Bloom in the Park!

I am pleased to say, this is a bank holiday weekend in Ireland meaning a much needed extra day off work! This weekend always marks the 'start' of summer for me as Bloom is held in the Phoenix Park. 

Beauty Full - Silver Medal

Beech Park Gardens

Bloom is Ireland's version of the Chelsea flower show, it's a big garden extravaganza! You can find out more and check out last years visit here.

Calor's Coast Garden - Bronze Medal

Cetriz Summer - Bronze Medal

RTE's Supergarden Winner - Silver Gilt Medal

While the weather was not exactly summer-like, the show provided so much garden inspiration. Before I show you my 'best in show' here a a few pics of the showgardens...

Contemporary Expression Garden - Silver Medal

Freddy Button's Garden - Silver Medal

'Darkness into Light'

Crumlin Children's Hospital Garden - Gold Medal

Atlantic Youth Trust - Bronze Medal

'Our origin is Green'

My absolute favourite garden was gold medal winning 

Yeats' Secret Garden in Sligo. 

I just love the concept behind this garden...

"This garden is purely imaginary. It exists only in the head of the poet; the private bolthole in his beloved Sligo that Yeat's dreamed of while living in smoggy, grey London. Peeking in, we are voyeurs, seeing a clearing on a wooded island, with the lake lapping on the tree-lined shore beyond. Nothing is perfect - Yeats hasn't tried to tame or tidy his secret hideaway. He has just built himself a makeshift cabin amongst the trees, and grown a few vegetables and wildflowers. His grandfather's bee skep lies abandoned in favour of the new 'Modern' CDB bee hive, but this space is primarily for writing and being at peace in a landscape he loves. He has scrounged discarded items from family and friends, laboriously rowing them to the island, along with a few sentimental treasures. Together they make a garden that is his inspiration."

This was my favourite garden for so many reasons.  Firstly it's a style of gardening that I love; wild, native and unkempt. Secondly, Sligo has a special place in my heart as my Grandfather was born there. But most importantly it's combines gardening and poetry. Poetry by one of my favourite writers, W.B. Yeats, whose face adorns my walls. And one poem in particular which I learned in national school is brought to life in this garden; 

The Lake Isle of Innisfree.

'I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattle made:

Nine bean rows will I have there and a hive for the honey-bee;

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart's core'.

 

Blooming Marvellous!

The weekend before last my mother and I spent a lovely day at Bloom Festival which was held in the Phoenix Park. For those of you residing outside our fair green isle, Bloom is Ireland's largest gardening and food event. It's a bit like the Chelsea flower show in England. There were 30 amazing show gardens on display, a floral marquee with over 50 exhibitors, an Irish craft village and over 120 Irish artisan food producers. The weather might not have been the best but it's hard to dampen the Irish spirit...
 

  

Here are some of my best bits...

 

...a dreamy New England style beach garden...

 

Cape Cod Escape - Silver Medal

 

...a seemingly simple yet captivating concept garden...

 



'Messenger' - Gold Medal and Best in Category Winner

 

 

...the mildly comical yet genius silver-gilt winning Tayto Garden...

 

 

For those of you who don't recognise this guy, he is Mr.Tayto of the famous Irish crisps.

The planting was inspired by the ingredients involved in crisp making!!

 

...from Potato

 

 

...to Packet....

 

 

...a North American cranberry farm I want to live in...

 

 

Wellbeing Wetlands - Gold Medal

 

...and not forgetting silver-gilt winning D'Garden...

 

...a typical inner city garden that Mrs. Brown herself might boast.

Mrs.Brown being Ireland's most famous mammy!!

 

There were hanging baskets like none I have ever seen...

 

 

He of Kitchen Hero fame and fellow blogger Donal Skehan tempting us with his beef and stout pies...

 

 

Why even President Higgins couldn't resist popping in...

 

 

Well it is technically in his back garden!!

Horse Chestnut Series - May

 For the entire month of May the Horse Chestnut tree has been laden with candle-like fragrant flower spikes.

 

 

From far away the appear creamy white in colour.

 

 

Yet, up close these showy panicles display flushes of pink and yellow in candy tones.

 

 

Not only are they attractive to look at but they are also a rich source of nectar and so are important for bees and other nectar-loving insects.

 

 

These visits help with pollination. Amazingly, after pollination has occurred, the yellow blotches turn to pink to signal to bees that their job has been done!

 

The interesting result of this pollination will appear in the weeks to come!

Easter Inspiration!

Back in February,  Mr. Auburn and I travelled to Fairyhouse Market. While the market was disappointing and the only things we parted money for were edible, we did stop at one of my favourite places on the way home!

 

 Plantagen is a Scandinavian garden centre chain. They sell amazing plants for your home and garden, garden furniture and BBQ's. They have a huge 'grow your own' section, a bird feeding section, pet supplies, books on gardening, cooking and baking. There is a food hall where you can buy tasty treats, a lovely company that produce oils, preserves and chutneys and the Edinburgh Woollen Mill is in store.

 

 

 

However, the winner has to be the super duper gift and interiors section with the most amazing displays that made me want to squeal with excitement when I walked in!!

 

So with Easter fast approaching and Spring most definitely in the air, here are some of the cutest, Springiest, Easter displays I've seen around! Needless to say my money and I did part company at Plantagen but just wait for Easter to see the cuties that made it home to Auburns...

 

 



Hello Again!

Hello Again!! I am very pleased to be back in blog land once again!

Somehow, I blinked and missed a whole season!

 

 

To all my lovely fellow bloggers who left comments and sent mails in my absence, I assure you I am quite well! Thank you all none the less for your enquiries and well wishes. It was nice to know I was missed!

 

So what was my excuse??

Well, I became entirely preoccupied with a project at work; the opening of a new Mental Health Day Centre. A worthwhile project I think you will agree but boy was it exhausting! Coming home with square eyes at the end of a 12 hour day, I must admit, sadly my blog was not one of my priorities.

 

Anyway, the centre opened this week to great excitement and I am now looking forward to getting back to some semblance of normality, well at least until the next project kicks off!

 

So what were the highlights of my summer??

Well, May started with a trip to the lovely Italian island of Sardinia with my husband and some friends. We enjoyed the sunshine and the sights and ate, drank and were merry for a week!

 

 

At the end of May my Mam and I spent a lovely day at Bloom. For those of you who are not familiar, it is Ireland's answer to the Chelsea flower show, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.

 There were so many inspirational gardens there but this Silver medal winning Fairy Garden by Kate Kurevleva was among my favourites...

 

 

June was a month for celebrations! We celebrated my Dad's 60th birthday with a weekend of festivities culminating in a family BBQ chez Auburn. This also involved eating, drinking and making merry! Later on in June we celebrated Father's Day, Mr Auburn's birthday and my parent's anniversary!

 

 

July involved yet more celebrating! For our lovely friend Clare's birthday we spent a day in gothic splendour at the magnificent Cloonacauneen Castle in Galway. We had a gorgeous lunch packed full of local ingredients after which we retreated to the bar to soak up the atmosphere!

 

 

Speaking of friends, I made a new one this summer. Meet Jack...

 

 He strayed in, scruffy, thin and covered in lice. I am pleased to say he is now lice free, has had a wash and a haircut, his hooves pared and is enjoying the countryside of the Midlands.

How cute is he with his hair spiked up with rain??

 

So what's the plan for Autumn??

Well, it's starting with a staycation next week! By that I mean a holiday from work which I will spend at largely at home, except for the occasional day trip!

 

Will keep you posted...

I promise!!