Bloom Gardens 2010
I did not think I had taken so many photos at Bloom!Now the dilemma of which to put in or take out, I will put short if any comments on today's ones as they are self explanatory for the most part. I will finish tomorrow with the walled garden and the veg growing.Continuing rain here so no pics taken today as I sprayed the spuds again against blight.Allium display
Lillies
Part of a hanging basket display
Beautiful rose with a beautiful scent, Mary Rose
Is it a hat,no, part of the flower arranging displays
Kathleen standing by the garden gate!
A simple but effective scarecrow
Part of the same garden which won a special prize, having space for ducks was part of the plan.
The GIY garden was a big attraction as it shows how an average suburban garden has plenty of space to relax and still have space not just to grow veg and fruit but keep a couple of hens too!
The Crann garden left me a bit cold even though I could understand the reasoning behind it.Unwanted cardboard can be used for mulching gardens instead of buying black weed mulch, the walls of refuse we are building ourselves if we don't learn to recycle more than we are at present.
Who said ponds were only ornamental?!
The Bord Bia garden shows flowers and veg planted side by side 
Bad hair day?
I have to say while all of the show gardens were beautifully planned but none of them to my mind had a wow factor.There was a lot of understated colours like lilacs pinks and blues with grasses in all shades of green.Water featured in most of them, mostly square ponds with slate and stone.
The Super garden drew huge attention (ducks and scarecrow),GIY garden as it is topical and Darina Allen was giving a talk on forgotten skills. There was one other one with bright yellows and orange planting ( glass blowers pieces)which made a big statement this year because all of the others had more or less the same colour palette.
Comments
The Crann 'rubbish garden' is actually brilliant, although chilling. We can only pray that everybody who sees it takes the lesson and spreads the word.
I'd have to agree with you about the wow factor - but as growers, I think that only comes with time in a garden, and show gardens don't have that.
The orange and red garden was Burt's Bees - I liked it because it was the wildest.
Just wondering what you're using to spray your potatoes - our school potatoes have black spots on the leaves, not sure if it's blight - would like to avoid chemicals. However, as it stands, we are heading down the road of the students having a history lesson, rather than a potato feast, would welcome your advice.
Anna Bee, I liked the wildness and colours of that garden.
Sounds like blight and could be too late for spraying if it is.
Bluestone is the old mix which you can probably buy in a Co Op store, or the ready made mix which is sold as Bordeaux mixture in any garden centre.
I would try taking off the damaged leaves, spraying and see does it re occur.
If it is blight, cutting down the haulms to about 12 ins and spraying is supposed to stop the blight spores from going down into the potatoes. I hope it is not blight as it is heartbreaking to see healthy green stalks one week and blackened mush the next week.I am just keeping my fingers crossed as is every potato grower as it is very early in the season to have blight.
Ann, glad you liked them I will see what else I have