Laois woman's winning garden on show at Bloom

A GREEN-FINGERED Laois woman is creating a buzz at the Bloom festival this weekend, after winning RTÉ’s Super Garden.

The beautiful 'Bee Happy Garden' created by Debbie Brophy, which won the 2025 competition last Tuesday, is on show at the celebrated annual festival in the Phoenix Park throughout the June bank holiday weekend.

From Ballybrophy in Laois but now based in Kildare, Debbie stole the show with her bee-friendly wildlife haven, which was inspired by a honeybee colony that moved into her garden last year.  

Having scooped the title on 27 May, Debbie’s glorious garden is on exhibition at Bloom and is winning widespread admiration from thousands of visitors.

Before the festival, she said: “It’s an immense feeling. There will be a hundred thousand people coming to see our garden and it means the world.” 

Debbie always had creative flair and studied fine art painting at Limerick School of Art and Design but said she never channelled her full potential as an artist. After starting work in a fabric shop a few years ago, she realised that she missed creating her own designs.

At the age of 41, she decided to return to school and completed her postgraduate diploma with the Garden Design Academy, all while raising her daughter Poppy.

She does some garden maintenance and sells hanging baskets, a business born out of the pandemic when she started to sell indoor plants online.

The Super Garden design challenge, now in its 16th series on RTÉ One television, saw five designers paired up with homeowners in a new housing development, where each had three weeks and €15,000 to create a garden suitable for their clients’ specific needs. Debbie was challenged to create a nature-friendly garden for a couple and their three-year-old son.

Chief judge Kerrie Gardiner, who is also show garden manager for Bord Bia Bloom, described Debbie as a very worthy winner as she “truly delivered” for the homeowner, creating a space full of colour and family-friendly elements that also encourage pollinators and biodiversity.

Kerrie said: “There was great attention to detail in the garden bespoke insect hotels and the water butt harvesting waster from the pergola roof, all contributing to promoting environmental sustainability.

“The design further includes engaging play areas and interactive installations that foster creativity and outdoor learning for the younger member of the family. Overall, the garden reflects the personality and desires of the homeowners, making it a well-rounded design delivery.” 

Debbie’s victory in the series finale can be viewed on the RTÉ Player.