Green fingers ready as first Garden Festival set to bloom

GARDENERS of all ages will be showing their green fingers at next week’s first ever Clare Garden Festival.  Joining the previously announced high-profile guests at the festival on Sunday, July 29 at the Showgrounds will be a very special visitor for the youngest growers.

Greenie will be there as an advocate for nature, protecting the environment and growing your own. Greenie is the star of his own children’s book, where he has adventures in Greenieland and is in tune with all aspects of nature. The character is the brainchild of Morag Kelly and Michael Duggan, based in Athenry and he will be appearing at the festival at 2pm.
They will be joining the festival following their success at the Galway St Patrick’s Day Parade and their appearance on Dragon’s Den earlier this year. Both will be on hand to enjoy some gardening fun with Greenie and RTÉ gardener, Kitty Scully.
The Clare Garden Festival will be held in partnership with the County Clare Show offering a full programme of entertainment including talks, hands-on demonstrations and gardening with children, all delivered by well-known, experienced gardeners. Following the usually very popular judging of the horticultural and other classes, the garden festival will be launched at 1pm in the indoor arena. There is no additional charge to the garden festival, with entry to the Showgrounds giving access to all attractions.
“We are hugely excited and delighted to be host to the first Clare Garden Festival this year. It is a great fit with what we are all about at the Clare Show and a valuable addition to our programme,” said Bernard Hanrahan, chairman of County Clare Agricultural Show Society.
“We believe that our regular visitors will enjoy what the garden festival offers and we will be delighted to welcome new visitors with an interest in gardening from Clare and beyond on the day.”
The Clare Garden Festival will kick off at 1pm with a talk by plantsman and garden school owner Ciarán Burke, entitled Summer Scents and Colour. Ciarán will also demonstrate how to grow from cuttings in a session on propagation. Ciarán says, “Propagating plants is easy, hugely satisfying and a cheap way of stocking your garden. It is also a valuable tool in conservation of old plant varieties, such as heritage roses, which I will be focusing on at Clare Garden Festival.”
Kitty Scully will be inspiring beginners to get started and she always has a new tip or two for experienced gardeners too. Her talk and demonstrations will be entitled Grow your way to five-a-day.
She has promised to bring some home-grown produce for tastings and Kitty will be demonstrating how easy it is to sow and grow a variety of tasty, fresh and healthy lettuces at home.
Information stalls will also feature on the day. Many local gardening experts have announced they will be joining and will be available for questions from beginners on the day.
Last but not least, from 4pm, Jo Newton from Irish Seed Savers’ Association will take to the stage with her focus on polytunnels, heritage varieties and seeds. “In the Irish climate, polytunnels can be a real lifesaver for seeds and a wonderful and productive experience for people with a passion for gardening,” says Jo.
“Preparations for Clare’s first Garden Festival are now in full swing with the website and Facebook page giving plenty of information. Working with all the amazing and knowledgeable people involved has already been a worthwhile experience and I am thrilled with all the support it is receiving,” said Carmen Cronin, organiser of Clare Garden Festival.
“The festival owes its launch to the County Clare Show opening its gates to it and Ennis Town Council supporting it. And of course, our sponsors.”
She explained the Clare Garden Festival aims to provide education and entertainment to gardeners and novices from Clare and beyond. All areas of gardening will be discussed and demonstrated.
“The festival will provide an accessible platform for groups like residents’ associations, tidy towns’ associations and similar to gain inspiration and experience to use in their own estate enhancement. It also hopes to inspire families and residents in general to grow their own fruits and vegetables with the objective of healthy living to support the fight against current health problems including obesity and heart diseases. In addition, it will be a source of further information for those with experience in the garden.”
She concluded by saying, “My wish for this year’s festival is that people go home after a fun day with their ‘bag’ filled with good tips and information”.
Further details about Clare Garden Festival are available from www.facebook.com/claregardenfestival, visit www.claregardenfestival.com or get information on the whole day on the Clare Show website from www.clareshowsociety.com.