Search
Close this search box.
DESIGNED BY ROBERT MOORE

The Grass Advantage

The Grass Advantage

Depicting an idyllic garden nestled within an iconic rural farm setting, The Grass Advantage highlights the beauty of Ireland’s natural pasture with its white clover grass mix forming a naturally enriching multi-species sward. At its centre, a large, five-metre high milk churn sculpture symbolises the cultural heritage of Irish dairy production and celebrates the grass-based system that is the foundation of Ireland’s world-renowned “Liquid Gold” dairy produce.

The garden is inspired by the many initiatives farmers are undertaking to improve biodiversity through sustainable farm management. It is designed with a strong emphasis on sustainability and constructed with minimum impact on the environment. The planting is representative of Irish dairy pastures and all materials are recycled, and boundary fences and the sculpture are supported by environmentally sensitive, reusable ground screws.

The garden showcases the ripple effect of Irish dairy’s sustainable farming journey on food quality and nutrition and the impact this has on our environment and our society.

Plants in Garden

Trees:

  • Corylus Avellana
  • Alnus Glutinosa laciniata
  • Betula pendula

 

Specimen Shrubs:

  • Osmanthus burkwoodii
  • Viburnum plicatum mariesii
  • Pittosporum Elisabeth
  • Viburnum opulus

Plants:

  • Actaea white pearl
  • ERYNGIUM ‘Big Blue
  • IRIS sib. ‘Moon Silk’
  • Achillea Moonshine
  • ACHILLEA ‘Coronation Gold’
  • HEMEROCALLIS dumortieri
  • CAMPANULA pers. ‘Alba’
  • PHLOMIS russeliana
  • TROLLIUS full moon
  • THALICTRUM ‘Nimbus White’
  • Thalictrum Elin
  • ASTRANTIA major ‘Star of Billion’ Snow star
  • DIGITALIS pur. Albax
  • ERIGERON karvinskianus
  • Geum totally tangerine
  • HOSTA Big Daddy
  • HOSTA Halcyon
  • KNIPHOFIA Lemon Popsicle pineapple popsicle
  • Geranium prat black and white
  • LIGULARIA przewalskii
  • RODGERSIA aesculifolia
  • Nepeta snowflake
  • Nepeta white cloud
  • BRUNNERA mac. Jack frost
  • GALIUM odoratum
  • THALICTRUM Black Stockings
  • ASTRANTIA major ‘Star of Love’
  • EUPHORBIA Ascot Rainbow
  • RODGERSIA pod. Braunlaub
  • Sanguisorba white brushes

Ferns

  • Dryopteris erythrosora

 

Grasses

  • DESCHAMPSIA cesp. Goldtau
  • LUZULA nivea
  • SESLERIA autumnalis
  • STIPA tenuissima Pony Tails
  • Stipa arundinacea

 

Climbers

  • Rosa bank. Lutea
Our Events At Bloom

What's On?

From our virtual reality experience to our demo cow, from our ‘spin the wheel’ game to our dairy sampling, you won’t want to miss out! Join us in both The Grass Advantage show garden and the Moo Crew Zone to discover the wonders of Irish dairy!

Thursday 29th May

ALL DAY
ASK THE FARMER
A group of Irish dairy farmers will be available to answer your questions about dairy in the show garden.

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
ALL DAY
MILK, CHEESE & YOGURT TASTING
Enjoy free samples of milk, cheese, and yogurt throughout the day - you might even get a chance to meet Milly, our friendly cow!

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)
11:45am
Future Farmers
MC Dee Laffan, Food Writer & Broadcaster, in conversation with the winners of our Moo Crew Future Farmer competition

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
12:30pm
Scoop and a Yarn
Dee Laffan, Food Writer & Broadcaster, with Donal Skehan

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
2:00pm
Will You Ditch Dairy? Mind your Bones
Dr. Mary Harrington, Senior Nutritionist, discussing the importance of dairy and good nutrition in managing conditions like osteoporosis with
• Prof Frances Dockery, Beaumont Hospital
• Nathalie Lennon, Personal trainer and Influencer
• Lorna King, Clinical Specialist Dietitian for the Older Person, HSE

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)
3:00pm
Scoop and a Yarn
Dee Laffan, Food Writer & Broadcaster, with Roisin Scully from Ór Butter

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
4:00pm
Scoop and a Yarn
Dee Laffan, Food Writer & Broadcaster, with Chef Shane Smith

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)

Friday 30th May

ALL DAY
ASK THE FARMER
A group of Irish dairy farmers will be available to answer your questions about dairy in the show garden.

