First-time Wexford show garden designers sought for Bord Bia Bloom

30/05/2023 Bord Bia Bloom 2023 'First 5 Garden of Wonder and Discovery', designed by Liat and Oliver Schurmann and sponsored by the Department of Children. Photo: Fennell Photography

Bord Bia has launched the third year of its ‘Cultivating Talent’ program, sponsored by Westland Horticulture, aimed at nurturing the next generation of garden designers and horticultural professionals. This initiative provides financial support and one-on-one mentoring to first-time designers participating in Bord Bia Bloom. Designed to jumpstart careers, ‘Cultivating Talent’ has showcased emerging talents like Joe Eustace, Nóra Tombor, and Sarah Buckley, who created outstanding show gardens at Bord Bia Bloom in 2023 and 2024.

Joe Eustace, who won the inaugural program in 2023 and returned with his own show garden in 2024, shared his journey:

“I followed Bord Bia Bloom for years as a spectator due to my passion for garden and landscape design, but I always thought it was beyond my reach. Hearing about the Cultivating Talent initiative through my college network changed everything. Going from spectator to participant has given me a tremendous boost as a designer. My advice to anyone considering it: apply, apply, apply—100% go for it!”

Eustace continued, “It was a fantastic experience. I learned so much by being on-site and observing how experts approached their gardens. I gained insight into the importance of creating a set of drawings that can be effectively implemented on-site and the crucial differences between designing a show garden and a client garden, where the one-on-one mentorship proved invaluable.”

Kerrie Gardiner, Show Gardens and Horticulture Content Manager at Bord Bia Bloom, stated:

“Our goal is to build a pipeline of new talent for Ireland’s horticulture industry. Many aspiring show garden designers hesitate to participate in Bloom due to financing concerns. This initiative offers the selected finalist funding to create their garden, along with mentorship from an award-winning show garden designer. We hope this will attract fresh talent and provide first-time designers with a valuable opportunity to launch their careers.”

Who Should Apply

The ‘Cultivating Talent’ program is open to garden designers and landscape architects looking to showcase their first show garden at Bord Bia Bloom in 2025. Organizers seek designers with a strong vision for a theme and design that conveys a unique message or story. All designs should prioritize environmental sustainability and incorporate measures to support biodiversity.

The 2025 ‘Cultivating Talent’ program is once again sponsored by Westland Horticulture, which aims to empower everyone with the skills, knowledge, and tools for gardening success. This sponsorship aligns with Westland’s “It’s your little corner of earth” campaign, inviting applicants to show how they will bring a corner of earth to life at Bloom 2025.