Ireland’s largest gardening festival, Bloom, returns to the Phoenix Park in Dublin this weekend, marking the 19th anniversary of the event. While gardens are at the heart of Bloom, there is plenty there for everyone to enjoy. Here’s all you need to know, along with some of the highlights of this year’s show. Grab your sun hats (and an umbrella) ... you don’t want to miss it.
When is it on?
This year’s festival takes place across the June Bank Holiday from Thursday, May 29th to Monday, June 2nd. The event will run from 9am to 6pm each day.
Where is it on?
It takes place in the Phoenix Park, on a 28-hectare (70-acre) site surrounding the Visitor Centre. This can be accessed via the park’s main Chesterfield Avenue Road, which runs from the Main Gate at Parkgate Street to the Castleknock Gate.
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Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets for Bloom can be purchased through Ticketmaster. They cost €30 per adult and for students and senior citizens (aged 66 and over) €25 each. Tickets are only available for one day so ensure you choose the right day when purchasing. Some tickets will be available to buy on the gate but cannot be guaranteed.
Who can attend?
Admission is free for two children (aged 16 and under) with one paying adult. Each additional child’s ticket will cost €5. Admission is free for carers with a carer’s pass accompanying one wheelchair user, the visually impaired or person with a disability.There is disabled car parking located close to the Bloom entrances in both car parks. Dogs, unless they are guide or assistance dogs, are not permitted.
How do I get there?
The festival encourages visitors to take public transport where possible.
By foot: It takes about 45 minutes to walk from the Parkgate Street Gate to Bloom’s front entrance (Chesterfield Avenue) and about 10 minutes from the Ashtown or Cabra Gates to the rear entrance (North Road). Walking from the Castleknock Gate takes about 25 minutes.
By bike: You can cycle directly to the entrance of Bloom and park and lock your bike in one of the cycle parks.
By shuttle: A number of free shuttle buses will be running on a loop from Park Gate Street to the festival and back from 7am to 7pm daily. The drop-off point will be at a designated Bloom stop on Chesterfield Avenue.
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By train/Luas: If you are travelling by Dart or Intercity train into Connolly Station or by bus into Busáras, you can get on the Luas Red Line at the stops outside the stations and get off at Heuston Station.
From Heuston Station, it is less than a five-minute walk to where the shuttle bus departs from Parkgate Street.
If you are travelling on the Luas Green Line, which terminates at Broombridge Train Station, it is a 40-minute walk to Bloom.
If getting the commuter line to Ashtown station, it is about a 20-minute walk to the festival.
By bus: The 99 bus route stops outside Áras an Uachtaráin in Phoenix Park which is a 10-minute walk from the festival.
You can take public buses such as routes 11, 26, 38b, 19, 99, C5 and C6 that stop on the Navan Road. You can then walk about 15 minutes to Bloom.
If you are travelling on a private bus, it can park in the Papal Cross car park in the park.
By car: Traffic coming from the city centre can use the Cabra Gate via Black Horse Avenue, the Main Gate to Phoenix Park and the NCR Gate.
Traffic coming from the north side and the M50 can use the Castleknock Gate, Ashtown Gate, Knockmaroon Gate or the Chapelizod Gate.
Once you enter the park, follow signs to the nearest car park. Parking costs €10 per day and parking passes can be purchased from Ticketmaster when purchasing your entry ticket.
What will you see?
With more than 300 talks, demonstrations, performances and workshops taking place at Bloom, there is plenty to keep you busy across the weekend.
One of the main attractions at Bloom is the Show Gardens, which see some of the most talented designers from Ireland and overseas create spectacular gardens. This year’s festival will have 21 different gardens on show, giving you with lots of inspiration for your own gardens at home.
There will also be 11 Postcard gardens that have been created by amateur gardeners from community groups and schools across Ireland to showcase their local area or issues that matter to them.
The winner of Bloom’s Cultivating Talent programme, Sarah Cotterill, an Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering at University College Dublin, will showcase her “Into the Forest” show garden at Bloom.
The Nursery Village will host large displays from 17 nurseries and floral artists to provide you with plenty of ideas for your garden space this summer.
Garden designers and television presenters Diarmuid Gavin and Adam Frost will headline a busy programme of talks and discussion panels with presentations from show garden designer Leonie Cornelius, Niall McCauley of “Niall Gardens” on YouTube, and many more. There will also be a series of “Polytunnel Talks” from expert speakers on all aspects of kitchen gardening.
The Westland Potting Shed is offering a hands-on experience for gardening newbies, experts and everything in between. Visitors will get to plant their chosen seeds, decorate their pot and learn gardening techniques to nurture their seeds into thriving plants.
For little ones, the Budding Bloomers stage will host an array of children’s activities across the weekend including a magical Science of Bubbles show with Scientific Sue and lessons on bees and growing your own food will be provided by Paddy Courtney. Face painters will also be in attendance at the Budding Bloomers Children’s Area.
If you fancy a bit of retail therapy, there are plenty of options to choose from such as, the Indoor Shopping Pavilion, the Plant Emporium, the Nursery Village, the Design and Crafts Council Ireland Irish Craft Village and many more.
Where can I get something to eat?
The Food Hall at Bloom’s Food Village has more than 100 Irish artisan producers. The possibilities are endless from chocolate, to cheese and oysters or teas.
If you are in the mood for an afternoon tipple, why not pop over to the Bloom Inn where some of Ireland’s best craft brewers and distillers will be and enjoy a drink.
You can watch your favourite chefs in action such as Donal Skehan, Neven Maguire, Aishling Moore and Catherine Fulvio, who are just some of the culinary stars that will take to the stage for 30 live demos across the weekend.
For the real foodies, there will also be a special three-course menu experience, “A Taste of Bloom, curated by Neven.” Tickets for the “Taste of Bloom” package can be purchased on Ticketmaster for €79 per person and also include entry into the festival.
A whole host of delicious food options will be available to cater for the whole family from The Seafood Terrace, Country Crest Restaurant or a choice of options from more than 60 food trucks.
What will the weather forecast be?
Met Éireann forecasts Thursday to have a range of temperatures from 14 to 20 degrees Celsius with some cloud and patchy rain. Friday will be cloudy with some scattered showers. The weather will start to brighten up on Saturday but may be followed by some possibly heavy showers. Sunday will see a mix of sunshine and showers with temperatures from 10 to 16 degrees Celsius. Monday is expected to be dry and bright with a few scattered showers.
Anything else?
There will be free waterpoints to refill your bottles at the event entrances, the showgardens, the Budding Bloomers area, the picnic area and in the Food Village. There will be wifi hotspots will be located across the showgrounds.
If you buy any plants at Bloom, don’t worry about carrying them around. Bloom has you covered with a complimentary Plant Creche where you can leave your purchases. The festival also runs a “wheelbarrow taxi service” to help people get their purchased plants back to their car, in the Red or Green car park.
You are not allowed to stay overnight at the festival.
Any other information can be found at www.bordbiabloom.com.
