Bloom

Claire Byrne presents a lively half hour from Bloom at Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland's premier gardening and food event.

Aine Lawlor reports on some of the 27 show gardens and celebrity chef Neven McGuire and Ella McSweeney cook up a creative storm from some of the choicest of Irish food and drink available at Bloom brought to you by Bord Bia over the June Bank Holiday this year.

Based on similar successful formats such as the RHS Chelsea Flower Shows and RHS Hampton Court Palace shows, Bloom has numerous highly creative gardens and plant displays at its core which are used to inspire and excite the public about gardening and garden design and ultimately to drive the sales of Irish-grown plants.

OPW's support and provision of 70 acres at the heart of the Phoenix Park has assisted Bord Bia in developing a show with a greater diversity of content than traditional garden shows.

Bord Bia's wider remit across food, drink and edible horticulture has enabled the development a consumer show that engages the public with artisan and Bord Bia Quality Assured food, meeting and learning from Ireland's top chefs and cooks, tasting indigenous brewing and distilling, learning more about and experiencing Irish fruit, vegetables and potato production.

Bloom is Bord Bia's only consumer-facing show and it has become a highlight in the national social calendar. Over 90,000 people attended the event in 2011, a 50% increase on the previous year.