Get ready for the highlight of Ireland's gardening year

Get ready for the highlight of Ireland's gardening year as Bloom prepares to open its gates in a week's time to inspire us all with its annual extravaganza of show gardens, green-fingered demonstrations and activities, and of course thousands of wonderful plants.

This year 25 top designers from Ireland and around the world are showcasing the latest planting and design trends. They include a Celtic knot design; a garden as imagined by the poet Yeats; and a sanctuary inspired by the plants of Chile. Meanwhile the tiny Postcard Gardens, measuring just 2m x 3m, are full of great ideas for making the most of tiny spaces.

In the Plant Village you can browse through the very best of Ireland's specialist nurseries all gathered under one roof along with the Plant Village Stage where visitors can watch gardening demos and get advice from the experts. Take the kids along to see some of the many family activities on offer, from decorating plant pots to storytime and Irish dancing to magicians, and indulge in the tasty treats on offer in the Food Village where some of Ireland's top chefs are in action.

Bloom takes place from 28 May to 1 June at Phoenix Park in Dublin: for more information visit www.bloominthepark.com.