Green-thumbed four-year-old Limerick girl wins top prize for her 'Pollination Station'

A YOUNG Limerick girl has been announced as the winner of this year’s Woodie’s Budding Gardeners competition.

Keeva O’Grady and her family from Carrigkerry were named the overall winners of the competition, receiving a cash prize of €1000.

Now in its fifth year, the Woodie’s Budding Gardeners campaign encourages children across Ireland to flex their green fingers by taking on an exciting garden project at home or in school while learning about the importance of plants along the way.

This year's theme was "Plant-a-Pot" where children were tasked with creating their own potted creations. 

Woodie's garden expert and judge of the competition, Brian Burke had a tough role judging this year’s entries, but it was four-year-old Keeva and her family who won the overall prize with their ‘The Pollination Station’ entry.

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Keeva used three old paint drums to make a tiered pot of pollination friendly plants, and two side pots of herbs and vegetables including thyme, chives, lovage and dill. 

Budding Gardener’s judge Brian said, “it was clear that Keeva did a lot of research to choose appropriate plants for pollinators, and great care was taken to ensure that her creation thrived.”

Speaking about the innovative and creative entries from this year’s Budding Gardeners competition Brian said: "I say it every year, but judging the Woodie’s Budding Gardeners competition is always one of my most challenging tasks. The innovation, creativity, and imagination on display from Ireland’s young gardeners is phenomenal, and the level of work and attention to detail never fails to impress.”

“There were entries from every corner of the country with some real head turning improvised pots - old paint tins, watering cans, old wellies, woven baskets, colanders, and old plastic bottles. It was great to see such imagination on display, along with the colourful array of flowers, herbs, veggies and fruit. Huge congratulations to our winner and runners-up, but to everyone who took part, well done on all of your amazing work, and we hope to see you back next year." 

As well as the O’Grady’s winning the overall prize, there were five runners’ up in this year's competition with each winning a €500 Woodie's gift card. The runners-up included Vargas family from Dublin 22, Norris family from Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Phelan family from Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, Bozic family from Dublin 10 and the Urquhart family from Swinford, Co. Mayo.

Congratulating all the entrants and this year's winners, Rachael Williams, Brand Marketing Manager at Woodie’s said; “Huge thanks to all the families and schools that participated in this year's Woodies Budding Gardeners competition. The creativity displayed in this year's entries truly impressed us and we can really see the fun everyone had. Congratulations to everyone involved!”