The Pink Boats berth-day Bloom 2008[9]

 

 

 keep up to date with the ‘Pour L’amour de Jeux’, the story of our garden for Bloom in the Park 2008 [click here]

Giving Berth to Pour L’amour de Jeux - Bloom 2008 [8]

This morning at 5.45 am after 11 long hours labour, Pour L’amour de Jeux finally gave berth to a 7 tonne, 11 metre long Pink Boat in the Phoenix Park Dublin.

 

With amazing help from John Farrell, John Friel, Whittens Road Haulage, The Garda Suíochana, David Milner [but of course Davey!], Maura Hickey, Colin Browne and Gráinne Walker; this journey was finally made possible. If I have left anybody out it is because none of us have slept since finishing loading at 12.30am and arriving back to depart at 3.30am!! But it must be known the real journey started a long time ago.

 

…and so what started as a child like dream has been given berth and here another story begins. Today, some laughed, some smiled and some pondered; But whatever this story [ultimately the garden], brings to you, it was built only pour l’amour de jeux [for a love of the game] and no matter the size of your smile when you see it complete - this amazing journey if nothing else, has left me in no doubt regarding the amazing people and the genius minds I work and spend so much time with. Thank you all [it's not over just yet], but it’s certainly a little easier….

UPDATE: see the jouney in video click here

Pink! Giving Berth at Bloom 2008 [7]

Award winning landscape architect, Peter Donegan, is at it again. This year his show garden ‘Pour L‘amour de Jeux’ (For a love of the game) in Bloom 2008 will feature a 1957, 11 metre, pink, three storey pleasure cruise boat!

Building on the success of ‘No Rubber Soul’ his award winning large show garden in Bloom 2007 where he featured a 1965 Morris Minor, split in two, no less, Peter decided to go bigger and brighter for Bloom 2008 and prove that dreams do really come true and if you put your mind to it you can do anything.

Peter’s mind will certainly need to be focused on the morning of May 8^th as the pink, 3 storey, 11 metre long, 3.5 metre high pleasure cruise boat sets sail from Ballyboughal onto the M1, M50 and into the Phoenix Park where it will be berthed for the duration of Bloom 2008.

Peter Donegan Landscaping Ltd was set up just eight years ago and in October 2007 Peter was presented with two national awards by the ALCI (Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland) and most recently received the National Amenity Quality Award in recognition of standards achieved under the Bord Bia Landscape Quality Programme.

Photo Opportunity

Event: Bright Pink, 11 metre pleasure cruise ship prepares to berth in bloom 2008
Route: Ballyboughal, M1, M50, Castleknock Gate, Phoenix Park
Date: 8^th May 2008
UPDATE:  TIME: 4am - 6am [no later due to traffic/ OPW] departure and arrival

Photo Opportunity

A 1957, 11 metre long, bright pink, pleasure cruiser shall sail down the M1 and M50 on May 8^th heading for its berth place at Bloom 2008 in the Phoenix Park. The imaginative, award winning, landscape architect, Peter Donegan has designed a large show garden including the boat for this year’s event entitled ‘Pour L’amour de Jeux’ (For the Love of the Game).

The three storey, pink, 11 metre long, 6 metre high pleasure boat will cruise from Ballyboughal, onto the M1, M50, Castleknock entrance into the Phoenix Park where it shall take up residence until the end of Bloom 2008.

Peter’s large show garden in Bloom 2007, ‘No Rubber Soul’ received a Silver Medal and featured a 1965 Morris Minor.

Contact Peter on 01 8078712 www.doneganlandscaping.com

or contact Grainne Walker, DTE Inc, Mobile: 087 284 6976

For further information on Peter and Pour L’amour de Jeux please check out Peter’s blog

 

 

Tree leaves may have a bio-cycle

Among the many books in my library I have a little gem called Go make a Difference - over 500 daily ways to save the planet. Whilst the book relates mainly to mainland UK it is still quite a fine journal crammed with useful links and thins that can be so easily done to help our planet.

One genius little junket was to do with a company who sells products made from from recycled tyres! Remarkable Technologies Ltd however have a website which is brilliant and whilst diddling through it over the weekend I found this page/ paper called Tree leaves: A free source of energy, literally falling from the sky  where the author Eric Knight believes that ‘A new, renewable energy source, tree leaves, maybe the ideal earth-friendly bio fuel feedstock for the production of ethanol and/ or as a secondary fuel source for power plants.’

That one may not be so relevant to the general populus… but for apartment dwellers and bedsitters to those in country mansions - if you only did one of these per month in your life… As one of the reviews on the back by John Vidal, environment editor with The Guardian says, ‘How many people does it take to change the world? One to buy this book and six billion to act on it’.   

Bloom 2008 [6] & The Malahide Boat Show

After an early rise this morning to admire the beauty around me I went to Malahide, North Dublin to see the bi-annual boat show.

One of the reasons I wanted to go was to see if there was anything I could do more to add to the ‘thats an unusual [pink boat all included] garden’ tag Pour L’amour de Jeux has given me! and the well organised event was extremely helpful in sourcing some ‘boat stuff’/ props we needed for Bloom 2008.

The other reason was to travel with a very good friend/ neighbour[ish]/ colleague of mine/ Adrian McMahon and his two sons where we would meet with Gene another colleague of ours and David [Milner] for a coffee.

