'We are so delighted': Winner of top prize at Bloom festival revealed

Nicola Haines, winner of best in category for a large show garden. Picture: Damien Eagers

The winner of a top prize at the prestigious Bloom festival has said she hopes to encourage people to “save water” with her garden design.

Nicole Haines, originally from Surrey in the UK, won the best in category for a large show garden, having previously won five previous awards at Bloom.

She said rewilding, and helping preserve rainwater is behind her creative garden themes.

Her large show garden, 'Coming Home to Nature', which was constructed by Dermot McLaughlin from Co Tyrone, and sponsored by Fingal County Council was flooded with visitors on Thursday morning following her win.

Cork designer Hendrik Lepel’s ‘Sun Harness Garden’ won a silver medal in the small garden category. Picture: Fennells

The stunning garden, which consists of the exterior of a house, water conservation and a wild garden, has won three awards in Bloom, including best in category (large garden), a construction award and a sustainability award.

“We are so delighted” said Ms Haines. “I can’t get over the response we are getting, it’s really delightful.

“It took around four weeks to build on site, but planning has been going since middle of January, and Dermot had the houses built in mid-January. It is a really long process.

“Dermot and his team were here seven days a week from 7am.

“I was really keen that people track the rainfall and passage of water, and we had a huge discussion on how we do that.

“We got these aluminum gutters and steel pipes to retain the water. We waste so much water and we should be saving water. I really want people to be more aware, and I worked that into my design last year too.

“The flowers and plants are pollinators, and it gives that natural feeling as you walk through the house into your garden”.

A total of 38 medals have been presented to the garden designers of this year’s Bord Bia Bloom festival.

The spectacular garden event, taking place in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, opened at 9am on Thursday and has been thronged with eager festival goers.

Joe Eustace receives a gold medal and best in category medium garden for the Citroën Floating Lounge Garden from Jim O'Toole, chief executive of Bord Bia and Kerrie Gardiner, horticultural content manager for Bord Bia Bloom.

During the medal ceremony, 11 gold, 14 silver-gilt, nine silver and four bronze medals were presented to show garden designers.

The medium garden design winner was ‘Citroen Floating Lounge Garden’, designed by Joe Eustace, and the small garden prize went to ‘In Perspective’, by Oliver and Liat Schurmann, which was sponsored by the European Commission.

Gold medals went to St James Hospital’s ‘Highlighting Cancer’ garden, designed by Linda McKeown, as well as ‘The Mind Yourself’ garden designed by Sarah Buckley.

‘In Perspective’ by Oliver and Liat Schurmann, ‘Coming Home to Nature’ by Nicola Haines and ‘Floating Lounge Garden’ by Joe Eustace and Oir — The Zarbee’s Garden by Leonie Cornelius also received gold medals.

Cork designer Hendrik Lepel’s ‘Sun Harness Garden’, which was sponsored by Peppermint Farm Glasshouses, won a silver medal for his show garden in the small garden category.

He told the Irish Examiner he wanted to focus on sun and retaining heat and helping biodiversity.

Meanwhile, Ann Hester from the Cork Flower club won a bronze medal in the AOIFA Floral art category and Angela Heffron from the Cobh Flower and Horticulture Club won a silver medal for her design Class Rustic Charm.

The event, which continues until Monday, is expected to attract more than 100,000 people from all over the world over the June bank holiday weekend.

Oir — The Zarbee’s Garden designed by Leonie Cornelius was a gold medal winner.

Laura Douglas, head of Bord Bia Bloom, said she was delighted with the turnout so far and encouraged visitors to “consider simple ways to make their visit as sustainable as possible”.

“We have free green transport options and extended bike racks in place and would encourage attendees to bring their own reusable water bottle or cup to avail of onsite discounts and hydrations stations.” 

She also said visitors should plan their day in advance to allow plenty of time for travel.

There are five stages at this year's event, with 200 talks and demos as well as performances and food stalls across 70 acres.