South Roscommon group selected for this year's Bord Bia Bloom festival

There has been much delight in the south Roscommon region after the Karst Farming Network was selected as one of the 14 community groups to create a postcard garden at this year's Bord Bia Bloom, the country's largest gardening festival.

Karst and The Celtic Eye Art Group, in collaboration with St Hilda’s Services Athlone, Irish Wheelchair Association Athlone, and the local primary schools in Taughmaconnell and Castlesampson, were thrilled to announce its participation in Bord Bia Bloom, saying that groups from across Roscommon, Westmeath and Galway 'came together in a positive and creative way to highlight a magical hidden gem in south Roscommon'.

Members of the Celtic Eye Art Group, Nicola Bowes, Paula Sharkey, Rosemary Carty and Theresa Dempsey recently attended the Bord Bia Bloom morning tea welcome event hosted by Tirlán CountryLife in Kilkenny, and said: “It was a wonderful morning event providing an opportunity to meet other 2026 Postcard Garden participants, along with special guest Bláthnaid Treacy.”

The Celtic Eye Art Group has worked on the Karst project for over five years, describing its Garden & Art design as 'a celebration of the unique Karst landscape of south Roscommon focusing on biodiversity, eco-system engineers, native plants, mythology, and heritage and community.

“The farmers who have worked this landscape down through the generations are the true artists of this landscape, and continue to enhance and protect the unique Karst landscape of south Roscommon. It’s a wonderful opportunity as artists who are inspired by the land to continue working on this project, highlighting the importance of protecting this unique region,” the group said.

The Celtic Eye Art Group featured its first garden design in the 2024 Bord Bia Bloom Postcard Garden, in collaboration with the Uí Máine Kingdom Group, St Hilda’s Services Athlone, and the Irish Wheelchair Association Athlone.

“We are delighted to feature again in 2026 with these organisations, and would say it is made even more special having the local schools involved this year and collaborating with the Karst Farming Network,” the group said.

Bord Bia Bloom 2026 takes place from Thursday, May 28 to Monday, June 1.

The Karst Farming Network (KFN) is a locally-led group of farmers, ecologists and community members working to protect and restore the unique Karst grasslands of south Roscommon.