The day was of course fantastic, but like most things in my life it is always made that extra little bit special by those with who it is shared. As you can gather there was a lot of Bloom-in talkin’ goin’ on and I must say where good coffee, intelligents minds and good friends are involved somehow life seems quite easy! Thanks you all, it was Bloomin’ fantastic.

 

keep up to date with Bloom in the Park 2008 and our show garden Pour L’amour de Jeux - click here

[Plant] Life - simply breath taking!

I awoke this morning to walk the dogs before going to the boatshow in Malahide with Aido [and the his two well mannered youngsters] to meet with Gene, another gentleman and associate. The weather was beautiful, the day simply amazing and the people I met just added to the brilliance.

This field of Brassicae napus [rapeseed oil], opposite my house could only make life quite inspirational and I must say added a somewhat breath taking smile! Amazing!

Bloom 2008 [5] - All Aboard?!!

 

since my last posts things have heated up, slightly! But a decision has been made by the Donegan Landscaping team not to release any [semi complete] photographs of the boat until in its fullest glory - and I can assure you D. B. Painters, Noel & the B.D.F. Commercials team are 99% complete on what can only be considered absolute genius!

 

Today, Gormleys fine art have kindly taken our hand on this amazing journey as our main partner. It is the greatest thing in the world to make people smile by building gardens and I love with passion so dearly my work. To know that a company such as Gormleys, an ideal partner all things considered, will stand tall by my side leaves me brimming with confidence today and above all a radiant smile! Via email Gormleys Fine Art today stated that ‘Gormleys Fine Art is delighted to be involved with Peter Donegan at Bloom 2008.  Peter’s gardens are truly inspirational and we take great pleasure in supplying a sculpture by one of our artists Paddy Campbell for his creative design’.  

 

Also on board is another genuis and genuine nice guy Karl Ellis of Rockworld, supplier of my first ever water feature and good friend to this day. Understanding, that Karl got this pic sometime last year with a sketch looking nothing like the one above… His forsight to know me so well is a true sign of an amazing brain. So the water is beind dyed black and the master craftsman of all things Hydrogen Dioxide has worked, as always so hard to yet again, make another of my gardens complete! According to Karl ‘Bloom 2008 is gonna get a little Rock and Roll’ ?!!

 

And so the adventure continues…. everyone is literally on board! All thats left is for the fine gentlemen of Whittens Road Haulage [click to see how good these guys are!] to lift the boat on May 7th and place it in a garden on May 8th…. and a couple of other things ….?!! I’ll keep you posted!

All Bloom posts [click here]

Clinton? Obama??! Vote Donegan for Barr 50

 last year Peter Donegan Landscaping Ltd joined Barr 50. To those of you who aren’t familiar it’s basically a top 50 of those ‘who have pioneered a business as Gaeilge’ [through Irish]. Some found it difficult to appreciate why a company would spend time and effort to this when the business is horticulture?

Honestly? some time ago coment was made after building a sensory gardens; and whilst the pictures appeared on the website, they could not be seen by all - particularly those with difficulties of sight. Fair point. So our web became the first horticultural realted site to become fully accessible in Ireland.

Next comment - it was not fully accessible to all of us Irish. Quite true; it is Ireland we live in and some chose to speak solely true Irish [ieg Connemara - a little Quebec of sorts but without any englsh speaking]. So we did the website ‘as Gaeilge’ and again became the first horticultural related company to do so. I think thats fair enough! and then we went a little further where we felt possible. I suppose it is about making an effort through business and respecting all who make this island what it is.

Whilst the points above did kick our arses into considering others [one that was deserved most probably] It was Aido [of Segala fame] who turned off my computer screen and told me to read my own website that really put it in context. Was it a worthwhile investment to so? no. Was it worthwhile and responsible of us to do so? 110%.

In my opinion speaking Irish is pretty cool. I ain’t no ‘Gaeilgór’ [so I'm told!] ach beider nach bhfuil mo gaeilge ceart go lóir, i mo thuraim! Any how we need your vote - and if you think we deserve it please click here to nominate us  [or email connlaog[at]nuacht.com /visit www.nuacht.com for further info] for retaining our spot within the top 50. 

Slán, beannacht agus go raibh míle maith agat. Peadar.

Want a Career with award winning Soul?

At Peter Donegan Landscaping & Design we pride ourselves on creating only the finest gardens of the highest achievable calibre.

With national awards for garden design, landscaping and more recently the quality award - it shows that no matter what we do, as a team, from start to finish, inside and out - if quality assured is what you want,  the donegan name will be there.

We are a highly motivated team of professional horticulturists and we are always looking to hire the finest and brighest individuals with the talent and soul to achieve our high standards - if you are inerested in a career with Peter Donegan Landscaping Ltd please email a copy of your Curriculum Vitae to info[at]doneganlandscaping.com.  

Investing In Nature

I planted some new Tilia Cordata ‘Greenspire’ [and carpinus betula in the distance] outside my office last October and complete with bird feeders I left them there to do what nature feels best for them. Not being the best bird photographer in the country [I usually scare them all away], I managed to snap this little fella walking for a snack this morning. Even if Mother Nature is stalling trees from coming into leaf, in late April [!], my investment in nature has proved so worthwhile! Enjoy.