Gold For Repak’s Most Sorted Garden at Bord Bia Bloom 2025

James Purdy garden designer and architect awarded Gold for Repak’s Most Sorted Garden showcasing a circular economy in action

• Repak’s Most Sorted Garden wins Gold and Best in Category in the Large Garden category
• 3 in 5 (60%) of people have used empty packaging for gardening purposes, such as starting seeds, as plant pots, for watering or for creating plant labels
• Less than half of adults can correctly identify which bins tinfoil (44%), cosmetic jars (45%) and deodorant cans (50%) should go in while 71% don’t know how to recycle bleach bottles correctly
• Repak calls on visitors to Bloom to recycle just one more item per day. With an expected attendance of 100,000 people this would result in 36.5 million more items diverted from landfill, which the equivalent of 28 GAA pitches

 Repak is delighted to announce that the Repak Most Sorted Garden, designed by award-winning architect and garden designer James Purdy, has won Gold and Best in Category in the prestigious Large Garden category at Bord Bia Bloom 2025.

This stunning garden exemplifies Repak’s vision of a circular economy in action, transforming the traditional garden space into an inspiring journey through thoughtful recycling, regeneration, and design innovation. Created to engage the public in the future of recycling, the Most Sorted Garden serves as a true example that waste is not an inevitability, but a challenge that can be solved through smart design and sustainable thinking.

Speaking about the win, Zoe Kavanagh, CEO of Repak, said: “We are incredibly proud of this achievement. James Purdy has brought Repak’s vision to life with creativity and conviction. The Most Sorted Garden embodies the circular economy by proving that with considered design, we can eliminate waste and give materials a second life. This award is a testament to the importance of sustainability and innovation in shaping a greener future for Ireland.”

James Purdy, designer of Repak’s Most Sorted Garden said: “It’s an honour to receive Gold and Best in Category for the Repak Most Sorted Garden. This garden is about showing that sustainability doesn’t mean compromise, it can be beautiful, functional, and thought-provoking. I’m grateful to Repak for the opportunity to tell this story and for supporting a vision where every element is intentional, regenerative, and truly circular.”

New research from Repak carried out in advance of Bord Bia Bloom, highlighted a growing national passion for upcycling and growing confidence among the irish public when it comes to recycling, with 67% of Irish adults rate their recycling knowledge highly. However, the research also found that gaps remain around how to recycle some common household items. Less than half can correctly identify which bins tinfoil (44%), cosmetic jars (45%) and deodorant cans (50%) should go in, while 71% don’t know how to recycle bleach bottles correctly.

To help close these gaps, Repak’s Most Sorted Garden at Bord Bia Bloom will welcome thousands of visitors over the long weekend with hands-on tips and practical inspiration for better recycling habits at home and in the garden. Throughout the five-day event, the Repak Most Sorted Garden will serve as a hub for discussions, child-friendly workshops, and educational talks focused on recycling, sustainability, and Ireland’s path toward a circular economy.

The impact of small changes really adds up. If each of the 100,000 expected visitors to Bord Bia Bloom recycled just one more clean, dry, and loose item every day, this would result in an extra 36.5 million items recycled annually – enough to cover 28 GAA pitches. Nationally, if every person in Ireland recycled just one more item a day, it could divert over 1.9 billion items from landfill each year, this is equivalent to 48,362 tonnes of waste, which is eight fully packed Croke Parks.

This is James Purdy’s sixth show garden at Bord Bia Bloom. His previous designs have earned wide acclaim, including gold medals for The Podscape Garden (2016) and The Healthy Way (2019), and a silver-gilt for Love that Keelings Feeling in 2024.

Repak remains committed to leading the way in packaging recycling and educating both businesses and the public on how thoughtful choices can result in a more sustainable Ireland.

*Recycling Knowledge Audit surveyed over 1,000 people conducted by 3Gem in May 2025

Repak’s Most Sorted Garden wins Gold at Bord Bia Bloom. Pictured is garden designer and architect, James Purdy. Repak calls on visitors to Bloom to visit its Most Sorted Garden and recycle just one more item per day. With an expected attendance of 100,000 people this would result in 36.5 million more items recycled annually, which is the equivalent of 28 GAA pitches.