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
ALL DAY
MILK, CHEESE & YOGURT TASTING
Enjoy free samples of milk, cheese, and yogurt throughout the day - you might even get a chance to meet Milly, our friendly cow!

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)
11:00am
Food Unwrapped – What Makes Grass Fed Butter Yellow?
MC Keith Walsh, Broadcaster, in conversation with
• Mark Timlin, Arrabawn Tipperary Coop
• Martina Rooney, Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UCD
• John Murray, Bord Bia

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
1:00pm
Dancing In The Garden
Sitara Bakirova and Aoife McCarron from Irish Dance Dublin chat to Keith Walsh and then dance in the garden

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
3:00pm
What are processed foods and where does dairy stand?
MC Dee Laffan, Food Writer & Broadcaster in conversation with
• Seamus O'Mahony, Dept Of Food & Nutritional Sciences at UCC
• Sarah Keogh, INDI Dietitian
• Dr. Mary Harrington, Senior Nutritionist

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)

Saturday 31st May

ALL DAY
ASK THE FARMER
A group of Irish dairy farmers will be available to answer your questions about dairy in the show garden.

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
ALL DAY
MILK, CHEESE & YOGURT TASTING
Enjoy free samples of milk, cheese, and yogurt throughout the day - you might even get a chance to meet Milly, our friendly cow!

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)
11:00am
Fueling Young Minds: Why Milk Belongs Alongside Every School Meal
MC Dr. Mary Harrington, Senior Nutritionist, in conversation with
• Aisling Larkin, Chef and Broadcaster
• David Froggatt, Carlow Educate Together
• Caroline O’Connor, Dietitian, SolidStart.ie

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)
2:00pm
Love In The Country - Wives Who Married Into The Farm Life
MC Muireann O’Connell, Ireland AM in conversation with
• Beatrix Killeen, NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards 2024 Finalist and Lawyer
• Katie Gleeson, Influencer & Dairy Farmer
• Janine Kennedy, Journalist with Irish Farmers Journal

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
3:00pm
Dancing In The Garden
All Ireland Jiving Champions dance in the garden and interviewed by Muireann O’Connell

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)

Sunday 1st June

ALL DAY
ASK THE FARMER
A group of Irish dairy farmers will be available to answer your questions about dairy in the show garden.

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
ALL DAY
MILK, CHEESE & YOGURT TASTING
Enjoy free samples of milk, cheese, and yogurt throughout the day - you might even get a chance to meet Milly, our friendly cow!

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)
11:00am
MEP Nina Carberry in Conversation with Caitriona Morrissey

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
12:45pm
Scoop and a Yarn
Dee Laffan, Food Writer & Broadcaster, with Catherine Fulvio discussing what makes Irish food and dairy so unique and the grass-fed products that set Ireland apart.

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
2:00pm
Young Farmer Panel – Future Farming, Where Will the Next Generation Go?
MC Sarah McIntosh, Irish Farmers Journal, in conversation with
• Ciara Lynch, Agri Influencer
• Robert Tobin, Dairy Farmer
• Hazell Mullins, Large Animal Vet and Dairy Farmer
• Mark Collins, Dairy Farmer

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
14:30
Totally Committed - Maximising the Green Advantage
Refuel, Repair and Rehydrate with Milk! MC Fiona Coghlan, Ex Rugby player and Broadcaster, in conversation with
• Dr Sharon Madigan, Head of Performance Nutrition at Sport Ireland
• Ross Corrigan, Irish Rower
• Vikki Wall, GAA

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)

Monday 2nd June

ALL DAY
ASK THE FARMER
A group of Irish dairy farmers will be available to answer your questions about dairy in the show garden.

Location: The Grass Advantage (Show Garden Area)
ALL DAY
MILK, CHEESE & YOGURT TASTING
Enjoy free samples of milk, cheese, and yogurt throughout the day - you might even get a chance to meet Milly, our friendly cow!

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)
12:00pm
Future of Food: Can Dairy Survive the Plant-Based Revolution?
MC Dee Laffan, Food Writer & Broadcaster, in conversation with
• Emer Brady, Opinions Research
• Grace Binchy, Bord Bia Insights
• Miriam Gunn, NDC Farmer Ambassador
• Sophie Pratt, Dietitian
• Sinead McCarthy, Teagasc

Location: Moo Crew Zone (Conservation Area, next to #27)