Antrim Castle Gardens will be all abuzz from 6th – 8th May 2016 as Allianz Garden Show Ireland returns to the beautiful venue for a three day festival of flowers, food and fun. With a renewed focus on gardens this year there will be more to entice and inspire every level of gardener, not least the return of firm favourite Show Patron Monty Don.
The theme of the NI Year of Food & Drink 2016 runs throughout the Show with a strong focus on the edible element of gardens in all of the Garden Visuals on display. Indeed the Show is bigger than ever before with an estimated 15 display gardens already confirmed, in addition to the ever popular Schools and Team Challenges which also draw on the edible theme.
Garden Designers Rohanna Heyes and Michael Evans pictured at the stunning Antrim Castle Gardens where they are creating a garden entitled “Nourishing Tradition: from the Past, for the Future” at the Allianz Garden Show Ireland 2016.
This year’s event will showcase a stunning large feature garden which vows to engage and excite visitors, the “WOW” garden as the team behind the Show affectionately call it, is being designed by married duo Michael Evans and Rohanna Heyes. The pair who met whilst working and studying at RHS Wisley Garden are passionate about garden design and have many strings to their bow including Michael’s coveted UK Young Horticulturist of the Year award. The garden which will be the centre piece of the Show is entitled “Nourishing Tradition: from the Past, for the Future” and is based on the shape of the Brigid Cross.
Garden Designers Rohanna Heyes and Michael Evans pictured at the stunning Antrim Castle Gardens where they are creating a garden entitled “Nourishing Tradition: from the Past, for the Future” at the Allianz Garden Show Ireland 2016.
Rohanna commented on their involvement,
“We feel really fortunate to be given this project of designing and building a feature garden for this year’s Allianz Garden Show Ireland. In our garden, we celebrate the NI Year of Food and Drink 2016 with key edible plants and also by creating an emphasis on nourishment for the body and mind with symbolism throughout the garden. We hope to capture something of the ancient wildness of Northern Ireland and create an interactive space that is both fun as well as thought-provoking.”
New to the Show this year are the “Cameo Gardens”, smaller in design these inspirational and achievable gardens are based on the theme of “It starts with a Pot”. Hoping to create something to inspire in the Cameo Garden will be the team from Muck and More, Allotment Garden in Antrim as well as the CAFRE students at Greenmount and the much respected Jilly Dougan, gardener and author of Sow, Grow, Munch!, a new book designed to inspire children to grow, eat and enjoy their own produce. Also highlighting the edible theme will be the “Best of Northern Ireland” gardens created by Local Councils.
Other highlights include the Antrim Garden Trail gardens which is made up of a series of gardens from members of the Antrim Garden Trail which include the beautiful Kilcoan Gardens, Antrim Castle Gardens, Ballyrobert Cottage Garden and the stunning Walled Gardens at Greenmount.
Sitting alongside the traditional array of plants, artisan food stalls, local craft and show gardens will be fun filled activities appealing to all age groups. Live music, a dedicated kids zone with kite making, insect hotels and fairy houses, a tea dance, flower arranging competitions and much more.
The 2016 Allianz Garden Show Ireland will run from 6th – 8th May at Antrim Castle Gardens and is open daily from 10am-6pm with parking in town centre car parks and at Junction One. Adults are £10 (concession £8) and the event is FREE for children under 16. There is a reduced rate for online booking and for more information visit www.gardenshowireland.com.
