Teagasc at Bloom 2026

Teagasc marquee at Bloom 2025 with plants

Bord Bia Bloom is one of the biggest horticulture events in Europe.
Bloom is a garden and lifestyle show with approximately 100,000 people attending over the five days.
In 2026, it is taking place from 28 May – 1 June.

Talks and Demonstrations | Areas of Interest

Horticulture is Life

Supporting Irish Growers Towards a Sustainable Future for All

Teagasc, Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine come together at Bloom to create an inspiring, informative and educational feature in the Food Village.

Using the theme Horticulture is Life, the interactive feature exhibits how the organisations work collectively to support the Irish Horticulture Industry and growers, to deliver top quality local sustainable produce and plants. The importance of our domestic horticulture industry is highlighted along with the role it plays in securing our national food supply in a sustainable and innovative way into the future.

Teagasc have a wide selection of plants on display, view our Bloom 2026 Plant Guide to find out more.

Talks and Demonstrations

Join us in the Food Village for a programme of talks, demonstrations and interactive sessions celebrating the theme Horticulture is Life.

Thursday, 28 May

10:00–10:30 — Mushrooms
Donal Gernon & Joy Clarke
10:30–13:30 — Incredible Edibles School Tours
Niamh Arthurs, B.Sc, M.Sc
14:00–14:30 — Get a Life in Horticulture (Apprenticeships)
John Mulhern and Paddy Smith
14:30–15:00 — Chef Demo: Mushroom Recipe
Maria Harte
15:00–15:30 — Chef Demo: Strawberry Recipe
Maria Harte
15:30–16:00 — Education in Horticulture Discussion Panel
Chaired by Dr Owen Doyle

Friday, 29 May

10:00–10:30 — Dig In! Growing Your Own Vegetables
Eoin Sweetman
10:30–13:30 — Incredible Edibles School Tours
Niamh Arthurs, B.Sc, M.Sc
14:00–14:30 — The Heritage and Revival of Danesmoate Garden – A Historic Estate Owned by U2 Bassist Adam Clayton
Darragh Stone
14:30–15:00 — Celebrating Women in Horticulture
Panel Discussion with Deirdre Fay
15:00–15:30 — Flower Power: The Most Interesting Plants in Bloom Today
Chris Heavey, Teagasc
15:30–16:00 — Asian Hornet Talk
Ann Haigh, National Biodiversity Data Centre

Saturday, 30 May

10:30–11:00 — Celebrate International Potato Day – Chef Demo: Thai-Style Potato and Vegetable Wok
Kwanghi Chan
11:00–11:30 — Green Business of the Year Award Winners 2025
Brian O’Toole, Wildacres
11:30–12:00 — Amazing Potato: Science Brings Goodness to Your Spuds
Denis Griffin
12:00–12:30 — Celebrate International Potato Day – Chef Demo: Potato Rösti with Asparagus and Poached Egg
Kwanghi Chan
13:00–13:30 — Celebrate International Potato Day – Chef Demo: Thai-Style Potato and Vegetable Wok
Kwanghi Chan
14:00–14:30 — Meet the Growers
Colm O’Driscoll & Kitty Scully
14:30–15:00 — Chef Demo: Two Tasty Jacket Potato Toppings
Lily Mae Cox
15:00–15:30 — Green Business of the Year Award Winners 2025
Brian O’Toole, Wildacres
15:30–16:00 — Growing Together: Trees in Our Homes, Cities and Lives
Paul Butler, Forestry

Sunday, 31 May

10:30–11:00 — Chef Demo: Summer Vegetables Crudo
Jeeny Maltese
11:00–11:30 — The Health Benefits of Fruit and Vegetables
Sinéad McCarthy
11:30–12:00 — The Big Bug Hunt
Tamsen Harward, DAFM
12:00–12:30 — Chef Demo: Latin Stewed Potatoes (Papas Sudadas)
Jeeny Maltese
13:00–13:30 — Chef Demo: Summer Berry Tiramisu
Jeeny Maltese
14:00–14:30 — Protecting Ireland’s Biodiversity
DAFM Plant Health Inspector
14:30–15:00 — How to Bring Biodiversity into the Garden
Hui Xing
15:00–15:30 — Reducing Food Waste
Panel Discussion with Gather & Gather and FoodCloud
15:30–16:00 — Bloom Flowers: Seed Sowing Guide
Dónall Flanagan

