Ashbourne estate to star in new series of Super Garden

A new housing development in Ashbourne is set to take centre stage as the latest series of Super Garden returns to RTÉ screens this week, bringing a strong local focus to the popular gardening show.

Filmed in Millrace, a social housing development delivered by Meath County Council, the series follows five families who have recently moved into their new homes, with their gardens transformed from blank canvases into vibrant outdoor spaces.

The new season of Super Garden begins on Thursday, April 23 at 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, offering viewers plenty of inspiration whether they have a garden, balcony or even just a windowsill.

Each of the five competing designers is given three weeks and a budget of €15,000 to create a unique garden tailored to the needs of the household, while also competing for a place at Bord Bia Bloom.

Adding to the local interest is Sean Melia from Summerhill, who becomes the youngest contestant ever to take part in the series. He is joined by Eoighan Mountaine Barry from Lucan, Janani Rajkumar from Balbriggan, Emily Moorcroft, a former detective with the London Metropolitan Police, and Adrian Bolton, originally from Lancashire and now living in Ireland for more than 20 years.

Viewers can expect a wide variety of creative ideas throughout the series, including the use of colourful glass bricks, murals inspired by the Irish landscape and even an AI-powered watering system — a first for Super Garden. Other designs incorporate features such as fountains, pergolas and accessible layouts for wheelchair users.

The show is sponsored by Woodie's and Dulux Exteriors, with judging provided by Brian Burke, a previous winner of Super Garden, Kerrie Gardiner, Show Gardens Manager with Bord Bia Bloom, Carol Marks, Manager of Horticulture at Bord Bia, and Monica Alvarez, a garden design lecturer.

The winning designer will go on to recreate their garden at Bord Bia Bloom, which takes place from May 28 to June 1, 2026, and attracts over 100,000 visitors each year.

The first episode airs this Thursday, with Meath viewers likely to take a particular interest as local homes and a local designer feature prominently in the new series.