Stepping into Bloom, Ireland’s answer to the Chelsea Flower Show, with our first garden was a leap of faith. The prevailing thought was, “Who would ever want artificial grass in a show garden?” Yet, we were determined to prove its potential. Our first major project, an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ experience, involved marshalling dozens of collaborators and overcoming last-minute plot changes that threatened to unravel our meticulous sacred geometry. While the public loved our whimsical creation and the actress playing Alice charmed everyone, the judges were decidedly less impressed, awarding us a Silver. I swore, “Never again!”
But the allure of Bloom is like an addiction. We returned, aiming to “steal the show” with our ‘Wizard of Oz’ garden. It was equally, if not more, demanding. Despite no external sponsorship and immense pressure, we built a truly immersive world, from Dorothy’s crashed farmhouse to the Emerald City, complete with subtle social commentary. The public queued in their thousands, often moved to tears by the experience. Still, the judges granted us only a Silver Gilt.
Our third and fourth forays ramped up the mischief. ‘The Secret Life of Pets’ featured a disappearing swimming pool – a constant battle with leaks, yet eliciting spontaneous applause from amazed visitors. The judges again, a Silver. The ‘Upside Down Garden’ was pure defiance: no plants, just artificial grass and hedging, with an acrobat hanging upside down to illustrate the concept. This bold statement delighted crowds, but earned us a Bronze – a final, perplexing slight that perhaps cured my “Bloom obsession.”
Each Bloom garden was a mad dash of creativity, logistical nightmares, and sheer grit. They were physically and mentally exhausting, but they proved that innovation, even when it challenges convention, can capture the public’s imagination and truly transform perceptions. We may not have won many golds, but we certainly put the “art” in artificial grass, showing the world its unexpected beauty and versatility.