Monday, 1 June

10:30–11:00 — A Garden With Purpose. What If Your Garden Could Do More? Not Just for You But for the Planet?
Niall McCauley
11:00–11:30 — Healthy Apple Trees, Heavy Branches: The Pruning Masterclass
Alberto Ramos Luz
11:30–12:00 — How Many Machines Does It Take to Grow a Carrot?
Tom Murray, Panel Discussion
12:00–12:30 — Chef Demo: Strawberry and Prosecco Syllabub Served with Baby Meringues
Yvonne Carthy
13:00–13:30 — Chef Demo: Mushroom Burger with Homemade Relish and All the Trimmings
Yvonne Carthy
14:00–14:30 — Chef Demo: Strawberry and Prosecco Syllabub Served with Baby Meringues
Yvonne Carthy
14:30–15:00 — Flower Power: The Most Interesting Plants in Bloom Today
Deirdre Walsh
15:00–15:30 — Keelings & 100 Years of Growing in Ireland
David Keeling

Eat Well Garden ‘Polytunnel Talks’

Thursday, 28 May

13:30–14:00 — Practical Beekeeping in Kitchen Gardens
Federation of Irish Beekeepers Association
14:30–15:00 — Pest and Disease Control
Mary Lynch, Organic Specialist
15:30–16:00 — Organic Soil Fertility Maintenance
Mary Lynch, Organic Specialist

Friday, 29 May

14:00–14:30 — Running an Organic Business
Padraig Fahy, Organic Grower
14:30–15:00 — Compost Making
Jim Cronin, Organic Grower and Trainer
15:00–15:30 — Getting Started in Organic Production
Dan Hogan (Larkins Hill Farm), Organic Grower
15:30–16:00 — A Weed Free Organic Garden
Jim Cronin, Organic Grower and Trainer

Saturday, 30 May

10:30–11:00 — Home Composting
John Jones, Master My Garden
11:30–12:00 — Vegetable Growing
Andy Whelton, Teagasc Advisor
12:30–13:00 — No Dig Gardening
John Jones, Master My Garden
13:30–14:00 — Practical Beekeeping in Kitchen Gardens
Federation of Irish Beekeepers Association
14:00–14:30 — The 7 Best Vegetables to Grow as an Organic Gardener
Klaus Laitenberger, Organic Specialist and Grower
14:30–15:00 — Organic Vegetable Growing
William Deasy, Teagasc Advisor
15:00–15:30 — Biodiversity in Your Garden
Elaine Bradley, Irish Seed Savers
15:30–16:00 — Careers in Organic Horticulture: Skills, Support and Connections
Kitty Scully GM, Organic Growers of Ireland

Sunday, 31 May

10:30–11:00 — Live Composting Demonstration
Klaus Laitenberger, Organic Specialist and Grower
12:30–13:00 — Heritage Apple Varieties
Elaine Bradley, Irish Seed Savers
13:30–14:00 — Practical Beekeeping in Kitchen Gardens
Federation of Irish Beekeepers Association
14:00–14:30 — Our Shared Plate Community Gardens
Molly Garvey, Project Manager
14:30–15:00 — The 7 Best Vegetables to Grow as an Organic Gardener
Klaus Laitenberger, Organic Specialist and Grower
15:00–15:30 — Biodiversity in Your Garden and on Your Plate
Elaine Bradley, Irish Seed Savers

Monday, 1 June

10:30–11:00 — Live Composting Demonstration
Klaus Laitenberger, Organic Specialist and Grower
11:30–12:00 — Organic Farming and Selling at Farmer Markets
Jenny McNally, McNally Family Farm
12:30–13:00 — Fruit Growing Tips
Alberto Ramos Luz, Teagasc Advisor
13:30–14:00 — Practical Beekeeping in Kitchen Gardens
Federation of Irish Beekeepers Association
14:00–14:30 — Heritage Apple Varieties
Elaine Bradley, Irish Seed Savers
14:30–15:00 — Organic Farming and Selling at Farmer Markets
Jenny McNally, McNally Family Farm
15:00–15:30 — Biodiversity in Your Garden and on Your Plate
Elaine Bradley, Irish Seed Savers
15:30–16:00 — Composting
Eoghan Corbett, Teagasc Advisor

Download: Talks and Demonstrations Schedule (pdf)

Areas of Interest

Horticulture Development Department

The Horticulture Development Department will be at Bloom 2026, letting you investigate a selection of pests and diseases the horticultural sector needs to battle to provide you with quality fruits, vegetables and plants.

You will also see some of the beneficial insects that the horticultural sector uses to keep pest populations to a minimum. There will also be a selection of alternative growth media, and you can develop your own mixes and discuss the challenges the horticulture sector faces as growers learn to grow plants and fungi in these new materials!

