At just 20 years old, Sean Melia from Summerhill, Co. Meath - the youngest ever competitor on the show - has been revealed as the winner of Super Garden 2026.
Alongside his competitors, Melia was challenged to design a home garden worthy of winning a spot at Bord Bia Bloom, Ireland's premier garden show, which is taking place in Dublin this June Bank Holiday Weekend.
His 'Urban Jungle' triumphed thanks to its clever and colourful design, bringing functionality and artistry to the small space.
Speaking about his win, he said: "I can't believe it’s come true, it honestly doesn’t feel real yet."
With just three weeks and a budget that amounted to €15,000, the young designer took over a garden in a housing estate in Ashbourne, a new social housing development by Meath County Council.
The Meath man was paired with Ellen, who works in the civil service, and her 15-year-old son, Ben.
The mother and son were looking for a place to socialise, work and relax in the evenings, which the designer took into consideration when creating this immersive retreat.
As well as making the family happy, though, Melia says he kept the judges and Super Garden audience in mind.
"The judges look for little ideas that the audiences can get," Sean told RTÉ Lifestyle. "If you get something specially made, people can't get that, but if they see little DIY stuff all over the place that looks nice, they'll want to give that a go."
"The little squares along the top and sides of the pergola - they're all DIY," he continues. "The little circles in the paving, they were just cut out of slabs!"
The 20-year-old's contemporary garden used strong colours and elevated spaces to deal with a challenging high concrete wall.
A raised timber platform captured the evening light beautifully, while punched Egyptian limestone panels and a water rill add texture and movement.
A functional outdoor kitchen roof adds great atmosphere to the dining terrace.
Reflecting on his work, Sean says that the colourful glass panels were his highlight of the design.
"In Super Garden, we used green ones," he explains, "but here [at Bloom], there's so much green already, we went for mad colours. When the sun hits one side, it shines a yellow reflection on the raised area. And when it's going through it, it turns blue and purple."
"It adds loads of colour to the garden."
Hailing from a long line of horticulturalists, Sean says he was thrilled to take home the crown, no doubt making his father, Dermot Melia, particularly proud.
Dermot took part in the show in 2020, leaving quite an impression on viewers despite losing the winning spot. Fans will remember him as a ninth-generation horticulturist who had gardening in his veins and a penchant for the spotlight.
"My dad was building a garden the day I was born," Sean smiles. "He wanted me to give [Super Garden] a go because he gave it a go, and here we are! He was giving me little tips for being on camera. He told me to enjoy the process, enjoy the journey."
The final episode of this season of Super Garden aired on Thursday, 28 May 2026, on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. You can watch it back now.
