The five-day Bloom 2008 garden festival opens today in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.
Over 50,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will feature 30 show gardens and three interactive children’s gardens.
A team of experts will judge the show gardens, and medals will be awarded on the basis of horticultural skills and design superiority.
Bloom 2008 will also have a health and wellness arena and a craft trail featuring live demonstrations by crafts people at work.
Also featuring at the event are bee-keeping demonstrations, creativity classes; health screening, and gardening tips from experts including Dermot O’Neill and Gerry Daly.
There will be daily live entertainment on the grounds, which are at the Visitor Centre off Chesterfield Avenue, the main road running through the park.