Bloom Dublin 2026
- Ralph Quinlan Forde BSc Hons MA
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Ireland’s most celebrated festival of gardening, food, and sustainable living BLOOM, returns for its 20th year on the June bank holiday weekend, 2026. Over 100,000 people are due to attend.
From vibrant show gardens and delicious Irish food to inspiring talks and hands-on workshops, it heralds the start of summer as a feast for the senses and a joy for all ages.
Across a 70-acre site in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, the festival offers five unforgettable days filled with live entertainment, interactive experiences, shopping, dining and endless opportunities to grow, taste, and learn.
Whether you are a seasoned gardener, a curious foodie, or simply looking for a great day out, Bloom has something for everyone.
With over 400 exhibitors this year Bloom is set to also be an amazing shopping experience.
Bloom is owned and organised by Bord Bia, the Irish government agency charged with the promotion, trade development and marketing of the Irish food, drink and horticulture industry.
Ireland Imports 83% of its Vegetables
However, in Ireland, we have little or no vegetable horticulture to speak of at present.
All of the vegetables at least most of them are imported from Spain and Netherlands. This creates food insecurity so Bloom is a welcome initiative for possible solutions to this national problem in Ireland.
'We currently import 83% of our vegetables. This is a food security issue. There were 600 growers 20 years ago and there are 73 now' Deputy Robert O'Donoghue
Bloom could focus more on market gardening at this years show to encourage more people to become food producers.
Bloom - The Show Gardens
The Show Gardens are the heart and soul of Bord Bia Bloom.
They bring some of the most talented designers from Ireland and overseas together to create spectacular gardens that not only illustrate how to make the most of your outdoor spaces but also shine a spotlight on some of the most important issues of our times.
With all of the gardens on show this year, you’ll find lots of inspiration for your own outdoor areas, no matter how big or how small. Here is a selection of the gardens from 2025.
The Sustainable Living Stage at Bord Bia Bloom
Bord Bia Bloom’s features include sustainable content which informs how we can all reduce our impact on the environment. These include:
The Show Gardens and the Postcard Gardens, supported by Tirlán CountryLife, which showcase how to improve biodiversity and support the environment
The Conservation Area where visitors can meet and learn from leading conservationists and environmentalists
The Sustainable Living Stage, sponsored by Certa Ireland, where experts will share actionable steps to reduce our impact on the environment
The Food Village, Bloom Inn, and Fresh Food Produce Tent where some of Ireland’s most sustainable food and drink producers are gathered
The Bord Bia Quality Kitchen Stage where top Irish chefs share a wealth of ideas on how to cook sustainably at home and avoid food waste.
Eat Well Garden - Bloom
Located adjacent to the Horticulture Is Life feature is the Eat Well Garden.
This garden features a range of fruit and vegetable and amenity plants both outdoor and grown in a glasshouse and polythene tunnel.
As well as the opportunity to view and explore the plants, there will be regular walk ‘n’ talk sessions about how the crops are grown, organic production, managing key pests, and tips for GIYers to take home and practise in their own gardens.
In addition a series of talks will take place over the five days of Bloom on all aspects of kitchen gardening in our ‘Polytunnel Talks’. schedule of expert speakers.
Dr Dilis Clare - Bloom - Uprooted Medicine
Talks are underway to see if Dr Dilis Clare the famed Irish herbalists and medical doctor based in Galway to give a talk on her new book Uprooted Medicine at this years Bloom.
Over 80% of the world’s population uses herbal medicine in primary healthcare.
This book Uprooted Medicine reads like a ‘Who Done It’ as Dr Dilis Clare, famed Medical Herbalist based in Galway, explores how herbal medicine started at the centre of medical practice and was unfairly pushed to the fringes.
Over 100 million Europeans use herbal medicine on an annual basis to boost their
wellbeing and treat disease and for good reason.
There are less side effects and toxicity to patients livers when they do so and with moderation guided by a skilled professional herbalist.
With over 85% of health books now sold on Amazon being generated by AI this book is a most welcome and reliable reference text for all herbalists, people interested in health, herbalism, medicine and most of all libraries.
With 100,000 plant and garden lovers attending over five days at the festival who better to ask to speak? Irish people all over the country know and value the power of herbs and we have a long tradition of medical herbalism.
Ollamh's were Irish herbalism experts and trained for 15 years under a master herbalist. We also have many texts in Irish in how to treat people with herbs.
'Runs through with the warmth of real life herbal medicine patient stories and practice experiences from a doctor who works as a medical herbalist physician, and has been pleasantly surprised by this ancient and still very relevant health profession.”
Review by Anita Ralph MSc (herb med) FNIMH MCPP
For more info: https://www.bordbiabloom.com/about-bloom/
Comments