Molly Bloom! Shannon girl’s biodiversity vision comes to fruition

ONE young Shannon girl got to see her vision for a biodiversity garden come to fruition last week.

Ten-year-old primary school student Molly McPhillips was on hand to cut the ribbon at the launch of Shannon Group’s new community biodiversity garden and see her winning design in full bloom.

Last year, Molly, a fourth-class student at St Senan’s National School won a competition to design a new biodiversity garden in Shannon, after her proposal was selected as the popular vote on social media.

Last Tuesday, Molly, along with her classmates, returned to see her inspiring garden design in full bloom during a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of the community garden on the Shannon Campus.

After exploring the garden and seeing her inspirational design blossom into this new community amenity, Molly said, “I love all the wildflowers and the nature all around here. I am really happy, excited and proud.

“I planted a tree and I got to put the soil in, and a few of my friends helped me and we got to make a plaque that all my class took part in and we coloured it, to hang up on the tree.”

Speaking at the launch, Shannon Group’s Head of Sustainability Sinead Murphy said, “At Shannon Group we are committed to sustainability, and as this week marks Biodiversity week, it’s fitting that we are here to officially celebrate the launch of our biodiversity garden.

“It’s fantastic to have Molly and her classmates with us today, to see how her design has inspired the garden layout. Molly had wanted a garden that was ‘magical and friendly’ and I think seeing the reaction here today, her design has certainly helped us encapsulate that.”

Molly’s winning design included a bug hotel, fruit trees, and a seating area. 

Following months of planting, pruning and a little patience, the garden now features a wildflower meadow and wildflower lawn bursting with native Irish wildflowers such as Wild ‘Shamrock’ Clovers, Bog Rosemary, Cowslips and Red Clover, to name a few.

Flowering spring bulbs of Daffodils, Crocus, Hyacinths, and Tulips have been planted to provide an early source of food for pollinators. 

Realising Molly’s vision, the garden is home to bee and bug hotels, an earthen bank for hibernating bees, and a log pile to provide shelter for insects and promote fungi species integral to the garden’s environment. 

Over 35 pupils from St. Senan’s National School, in Shannon, took part in a tree planting ceremony and helped to create a wooden plaque for the garden.

They also received a talk on the purpose of each specific area of the garden before being sent home with seedlings to grow themselves.

The new garden, which is open to the public, is located on the Shannon Campus near the entrance to the Shannon Free Zone and Shannon Airport.