Bloom experience was 'absolutely amazing' for Laois garden designer

Bronze medal winner Patrik Weisser said the feedback from the people of Laois who came to see his show garden at this year's Bord Bia Bloom festival was 'absolutely amazing'.

Patrik, who designed the garden 'Love Letter to Abbeyleix', spoke to Leinster Express/Laois Live on Saturday as thousands thronged the event in the Phoenix Park.

"I'm delighted. The feedback from all the visitors has been absolutely amazing. It is very nice to hear, especially people from Abbeyleix and the surrounding areas," he said.

"The concept of the garden is to bring representation from Abbeyleix House and Farm where I work and Abbeyleix town into this Bloom garden. It is a representation of 1200 acres and 35 meters squared and I was trying to show with this what we have there but obviously condense it into one garden.

“This is all going back into Abbeyleix House and Farm and it will be used to build a new garden and some of the plants will be going to the town of Abbeyleix for a community garden as well.

"I am delighted with the bronze medal and I am going to aim higher next time."

The garden showcases the natural beauty of the landscape of Abbeyleix House and Farm and the charm of the surrounding area. The design pays homage to the serene beauty and uniqueness of the area, capturing its spirit and recognising its flexibility and adaptability to change.

The design combines woodland and ornamental planting to create a natural and traditional garden. Many materials have been sourced from Abbeyleix House and Farm, including park trees grown from harvested acorns that have been nurtured for a decade.

This year's Bord Bia Bloom featured tips and tricks on gardening, gastronomy and sustainable living in a series of talks and demos.

The bustling Food Village featured almost 100 of Ireland’s leading Irish food and drink companies along with a host of foodie features.

From Laois, The Merry Mill, based in Stradbally, G’s Gourmet Jam, from Abbeyleix, and Ballykilcavan Brewing Company also from Stradbally also featured at this year's event.

Congratulating the award winners  Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia Chief Executive, said “It is wonderful to see such a strong focus on sustainability and biodiversity among our stunning show gardens this year and I would like to congratulate all of the designers who have been working incredibly hard for months to bring our show to life. We are confident that attendees will leave, not only with fantastic inspiration for their garden, but also with the motivation to incorporate more sustainable practices into their homes and lifestyles.”