Neil Porteous      www.neilporteousgardens.com

Neil Porteous is an historic garden consultant, advisor to the National Trust UK and also to the Irish OPW.

He studied Landscape Management and Horticulture and completed an MA in Garden History at Bristol University.

He is currently working on two books on the gardening of Edith, Lady Londonderry at Mount Stewart, Co. Down and also the gardens of the Gilliland family at Brook Hall, Derry.

He is a regular contributor to journals and periodicals, gives talks, is a familiar broadcaster on BBC Radio 4 and leads garden tours worldwide.

Gardening research has lead him to China, the Himalayas, Australia etc

‘Plants for the Irish garden in the twenty first century’ is the title of Neil’s talk ,

Sunday 3.30pm.

Oliver Schurmann    www.mountvenusnursery.com

Oliver Schurmann and Liat Schurmann set up and run Mount Venus Nursery, Co. Dublin - one of the UK and Ireland’s great garden nurseries: Oliver trained in Germany under celebrated plantsman

Dr. Hans Simon.  Gardens by Oliver and Liat Schurman are always beautiful, imaginative ,original, pragmatic with a deep knowledge of ecology, horticulture and respect for place.

He and Liat are multiple gold medal winners at Bloom and their nursery is also a gold medal winner at The Chelsea Flower Show.

Their ‘In Perspective’ garden  2024 for the European Commission at Bloom won triple gold and their work was also part of The Ireland Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.

 ‘Shared Roots, Common Shade’ another  double gold medal winner at Bloom this June was sponsored by the European Commission to mark Ireland’s forthcoming presidency of the EU

‘It’s never too late’ is the title of Oliver’s talk on Sunday Noon, July 5th.

Dr Jason Mc Elligott, Director Marsh’s Library, Dublin.  www.marshlibrary.ie

Dr Jason Mc Elligott is a distinguished historian, academic, author, editor and recipient of multiple awards. He read for his Ph.D in history in St. John’s College, Cambridge, was a Research Associate at Cambridge University and an IRCHSS Post Doctoral Fellow in UCD.. He was a Full Fellow of Merton College Oxford and a Visiting Research Fellow at Folger Library Washington DC

‘Labours of Love: the eighteenth-century Dublin gardens of Jonathan Swift and Royal Hospital, Kilmainham’  is the title of Dr. Jason McElligott’s talk on Sunday, July 5th at 2pm.

Sean Ó Gaoithín, a graduate of the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK and an MSc Agr, UCD. 

is responsible for the preservation, management and ecological development of the eleven hectares of Glenveagh Castle Gardens, one of the most celebrated gardens in Europe.

Key areas include The Walled garden, The Pleasure Grounds, Exotic & Woodland Plantings and The Ancient Woodland.

 A dedicated scholar of Irish native woodlands, cultural ecology and local biodiversity, among his many publications are The Ancient Woodlands of Glenveagh, Coillte Duchasacha Chontae Dhun na nGall. 

Heritage Garden Conservation, Native woodland ecology and microclimate horticulture are his areas of expertise. His botanical travels to Japan, S. Africa and China etc. feature in his publications and also through rep The PlantNet Network in Europe and Botanic Gardens Conservation internationally.

Loch Gréine: A Bright Vision - a breathtaking journey through the Graney valley in county Clare, rich in natural beauty, mythology, and cultural heritage, this documentary celebrates a cherished landscape through poetry, music and memory, while calling for its preservation for generations to come.

Directed by Marina Levitina. Music by Martin Hayes. Cinematography: Colm Hogan, Marina Levitina. 

Funded by the Heritage Council.

Marina is a passionate nature advocate, educator, and film-maker, and founder of Lough Grainey Nature Sanctuary in county Clare. 

Geraldine Scully is a self taught gardener, florist, and cut-flower grower. She has been gardening since her early twenties and was lucky enough to be introduced to Beth Chatto by a gardening mentor and embraced the "right plant, right place " philosophy of gardening, from the start.

She spent her working life as a solicitor in private practice, but for the last 13 years, in addition to maintaining a one third acre garden in Dublin, has run a small cut-flower business in Dublin City. 

 She has worked on many large events with florist friends, and her flowers have featured in Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings and Harper's Bazaar.  

Further afield she has worked on cut-flower tablescapes for the Hampton Classic, a prestigious horse show on Long Island, New York. 

 She designed this year's Silver medal award winning Bord Bia Bloom garden for the Flower Farmers of Ireland,  

Since July 2025 she has co-hosted the garden podcast Biggardenlittlegarden, which has gone from strength to strength, and regularly tops the Apple podcast charts in its category. 

 Geraldine was a regular contributor to the RHSI magazine "The Journal' for many years, and is currently a member of the Bord of Directors of the RHSI.

The Botanic Art Exhibition is a well-established attraction at the festival featuring the work of many of Irelands best known Artists; many of the paintings are for sale, along with limited edition prints.

The Exhibition will be launched at 7pm on Friday the 3rd of July by Marek Zemla from the Connaught Bonsai Club

Location - Banquet Hall

Floral Art Competition / Growers Competition / Botanical Photography Competition / Children’s Competition

Sunday – Flower arranging demo

Location – Marque