You are encouraged to create a mini garden in a wheelbarrow, bursting with creativity. The Wheelbarrow Garden Challenge encourages participants to educate visitors about the importance of gardens, no matter the size.

All participants are asked to base the design of their wheelbarrow garden on a movie of their choice. Let your imagination run wild with creativity.

We are looking for gardens full of personality, enthusiasm and character, something both simultaneously beautiful and fun, capturing amazement and enjoyment for the visitors of Garden Show Ireland. Be it tropical plants and dinosaurs from Jurassic Park, a space-age garden from Star Wars, a winter garden from the Grinch, a hobbit garden from Lord of the Rings, the forest from Snow White, Mr McGregor’s garden from Peter Rabbit, or even a Rock n’ Roll garden from the Elvis movie.

Whether it is a subtle nod to the movie with hidden characters or a fullblown interpretation of a whole movie itself with props and plants, you are encouraged to become inspired to create something to be enjoyed by thousands visiting the show.

Designs should include a minimum of 65% planting, and the remaining landscaping materials must, where possible, be relevant to a theme of the designer’s choice. Designs should be layered with creative elements, which are fun. For example, you
could consider using height in your wheelbarrow to create a “Jack in the Beanstalk’ theme. Let your imagination go wild.

Think about the types of wildlife you want to support because this will help you choose your plants. Think about handles and how you could extend their use further by removing them and adding cut canes for solitary bees instead. Make mini hedges
using pencils to hold layers of twigs.

It’s about being thought-provoking, which generates curiosity and creativity as well as clever, beautiful displays. Plus, having some fun designing and putting it together.

Your display cannot be out of your wheelbarrow on the floor; just use the tray of the barrow and the frame.

Think of your wheelbarrow as an extension of your living space. Plants and props should be appropriate and proportional in size to the design’s other features and the wheelbarrow.

We ask that all materials used be sustainably sourced and recycled where possible or items that can/will be used after the show. Although participants are welcome to buy plants and decorations to use in their wheelbarrow, we would encourage
people to recycle plants and materials they already own where feasible.

Wheelbarrows will be provided by the Garden Show Ireland with an 80L bag of peat-free compost. The barrow is heavy-duty and does not take long to assemble.

It is a standard galvanised 85-litre wheelbarrow that you will need to collect from Antrim Castle Gardens from 10am – 8pm on 8th May, and return to Antrim Castle Gardens on 9th June ahead of the Garden Show Ireland. Your wheelbarrow can be collected after the show finishes on 16th June onwards. It is advised that your design is transported in a vessel that can be planted into the barrow on-site or planted directly into the wheelbarrow and transported to the site. The legs and frame can be separated from the planting bucket for transportation in an average-sized estate car.

12 June 2025 – Judging of the Wheelbarrow Challenge will take place at 1pm

13 June 2025 – The Awards for the Wheelbarrow Challenge Gold, Silver & Bronze, Children’s Award will take place on stage at 10.30am 

15 June 2025 – The Public & Peers Vote closes at 3pm on Sunday. David Domoney will then announce the results of the Public and Peers Awards at 4pm.

Through your involvement at the Garden Show Ireland, we hope to facilitate and develop an understanding, and awareness of and interest in:

• Biodiversity including plants, animals, and microorganisms
• Adaptation & Creative Design
• Micro Landscaping in a small space

We would like these gardens to inspire visitors to the show and develop skills through:

• Working as a team
• Communication
• Kinesthetics
• Commitment of support
• Encouraging as much imagination, curiosity and creativity