Lord Mayor accepts award-winning garden gift from EU Commissioner to mark Ireland’s presidency of the EU

07/09/2026

An award-winning garden created to mark Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the visit of the College of Commissioners to Cork City this summer has been gifted to the people of Cork.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Damian Boylan, formally accepted the garden, titled “Shared Roots, Common Shade” and commissioned by the European Commission Representation, during a formal handover by EU Commissioner Michael McGrath at the site of its new home on the city’s Marina amenity on Monday.

The Lord Mayor said: “I am honoured to accept, on behalf of the people of Cork, this remarkable garden as a lasting legacy of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the recent visit of the College of Commissioners to our city. 

“It is a wonderful addition to the Marina and a powerful reminder of the connections that link Cork to communities across Europe. 

“It creates another new space here on the banks of the river Lee for people to gather and to reflect on all that unites us as Europeans. 

“We are grateful to the European Commission for this generous gift and proud to welcome it to Cork."

Commissioner McGrath said: “The garden reflects the strength we gain from working together. Just as every tree contributes to the health and beauty of a forest, every Member State has a role to play in shaping Europe’s future. 

“We are delighted that this award-winning garden will have a permanent home in Cork, where it can continue to inspire reflection on our shared European future.”

The Chief Executive of Cork City Council, Valerie O’Sullivan, said: “This garden with its 27 trees representing each member state, is a powerful living symbol of how we are stronger when we work together. I am delighted that this award-winning garden has found a permanent home on the Marina, one of the best public amenities in the country.”

Designed by acclaimed garden designers, Oliver and Liat Schurmann, the garden was one of the standout attractions at this year's Bord Bia Bloom festival.

They say it serves as a living metaphor for the European Union's investment in a shared future.

At its heart are 27 trees, each representing one of the EU's Member States, symbolising unity, cooperation and the collective effort required to build a resilient and prosperous Europe.

Some of the trees rise to more than seven metres in height, creating a miniature forest through which visitors can wander along a meandering pathway. 

Beneath the canopy, naturalistic planting provides a tranquil space for reflection and connection, offering an experience that captures the spirit of collaboration and shared purpose at the heart of the European project.

The garden encourages visitors to consider how EU investment supports resilience, opportunity and cooperation in communities across Ireland and Europe. 

A wishing tree located alongside the garden provides a space for people to share their hopes and aspirations for the future of Ireland and the European Union.

It was shipped from Dublin after Bloom and installed on Cork City’s Marina promenade by staff from Cork City Council’s Parks Department, where it will serve as a lasting and living legacy of the country’s presidency of the EU. 

Oliver and Liat Schurmann are among Ireland's most respected show garden designers and are widely recognised for their innovative, contemporary designs influenced by continental European approaches to functional garden spaces. 

The pair has won numerous awards and medals at Bord Bia Bloom and RHS shows, with the EU garden marking their 14th Show Garden at Bloom.