Monaghan gardener Benny Magennis to make his return to Bloom
Clontibret man teams up with the Marie Keating Foundation for the 2025 event next week
The Marie Keating Foundation is set to unveil its ‘Early Bird Catches the Worm’ Garden at the opening of Bord Bia Bloom 2025 next week. The garden is being designed and built by award-winning Monaghan-based creative designer Benny Magennis.
Benny is no stranger to Bord Bia Bloom, with this being his fourth garden design. He won Silver at the event in 2022 for his ‘Minion’s’ Garden in the Show Garden Concept category.
Continuing in his mission to design and create impactful concepts, this year’s garden is a thoughtfully designed space, which serves as a reminder that through education and proactive measures, we can work towards a future with less fear surrounding cancer.
Benny explains why this garden is particularly meaningful.
"The Marie Keating Foundation provides such vital support supports to those on a cancer journey, and this was at the forefront of my mind when designing and developing the garden. I wanted it to reflect the key messages around education and awareness, while also creating a space that fosters a sense of community.
"Like so many families in Ireland, my own has been deeply affected by cancer. I’ve witnessed firsthand how it impacts not only the individual but also their loved ones. That personal experience inspired me to design a space that highlights the importance of caring for one another, offering support, and finding strength and peace during difficult times.
"These themes are woven throughout the garden – from the birdhouse symbolising the importance of early detection, to the planting scheme that represents Ireland’s five most common cancers: breast, skin, lung, bowel, and prostate."
Every element of the garden works together to highlight the importance of healthy lifestyle choices that reduce cancer risk. The sheltered area beneath the birdhouse promotes sun safety awareness, while the vegetable patch represents the significance of nutrition. The paths encourage people to engage in outdoor activities as part of a healthy lifestyle and the seating area symbolises the community support provided by the Marie Keating Foundation for those on a cancer journey.
Commenting on the garden this year, Marie Keating Foundation CEO Liz Yeates said: “We at the Marie Keating Foundation are very excited to unveil the ‘Early Bird Catches the Worm’ Garden at Bord Bia Bloom 2025 next week. Our gardener Benny Magennis has done an amazing job in bringing this garden from concept to reality and we are looking forward to seeing everyone’s reaction to it. I encourage everyone to come visit us at the ‘Early Bird Catches the Worm’ Garden and learn more about cancer prevention and early detection.”
The garden represents a collaboration between the Marie Keating Foundation, AstraZeneca and Gilead Sciences, who are united in their mission to combat cancer through widespread awareness. Their joint aim is to encourage early intervention to significantly enhance treatment outcomes and ultimately save lives.