Bord Bia has announced that gardening and lifestyle festival Bord Bia Bloom is returning to the Phoenix Park, Dublin, from June 2 to June 6. The last two years have seen the festival take place as virtual #BloomAtHome events.
Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy said, “The festival is the perfect opportunity for the public to experience and sample the very best of Irish horticulture, food, and drink directly from our world-class designers, suppliers, and growers, as well as engage with important topics like sustainability, biodiversity, and mental health through beautiful floral design, expert talks, and family-friendly exhibits. The entire team is looking forward to welcoming both new and returning visitors back to the park for the first time in two years.”
With consumer spend on gardening reaching a record €1.2bn in 2020, Bord Bia Bloom is a great opportunity for the Irish horticultural industry to continue to engage with both new and experienced gardeners who embraced green spaces and gardening during successive lockdowns.
“New gardening enthusiasts have emerged over the past two years as many people discovered the mental and physical benefits of gardening for the first time during Covid-19," said Mike Neary, director of horticulture at Bord Bia. "With restrictions now lifted, the sector will continue to harness this increased consumer interest in gardening, and what better place to do so than in the magnificent surrounds of the show gardens and horticultural features in the Phoenix Park.”
Green-fingered community groups can display their skills in a Postcard Garden
Entries are now also open to gardening and community groups from all over Galway to apply for the popular Postcard Gardens category at Bord Bia Bloom. The Postcard Gardens are small but perfectly formed 3m x 2m plots that can be used to represent a club, locality, or special person from a community.
Gardening clubs, community groups, schools, and resource centres can all apply to enter a Postcard Garden. Each year a wide range of themes, including mental health, climate change, and children’s literature, are brought to life through the use of plants, creative design, and woodwork.
“The Postcard Gardens are a personal favourite of mine," said Kerrie Gardiner, Bord Bia Bloom show garden manager. "They offer aspiring gardening groups who may have honed their skills during lockdown a chance to demonstrate their talents, while also inspiring the public to get involved and experience the many benefits of gardening.”
For more information on the Postcard Gardens and to download an application form, visit BordBiaBloom.com The closing date for applications is March 2, 2022.
Early bird tickets
Early bird tickets are now available to buy from bordbiabloom.com until March 27. Providing a 28 per cent discount on a full price adult ticket, early bird prices range from €15 to €18, and two children under 16 can attend for free with each ticket.
To ensure people enjoy the Bord Bia Bloom experience they know and love in a safe environment, even more event features will be outdoors in 2022 and the expected daily number of visitors to the festival will be capped. Bord Bia is encouraging the public to purchase tickets in advance to avoid disappointment and guarantee attendance on their preferred day over the June Bank Holiday weekend.
To stay up to date with #BordBiaBloom2022 news, sign up to the Bloom Ezine at bordbiabloom.com and follow @BordBiaBloom on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
