Award-winning Bloom garden finds new home

An award-winning garden created for Bloom 2014 has been given a permanent home in the heart of Limerick to mark the city’s status as Ireland’s first National City of Culture.

Cathaoirleach Kevin Sheahan yesterday opened the garden, which was designed by Drake Hourigan Architects and inspired by Limerick’s built and cultural heritage. The Limerick Cultural Garden was a silver medal winner at this year’s Bloom Festival in Dublin where it was viewed by an estimated 100,000 people.

Over the past few weeks, the show garden has been constructed by L&M Keating Ltd building contractors in the courtyard area of the City and County Council’s Merchant’s Quay offices, where it will be enjoyed by the people of Limerick and visitors to the city as they make their way to and from King John’s Castle. It will be maintained on an ongoing basis by the council.

Pat Dowling, director of services, Limerick City and County Council, said: “We are delighted to re-locate the Medieval Garden to this permanent space where it can be enjoyed by those visiting Limerick during our reign as National City of Culture. It serves as a wonderful reminder of Limerick’s rich medieval heritage, which includes the newly refurbished King John’s Castle, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fanning’s Castle and the Hunt Museum’s medieval collections.

“The council is delighted to have supported Ailish Drake and Conor Hourigan in their design of this project as part of the Made in Limerick strand of City of Culture. Their creativity and awareness of Limerick’s medieval heritage has resulted in the delivery of a unique project that adds immeasurably to the overall City of Culture Programme for 2014.”

Ms Drake said the primary purpose of the show garden is to promote Limerick’s medieval heritage to a wider audience, attracting more cultural visitors to the city centre.