How does your garden grow?

With Leonie Cornelius

What does an award-winning garden designer’s garden at home look like? And what inspires the design of a show garden at Bord Bia Bloom? In the latest instalment of our ‘How does your garden grow?’ series, Leonie Cornelius shares a glimpse of her garden in the west of Ireland and reveals some of her plans for Bloom 2025. 

I would describe my garden as… my wild laboratory. I adore experimenting in my own garden at home – trying out different materials and testing the limits and habits of certain plants. I live on the wild west coast of Ireland and my soil here is quite dense and wet so I have created various areas where I am exploring different mixes of soil with sand and gravel to see how the plants adapt over time. From a style perspective, the garden has a wild feel with meadow inspiration; I am surrounded by the most amazing meadows filled with wild orchids and grasses. 

My favourite plant at this time of year is… my pink Swiss chard. While this is not necessarily a flower, it is one plant which I value so much because I have grown it as part of a collection of plants which I harvest to make nourishing salads every day. I have grown a really cool mix of edible plants that are so delicious and incredibly beautiful, especially at this time of the year when they look great in the polytunnel. I think there is nothing better than growing something beautiful and nourishing because it becomes a daily ritual of harvesting and interacting with nature. 

Now is a good time for… sowing seeds – and I mean that in a literal and metaphorical way. At this time of the year I tell my clients to sow seeds of inspiration. Now is a great time for mind mapping and creating your dream concept; visualising what you want your space to feel like when you think of summer. And then there’s growing actual seeds. I have been preparing lots of different, nourishing vegetables, annuals and perennials to add to the garden this year. It’s an exciting time of the year. 

Award-winning show garden designer Leonie Cornelius pictured in her garden at home in the West of Ireland. Image: Naomi Lee

In my garden I try to… create areas of connection. As a designer (and human) I care very deeply about connections. Connecting to ourselves, to each other, and to wild nature around us is an interlinked part of a greater whole… I think for anybody designing a garden it is crucial to create spaces that immerse you in the wild because this is such an important step in making us feel like we have a responsibility to give back. 

In preparation for Bord Bia Bloom this month I am… excited to dive into the idea of connection on a much deeper level. I feel that in a world increasingly defined by overwhelm, disconnection, and digital saturation, many people are searching for spaces which offer more than just visual beauty – they need spaces that heal and reconnect and become vessels for living a connected daily life in tune with the rhythms and power of nature. 

This is the vision behind my show garden this year which is sponsored by the fabulous Caragh Nurseries and called ‘NOŪRISH – a garden for mind, body and soul’. Each day we will also have conversations which centre on the power of nature and how it can inspire us to live in a more well and balanced way on the Garden Stage, sponsored by Zarbee’s. I have created some gorgeous, wild-inspired, pollinator-friendly design features at the stage too which I am excited to share. 

Leonie Cornelius is an award-winning garden designer, interior architect, and author based on the west coast of Ireland. Leonie has won numerous medals and awards at Bord Bia Bloom, including a gold medal for last year’s Óir, the Zarbee’s Garden. You can see more of her work on leoniecornelius.com and follow her @leonie.cornelius.