Gold medal for Wexford plant nursery at Bord Bia Bloom Festival - 'We're really delighted'

Gates opened for the 20th annual Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park, Dublin, where a Wexford plant nursery received a gold medal. Eleven gold medals were awarded to show gardens focused on sustainability, mental health, and innovative urban living, including Kilmurry Nursery in Gorey. Hazel Woods was awarded Gold Medal for the nursery category show garden. Orla Woods expressed delight, noting the nursery has been present since the beginning and that favorable weather helped. In 1998, Paul and Orla began Kilmurry Nursery by purchasing three acres in Wexford, growing from a small operation into a nationally respected nursery. Orla referenced a 2006 Chelsea Flower Show gold medal and the decision to start at Bloom the following year. Hazel has joined the business, supporting continuity of standards.

"Hazel Woods of Kilmurry Nursery was officially awarded a Gold Medal for her show garden in the plant nursery category. Speaking from Bloom, Orla Woods of Kilmurry Nursery shared their delight with the award as they also celebrate attending the festival for 20 years. "We're really delighted, we were here since the very beginning doing a stand for 20 years. "I must say we're delighted and the weather is beautiful, which makes a huge difference" Orla said."

"In 1998, Paul and Orla took a leap of faith and purchased three acres of land in Wexford to start Kilmurry Nursery. What began as a small scale operation has evolved into a nationally respected nursery. Orla further reflected on their years in business and the historic moment the business was awarded a gold medal at the Chelsea flower show in London in 2006. "We were the first Irish nursery to win a gold in Chelsea, so the following year we started in Bloom," she said."

"Orla spoke of their daughter Hazel who has joined in the business to carry the next generation. "Having the second generation coming in is just brilliant, it's great in Irish horticulture that we have that. "There's a lot of family nurseries who have that coming through and it's great, to keep the standards going which is fantastic," she added."

"Chief Judge Andrew Wilson said it's wonderful to be back to celebrate Bloom's 20 year anniversary and see the festival's growth. "To witness its evolution over those two decades as the world of garden and planting design has progressed," he said."

Read at Irish Independent