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SUPER GARDEN

Gerry McDonald, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One Image Name: Gerry McDonald, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One Description: Gerry McDonald, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One
Gerry McDonald, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One Image Name: Gerry McDonald, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One Description: Gerry McDonald, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One
Gerry McDonald in his garden in Mullingar, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One Image Name: Gerry McDonald in his garden in Mullingar, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One
Gerry McDonald, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One Image Name: Gerry McDonald, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One Description: Gerry McDonald, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One
Super Garden judge Roisin Lafferty Image Name: Super Garden judge Roisin Lafferty
Mentor Monica Alvarez, Super Garden, Series 8 Image Name: Mentor Monica Alvarez, Super Garden, Series 8
Leonie Cornelius, Super Garden judge, Series 8,  RTÉ One Image Name: Leonie Cornelius, Super Garden judge, Series 8, RTÉ One
Roisin Lafferty, Gary Graham and Leonie Cornelius, Super Garden judges, Series 8,  RTÉ One Image Name: Roisin Lafferty, Gary Graham and Leonie Cornelius, Super Garden judges, Series 8, RTÉ One
Roisin Lafferty, Gary Graham and Leonie Cornelius, Super Garden judges, with mentor Monica Alvarez, Series 8,  RTÉ One Image Name: Roisin Lafferty, Gary Graham and Leonie Cornelius, Super Garden judges, with mentor Monica Alvarez, Series 8, RTÉ One
Gary Graham, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One Image Name: Gary Graham, Super Garden, Series 8, RTÉ One
Super Garden Series 8, judges, designers and mentor Image Name: Super Garden Series 8, judges, designers and mentor
Designers Gerry McDonald, Rachel Gerrard, Alexandra Hollingsworth, Hazel Morahan and Glenn Keelan, Super Garden, Series 8 Image Name: Designers Gerry McDonald, Rachel Gerrard, Alexandra Hollingsworth, Hazel Morahan and Glenn Keelan, Super Garden, Series 8
Designers Gerry McDonald, Rachel Gerrard, Hazel Morahan, Alexandra Hollingsworth and Glenn Keelan, Super Garden, Series 8 Image Name: Designers Gerry McDonald, Rachel Gerrard, Hazel Morahan, Alexandra Hollingsworth and Glenn Keelan, Super Garden, Series 8

Series 8, episode 2

EP2 – Gerry McDonald

Tuesday the 3rd of May broadcasting 20.30 – 21.00

 

Mullingar Show

In episode two of series eight, mature student Gerry McDonald was given the Egan’s back garden in Mullingar Town. The original garden was proving bitter sweet for widower Sarah, who was struggling with the up-keep and maintenance since her husband Ronan passed away three years ago.

The local community rallied around both designer Gerry and the Egan’s to help Gerry create a contemporary garden which honors the memory of Ronan but offers Sarah and her two children (17 & 10) a low maintenance garden for new memories.

Gerry’s show is the second to be broadcast with another three shows to follow and a grand finale broadcasting live from Bloom 2016 to reveal the winner of the garden design series.

The garden makeovers are courtesy of the show sponsors; Woodie’s and Cuprinol (Paint Brand – part of Dulux Brand) and are brought to you by RTÉ One.

 

 

Gerry McDonald – the budding garden desinger

 

Gerry McDonald (43) who is originally from Blanchardstown in Dublin has been living for the past 16 years in Killucan Co. Westmeath with his wife, Sandra. Gerry’s career working as a Retail manager and Senior Sales manager can to an abrupt end when in 2014, he was made redundant, bring to a close a 20 year career.

 

Redundancy offered Gerry an opportunity to enrol on a year long Horticulture Course with Longford/Westmeath Educational Training Board in conjunction with Westmeath Community Development and Belvedere House Gardens & Park.

 

Gerry says “Having started a Level 5 Horticultural course last year, I’ve now turned my life upside down and I am now turning a passion into a career”.

 

Gerry is delighted to have been chosen as one of the designers for series 8 of Super Garden, he feels it is a huge achievement and will be a test of what he has learnt over the past year and that it will draw on all of his experiences to date.

 

A garden entitled ‘RECREATION’

‘Taking elements from a garden that had once begun and instilling new influences and vigor to create a space for new memories and honour existing ones.’

 

Gerry created 3 new specific areas in the garden an entertainment/patio area, relaxation space and a walled seated area became the new central focal point in the garden.

Gerry carefully elected a colour scheme to tie all areas together and provided the Egan family with a low maintenance-planting scheme.

 

 

The Homeowner

 

Sarah Egan & Family

Sarah is a widower with two children, Clara (17) and Eoghan (10). Three years ago Sarah lost her loving husband Ronan. Sarah admits that Ronan had the green fingers in the family, and his love of gardening was stamped all over the family’s back garden which was once lush and vibrant.

 

Since Ronan’s passing, Sarah has found it difficult to maintain what was once a lovely space. Now it seems cluttered and out of control.

 

The Egan’s would love to have a space to become an extension of their home and honour’s the memory of Ronan.

 

Overview:

SUPER GARDEN returns for a brand new series, featuring five up and coming garden designers who are competing to showcase their garden design talent at this year’s 2016 Bloom Festival.

 

Each garden designer works on a garden and to the homeowner’s brief. Mindful of their budget, the designer must design a garden with the homeowners’ in mind and to a level befitting the Bloom Festival. All five designers have different location and homeowner challenges to over come on their road to Bloom.

 

The series follows each designer from the initial concept and design stage, through the reality of the construction process and then the completion of their Super Garden. With just five weeks to design and build a show garden, and a budget of just €5000, the challenges that will face these promising designers unfold throughout the series.

 

This year the series has a new face and a new role. Previous Super Garden winner, Bloom Gold Medalist and Series Mentor for two years, Leonie Cornelius is taking up the position of Woodie’s Garden Design Ambassador.

 

‘This year as Judge I would love to find a garden that takes a bit of a risk in terms of design. I’m interested in seeing a garden that has a strong and unique concept and is then carried out to a high standard. I feel the he winning garden has to be one that takes its brief from the homeowners and the site and delivers for them but also uses that brief to create something totally new, exciting and show garden worthy. No easy task!’ – Leonie Cornelius

Leonie’s departure as Series Mentor has created a vacancy for a new Series Mentor and we are delighted to announce, Lecturer and Garden Designer, Monica Alvarez is the new Series Mentor.

The series is sponsored by Woodie’s and Cuprinol.

 

The Series will visit, Westport, Mullingar, Tyrellstown, Rush and Glasnevin.