The Blackwater Gin Garden has won a gold medal in the medium garden category at Bloom.

It’s the first time the West Waterford distillery has entered the gardening festival.

The Blackwater Gin Garden is described as a little, green oasis, providing a multifunctional space to relax, reflect and entertain.

Built predominantly from reclaimed, recycled and upcycled materials, it features strong shapes, textures and contrasting materials that are softened by lush foliage of semi-shade and shade loving plants.

The garden reflects the Blackwater Distillery’s location in Waterford, with a water feature symbolising the Blackwater River.

The materials complement the distillery’s new home in Ballyduff Upper, at a refurbished 1950s hardware store.

The garden features 40 plants and botanicals, may of which are used in the distilling of the company’s-award winning gins.

There are 3 areas – a social entertaining area, a small bar and a secluded hot tub area converted for an old whiskey barrell.

 A total of 11 gold medals were presented to show garden designers and the overall show garden award went to Dublin-based garden and landscape designer, Alan Rudden, for his Argentinian themed Vina Doña Paula – A Matter of Altitude garden.

Separately, Mike Keep of Shady Plants, Clashmore, Co. Waterford was awarded a Bronze Medal for his Nursery & Floral Pavilion entry.