (43%) were interested in growing their own.

Alyssa Keeley. Bord Bia Bloom 2021. Picture: Chris Bellew /Fennell Photography

The research also predicted that the next generation gardeners will be younger, more eco-aware and GYO (grow your own) advocates, with a desire for easily maintained, compact gardens.

Benefits of gardening

Bloom, the celebrated five-day flower, food and family festival, organised by Bord Bia and first held in 2007, has always highlighted the economic and societal benefits of gardening.

It was originally created to promote plants, garden design, horticulture, and gardening, but Bord Bia’s role in promoting food and drink allowed it to develop further.

With a format like the Chelsea and Hampton Court flower shows in London, the event was normally staged annually over the June Bank Holiday weekend and attracted attendances of up to 120,000 people.

A 70-acre Office of Public Works site in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, just across the way from Aras an Uachtaráin, the official resident of President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina, both enthusiastic supporters, was the venue.

In 2019, the last year it was held in its traditional format before the pandemic lockdown, it featured 22 show gardens, 14 postcard gardens, over 100 Irish food and drink producers, 25 plant nurseries and 100 retailers.

Bord Bia estimated that consumers spent over €10m at the festival. Three quarters of a tonne of strawberries were eaten. Some 10,000 Irish plants were bought. And it was again a high-profile shop window for organic Irish food and beverages.

Following the impact of Covid-19, which saw garden centres closed for periods, people are now being urged to embrace their outdoor spaces, especially during Bloom. It begins on Thursday and continues until the following Monday and will be held remotely for the second year in a row.

While people can’t obviously come together physically as they had previously done in their thousands, they can take part via a series of virtual initiatives and events providing gardening advice and inspiration.

Bloom in the Park 2019 before Covid-19 halted all events. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Bord Bia chief executive Tara McCarthy said gardening has experienced a renewed sense of importance over the last year due to the restrictions people have had to observe. It has had a positive impact on many people’s mental and physical well-being.

Public engagement

“We are inviting the public to join us virtually again this year and safely enjoy Bord Bia Bloom from their own homes,” she said.

As the 15th annual Bloom is celebrated, people of all ages will be provided with inspiration and guidance on how to create a garden they can enjoy across all seasons.

Bord Bia will share seven gardens by award-winning Bloom designers. These can be re-created either in full, or in part, at home, according to the time, space, and budget available.

From an easy-to-maintain family friendly gardens to an outdoor space perfect for entertaining, the plans feature a range of Irish grown plants that are available to purchase in centres and retailers nationwide.

Bord Bia horticulture sector manager Carol Marks said it is thrilled to have worked with the award-winning designers to create these step-by-step garden designs which can be implemented at home.

The plans have been designed to suit a range of different needs and provide guidance for transforming gardeners.

“A top tip is that the border details from each design are accessible for any gardener to implement, based on their garden aspect.

“Each garden design comes with a range of inspirational images, an animated walk-through and a full plant list to make buying the plants as simple as possible,” she said.

Bord Bia is also hosting a range of virtual activities and initiatives including a talks series hosted by RTÉ’s Miriam O’Callaghan.

Irish rugby international Peter O’Mahony and actress and wellness expert, Aoibhín Garrihy, who have embraced gardening over the past year, will be among the participants.

Chefs and foodies including Catherine Fulvio and Rory O’Connell will also offer tasty BBQ recipes, tips. There will be competitions in association with RTÉ.

Their contributions and those of others will help boost the spirits of people who are anxious about their health and wellbeing as they prepare to readjust to a changed post Covid-19 lifestyle. Some might even be inspired by poets and painters who have hailed flowers over the ages as the music of the earth.

For more, see Bord Bia Bloom