THIS year at Limerick Garden Festival (June 15), organisers have planned an exciting programme of expert talks, masterclasses, workshops, demos, music, and children’s entertainment alongside the staple garden, plant, craft, and food stalls from all over Ireland.
The festival features its most diverse and extensive series of talks and demonstrations since its inception in 2018, with high-profile Limerick, national, and international experts.
International garden designer Peter Donegan returns to the festival this year after having designed and won 12 awards in UK, France, Australia and being named the series garden designer for RTÉ’s DIY SOS since he last joined the festival in 2018.
“I am thrilled to come back to Limerick and join the garden festival again this year. It is no easy task to bring a festival past its fifth year and Limerick Garden Festival is continuing to innovate with their new Cookery demo this year,” Peter said.
“My own talk will focus on the important topic of wellbeing, which our gardens can so beautifully and calmly provide for us. Also, I will be ready to answer any design questions that visitors may have around their own gardens.”
The festival has this year three core themes, the first around ‘Wellbeing in our Gardens for Mental and Physical Health’.
This year, for the first time, a cookery demonstration will take place upstairs with local legendary chef Tom Flavin using produce from the garden and from local artisan producers.
The third theme centres around biodiversity in the garden with Munster-based wetlands expert Feidhlim Harty and RTÉ Homegrown’s Colm O’Driscoll – who will also host a masterclass in organic gardening focussing on how to create feeds such as nettle and comfrey feeds and how to apply them.
Colm will also discuss what other mulches, composts, and plant bio stimulants people can use this time of year to keep their garden growing strong.
Festival manager Carmen Cronin said: “Our Masterclass is already booking now and anyone who would like to book can simply email us to [email protected] and we will send them the booking form.”
For smaller gardeners, the festival is offering two workshops, here children (and adults) can sow their own seeds in the festival demo area and craft diverse animals with global action plan.
There will be plenty of good food, a facepainter, and music on the day.
Limerick Garden Festival will be held on Sunday June 15 at the Milk Market, and is proudly supported by D&M Garden Centre, Healthy Limerick, Limerick City and County Council, Limerick Food Group, Limerick Post, Paul Partnership, Room Outdoors, The Heritage Council, and the festival supports Limerick Mental Health Association.
For more details see limerickgardenfestival.com or Facebook/Instagram @limerickgardenfestival.
