Thousands Flock To Garden Show Ireland

NI Secretary of State Owen Paterson presented the Show Garden Awards on the opening morning to Gold winners Ards Borough Council for their ‘Reflection’ Garden (Large Garden Category) and to Greenleaf NI for their ‘The Apothecary Garden’ (Small Garden Category). Designer of the winning Large Show Garden, John McConnell from Ards Borough Council said, “We are over the moon! This means so much to all the team, particularly as the garden – aptly named ‘Reflection’ – is dedicated to our colleague and friend Bryan Seeds, Parks Manager who was a real horticulturist, who passed away last year.”

“> Around the walled garden were also plenty of craft stalls, and one caught my eye. It was selling bespoke garden fairy homes. Just when you have your garden almost perfect, you have to make one final inclusion – a home for the little folk!  Made by the expert hand of ceramacist  Stephen Dúile, these homes are a great artistic addition. There were also stalls selling local food produce and one was from the Armagh Cider Company promoting its delicious dry and medium sweet bottled cider. Co Down businesses were also well represented at the garden festival and included Twin Lions Garden Plants (Downpatrick), Peninsula Primulas (Ards), Lee White Plants (Saintfield) and Irish Garden Plants (Seaforde), and Timpany Nurseries (Ballynahinch). [caption id="attachment_24159" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="NI Secretary of State, Owen Paterson presented Gold Award for Show Garden (Large Garden Category) to John McConnell and Tom Simpson at Ards Borough Council at Garden Show Ireland 2011."][/caption]Awards were also presented in the Large Garden Category to ‘One for the Journey’ by Ian Price (in association with Aware Defeat Depression), and ‘A Garden of Senses’ by Skelton Rainey (Newtownabbey Borough Council), both of which received Silver Gilt awards.  For the Small Garden category, awards were won by CAFRE Complete Compact Garden (by CAFRE Greenmount), ‘Country Garden’ (by Ballyrobert Cottage Garden and Nursery) and ‘Earth, Wind and Fire’ (by Nature at Work), who all received Silver. A Bronze award went to a ’A Contemplative Corner’ (by Carnmoney Presbyterian Church and District Garden Society). Also, awards are to be presented for the Schools Garden Challenge, the Allianz Scarecrow St Competition and the Style in the Garden Awards.  All are welcome to enter for a chance to win a fantastic £1,000 package from House of Fraser for the ‘Best Garden Style’.]]>