Thank you to Irish Country Magazine and Leonie Cornelius

It’s always an honour to see your work resonate with visitors at a show, but it’s especially meaningful when it is recognised by respected voices in the gardening community.

I’d like to say a sincere thank you to Irish Country Magazine and to Leonie Cornelius, the award-winning garden designer, author and columnist, for including Rooted in Resilience in her recent feature on some of the standout gardens from Bord Bia Bloom 2026.

Designed for Multiple Myeloma Ireland, Rooted in Resilience set out to explore the lived experience of people affected by multiple myeloma, through a sequence of connected spaces that encouraged reflection, support, recovery and hope.

Leonie described the garden as “deeply moving” and highlighted the contrast between its bold structural elements and softer planting, one of the key themes at the heart of the design. Most importantly, the project has helped continue conversations about multiple myeloma and the work of Multiple Myeloma Ireland.

What Leonie wrote

“David Negus’s Rooted in Resilience garden for Myeloma Ireland carried the same quality. Chunky stones and timber pieces, almost boulder-like in their form, with planting that softened and surrounded them completely. Following on from last year’s gorgeous garden which embraced recycled and reused materials, this garden which is about the resilience of people living with myeloma, was deeply moving. After the show it travels to Cois Nore Cancer Support Centre in Kilkenny, where it’ll become a permanent space for people who really need it.”

Her advice for bringing the inspiration home: “The lesson for your own garden is a beautiful one. You don’t need to soften everything. One strong, bold structural element, a large stone, a chunky timber form, something with real weight and presence, surrounded by planting that’s allowed to be a little wild, creates a tension that makes both things better.”

And her designer tip: “Like in a good Japanese rock garden, irregular triangles create a special kind of magic. Placing boulders in an irregular triangle, planting the same plant in repetition in irregular triangles or even trees placed in regular triangle groupings is a really clever way to bring coherence to a design. The hard landscaping really helps set off the softer parts and brings a special kind of magic to a space.”

Thank you again to Irish Country Magazine and Leonie Cornelius for taking the time to visit, experience and share the story of the garden.

Read the full article: A look at some of the best gardens at Bloom 2026 irishcountrymagazine.ie Find out more about Leonie Cornelius and her work leoniecornelius.com

You can read more about the garden in my story on Gold and People’s Choice at Bloom 2026, or on the Rooted in Resilience project page.