National Dairy Council Sustainable Dairy Farm Garden

About the Designer

From an early age, Sean Russell had a flair for gardening and garden design, spending much of his spare time gardening at home in Youghal. After studying for a degree in Landscape Horticulture at University College Dublin, he took up a position in landscape architecture with the Railway Procurement Agency. Sean later moved to Fota Island Resort in Cork where he held a horticulture role before going on to establish Russell Landscape Design seven years ago. This is his first show garden at Bord Bia Bloom.

Garden Overview

Designed by Sean Russell, the National Dairy Council Sustainable Dairy Farm Garden resembles a traditional, old-style Irish country farm, complete with milk churns, dry stone walls, a mature, grass clover pasture and an old, open structured farm outhouse. Elements such as the bespoke metal furniture and a specially commissioned bronze wire mesh cow make this a unique space.

The native planting scheme features alder, common birch, witch elm, wild cherry trees, field maple hedgerows, and wildflowers such as red field campion, ox-eye daisy, yellow flag iris, woodruff, and foxgloves.

The garden is designed to emphasise the importance of grass-fed dairy in Ireland and the quality of milk which is produced, as well as showcase how Ireland’s farmers are proactively working together to improve biodiversity and lower the carbon footprint of Irish dairy. It allows the viewer to understand that the basic methods of milk production remain largely unchanged to the present day. Much of the material used in this garden can still be seen throughout the island of Ireland.

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