Tag: show

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giving berth to pour l’amour de jeux – bloom 2008 [8]

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This morning at 5.45 am after 11 long hours labour, Pour L’amour de Jeux finally gave berth to a 7 tonne, 11 metre long Pink Boat in the Phoenix Park Dublin.

With amazing help from John Farrell, John Friel, Whittens Road Haulage, The Garda Suíochana, Maura Hickey, Colin Browne and Gráinne Walker; this journey was finally made possible. If I have left anybody out it is because none of us have slept since finishing loading at 12.30am and arriving back to depart at 3.30am!! But it must be known the real journey started a long time ago.

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…and so what started as a child like dream has been given berth and here another story begins. Today, some laughed, some smiled and some pondered; But whatever this story [ultimately the garden], brings to you, it was built only pour l’amour de jeux [for a love of the game] and no matter the size of your smile when you see it complete – this amazing journey if nothing else, has left me in no doubt regarding the amazing people and the genius minds I work and spend so much time with. Thank you all [it’s not over just yet], but it’s certainly a little easier….

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bloom 2008 [3] – sow far sow great …

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…. the paint colour has been selected for our main feature for Bloom 2008 and thank must go to D.B. Painters [David Behan Painting & Decorating 0872551928 – pictured above], for looking after this. Whilst Nicola is still on board to hand paint the boats name, the mammoth task of giving rebirth to ‘Mo Cailín Caitlín is now being looked after with the addition of another Fingal business. Thank you sow much!

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That said – none of this is possible until the fine boat rebuilding skills of Noel O’Dwyer [pictured above with one of his many lengths of timber] are put into practice. Noel is no stranger to garden shows having previously worked on No Rubber Soul last year in Bloom 2007 where his meticulous carpentry skills were so much appreciated. Go raibh míle maith agat Noelie!

Now that the boat is in good hands – its off to Tully Nurseries to inspect plants, meet with the Atfar Construction civil engineers, find a main sponsor, check the sculpt……. This year the team is just getting bigger and better. Thank you all.

At least there will be buds on the trees this week…. ?!!
Talk soon and wish me luck!

peter

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bloom 2008 [2] – the boat

pour l'amour de jeux - the boat garden
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yesterday was not the most usual of days in my horticultural career! This 1957, 33 foot, 7 tonne boat is the model Royal Cruiser IV that will be used in Bloom 2008, the garden show extravaganza in the Phoenix Park this June Bank Holiday weekend.

It took 7 men, a 30 tonne specialist marine transporter and 6 hours to lift and move it 6 km. Working with me on the boat will be John Friel and his team who also who rebuilt the morris minor for last years garden.

we got a lot of strange looks when word went out that this was the boat for our show garden but.. maybe ‘show’ gardens should be just that….

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genetic landscape – [int garden fest. ’07]

I was asked some time ago to put my pictures of this garden on the web. Designed by Goncalo Castro Henriques and his team using digital technology the ‘garden was generated in a virtual environment’ and ‘the data transmitted to a machine that produced a hybrid form.’

One should appreciate that the garden was to evolve over a three month period so it is appears very much in its infancy.