Episode: 1 Bloom Garden show special, Ireland
Title: Alan Rudden – Large Garden
Broadcast: Aug 18th
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

Be inspired by award-winning garden and landscape designer Alan Rudden. Trevor chats to Alan about his clever design and crossover of two very different country landscapes.

• Alan Rudden is a Dublin-based garden and landscape designer with more than 10 years’ experience in the industry. He has plenty of award-winning gardens to his name, most recently achieving four Gold Medals at Bloom, including the coveted ‘Best In Show’ and ‘Best Show Planting’ prizes. Alan is also founder of Outside Options Ltd, a company specialising in the creation of high-end quality private gardens.
• Alan’s display, ‘Life is a Rose by Santa Rita ‘Living La Vida 120’, brought a taste of Chile to this year’s Bloom Festival. On a recent visit, Alan was inspired by Chile’s incredible landscape, and fell in love with the arid Mediterranean flora, and the bold shapes and forms of its architecture.
• Particularly attention was made to the colours of the design. Vibrant splashes of earthy yellow combined with raw materials and a steel wall cutting the garden in half, is his impression of the Chilean landscape.
• Alan likes to make his designs relatable by planting things accessible to the average gardener in Ireland. Many of his chosen plants thrive in Chile and are hardy enough to withstand the Irish climate. There are plenty of plants in his design that visitors to Bloom can take home.
• The Irish Strawberry Tree (Arbutus Unedo) is dotted throughout Alan’s display, and is native to both the Mediterranean region and Ireland, making it a very versatile plant for the average gardener.
• The garden has been designed around Santa Rita’s commitment to ‘making people’s moments enjoyable’, and with a secluded seating area at its centre, it is perfect for enjoying a glass of wine al fresco.

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