Every blooming thing ready for festival

Forget about the wild life in Dublin’s Phoenix Park. This June bank holiday weekend, it’s all about the wild flowers — among other blossoms — at the annual Bloom Festival.

This is Bord Bia’s hugely successful gardening, food and family festival, which takes place within a 70-acre site in the Park. Now in its seventh year, the event attracted more than 80,000 visitors last year and could top 100,000 this time.

It will be a short stroll from the gardens of Áras an Uachtaráin for President Michael D Higgins when he opens Bloom 2013 tomorrow. Until Monday, visitors will be able to view 28 spectacular show-gardens, sample a wide range of artisan food, as well as craft beers and spirits from more than 100 Irish food and drink producers and attend more than 25 cookery demonstrations by some of Ireland’s best loved chefs. The popular Floral Marquee also returns, featuring 50 nurseries along with almost 200 retailers.