New for 2026 is a growing guide that has been developed for the home gardener: ‘Growing Flowers from Seed’. This guide has been written by Teagasc Specialised Advisor, Dónall Flanagan, building on the work Teagasc has conducted over the last seven years with Fleuroselect, the ornamental plants industry body. The ‘Growing Flowers from Seed’ guide is available on the Teagasc website.

Teagasc’s other growing guides, ‘A Guide to Vegetable Growing’ and ‘Greenhouse Salad Crops’ can be accessed below:

A Guide to Vegetable Growing (PDF)
Greenhouse Salad Crops: A guide for home gardeners (PDF)
A Guide to Growing Flowers from Seed (PDF)

Farming and Sustainability Stand

The Farming and Sustainability stand invites visitors to test their knowledge about how Irish farmers are caring for the environment while continuing to produce high-quality food profitably. Visitors can spin the wheel and answer fun questions on topics such as biodiversity, soil health, water quality, greenhouse gases, and food production. The activity is designed for both children and adults, with age-appropriate questions that make learning interactive and enjoyable. Children who take part can win small prizes, while adults are entered into a draw to win a “A guide to Vegetable Growing” book published by Teagasc.

The stand highlights the positive actions farmers take every day to protect nature, improve water quality, and reduce emissions on farms. Visitors will learn about the importance of healthy soils, clean waterways, hedgerows for wildlife, and sustainable farming practices. The stand also showcases how modern farming uses science, technology, and innovation to improve environmental sustainability.

Horticulture Education

Teagasc horticulture education will be there with all the information you need to know about what we do in the Teagasc College of Horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens and Kildalton College in Kilkenny.

Staff will be on hand to answer any queries about getting involved in our wide array of course offerings from certificates to apprenticeships to degrees. The plantings on display have been assembled by staff and students from the Teagasc college in the National Botanic Gardens and visitors can speak first hand with our expert staff who have built these displays. Our staff will also be involved in the talks on stage across the five days of the show.

Food systems for the future

Visitors to the food stand will have the opportunity to explore a range of exciting research projects focused on creating a more sustainable, competitive and innovative food system for the future. Through interactive exhibits and discussions with researchers, attendees can learn how Teagasc and its partners are developing practical solutions across the food chain — from farm production to food processing and waste reduction.

Visitors can discover how fermentation technologies are supporting the development of next-generation plant-based proteins. Other topics on display include the use of more sustainable feedstocks in crop and livestock production and its impact on microbial communities and how light and DNA technologies help us understand microbial behaviour in the food chain. We will highlight how sensory science helps develop healthier and more appealing foods, while innovative projects are transforming vegetable and oat processing side-streams into valuable fibre protein, and bioactive ingredients. The stand will also showcase research tackling food waste and identifying ways to better use the food we already produce.

Together, these projects demonstrate how science and innovation can support healthier diets, reduce waste, and strengthen Ireland’s sustainable food future.

Drinks Innovation Centre – NCBD

Based in Ireland’s main grain‑growing region, Teagasc’s National Centre for Brewing & Distilling offers pilot‑scale malting, micro/pilot brewhouse, pilot distillery and dealcoholisation facilities, supported by lab testing and sensory analysis. Meet our staff at Bloom to learn how breweries, craft start‑ups and maltsters can test recipes, optimise yields, de‑risk scale‑up and access training and CPD within an integrated grain–malt–brewery–distillery cluster.

Find out more about the National Centre for Brewing & Distilling here

Forestry

Visitors to Teagasc forestry at Bloom 2026 can explore the multiple benefits of trees and forests, whether in our gardens or the wider landscape. From individual specimen trees in gardens, to sweet-smelling blossoms of hedgerows and the majesty of a woodland setting, the benefits of trees are both numerous and inspiring.

Teagasc forestry staff will be delighted to engage on all aspects of trees and their environmental, social and economic benefits. Visitors to our stand can partake in our interactive tree themed activities including our Virtual Reality forest experience. Join us on Saturday (3.30pm) to hear of the values of “Trees in our lives” with Forestry Liaison Officer Paul Butler.

Meet our researchers at Bloom and discover their diverse range of research projects. Find out about how you can help with citizen science opportunities including identifying and reporting healthy ash and elm to support ongoing Teagasc work in restoring these important native trees.

People plant trees and forests for a host of very different reasons and considerations. These may include timber production, biodiversity and landscape enhancement, recreation provision, climate mitigation or leaving a legacy. As forests mature, they gradually deliver more and more benefits, which can be experienced and enjoyed by owners, their families and the wider community.