DESIGN / 06
Patricia Tyrell makes a welcome return to Ireland’s largest gardening festival…
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t is so exciting to see that Bloom is back and normality has returned. It’s been a strange and stressful few years for everyone, and even though garden designers have been unusually busy, the combination of being overly busy and coping with a pandemic has had its own stresses. A very necessary response to this has been learning how to say ‘no’, and this was in evidence, both at Chelsea and Bloom, when it came to the number of designers involved in the gardens. Those designers who did get involved are to be admired for their courage in creating impressive show gardens and committing time and investment in a period of extreme uncertainty. The pandemic has brought radical change in consumer attitudes to their gardens. The Irish consumer now values garden design in a way they didn’t before. Being confined to your house and garden brings every detail into sharp focus and afforded many the time to look at social media, browsing the wonderful garden spaces that are possible. So, with such a huge sea-change in our attitudes, what is it now that garden owners are looking for, and can a garden show like Bloom deliver? People continue to work from home. They want a garden they can enjoy throughout the day and to share in the evening with family and friends. They want to grow and cook more food outdoors. As houses get smaller and bicycles are more in use, storage becomes a priority. However, more than anything, they want a space where they can reconnect with, and be immersed in, nature – a sanctuary or contemplative space. Chelsea had a lovely category this year called the sanctuary gardens. Most were simple, peaceful gardens, with an emphasis on planting, natural materials and water. They were some of my favourite gardens at the show. At Bloom, the Eureka Garden by Niall
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HC / Summer 2022
Deacon, described as a sanctuary garden, certainly had its finger on the pulse. A sustainable sanctuary of native stone and beautiful planting. It was a masterclass in how to create mystery and atmosphere in a small space. The sound of the Japanese sozu added to the feeling of meditation and serenity. Also in this vein was The Pathways to Home garden, by first time Bloom designers, Seán O’Malley and Oisín Griffin. Very much on point with its concept for The Peter McVerry Trust, it
provided a sanctuary space surrounded by a simple palette of contrasting textures and calm greens. The pathways and the wooden furniture were made by Francie O’Toole from recycled timber. Mark Hoeys supergarden Reflections was also designed as a calm space to retreat to. Green roofs and walls, and reflections created by long rills of water gave this sanctuary space a lot of depth. Apart from a space in nature, what about the more practical things that people want in this post-pandemic
The pandemic has brought radical change in consumer attitudes to their gardens
