Winner of last week’s RTÉ Super Garden competition dies

John Dooley, who was declared the winner of RTÉ's Super Garden competition last week, has died.

The garden designer from Castledermot, Co Kildare, took the top prize and displayed his garden, Past and Present, at the Bloom festival over the weekend with his wife Liz. Bloom later said all elements of his design are to go to Castledermot National School.

Mr Dooley appeared in episode three of Super Garden, in which he designed a low-maintenance, sustainable, and biodiverse garden for a woman named Daija and her daughters, Amanda and Amelia. Daija is originally from Latvia and has been in Ireland for over 20 years.

In the programme, viewers were told how Daija has scoliosis and she was delighted to have someone to design the garden, as she started to do it but was unable to complete it. The family wanted a space to entertain but something that was low maintenance and easy for Daija to look after.

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Mr Dooley’s death notice on Wednesday said his death was “deeply regretted by his loving wife Liz, brothers, sisters, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends”.

His remains will repose in Dunne’s Funeral Home, Mill Road, Castledermot, Co Kildare, from noon on Friday, concluding with rosary at 8pm.

His removal will take place on Saturday at 11.30am to the Church of The Assumption, Castledermot, arriving for requiem mass at noon followed by burial in Coltstown Cemetery.

In Super Garden, Mr Dooley was described as “a former farm manager with a lifelong passion for gardening”.

From growing small cabbage patches when he was young, he went on to build his own glasshouse when he got married, planting his own salad and vegetables and caring for an orchard.

He said he loved to do gardens for people in his area and took care of the local church grounds also.

He was said to have always wanted to apply for Super Garden, but had never had the courage to apply. This year his wife Liz applied on his behalf without his knowledge and he said he was glad she did.

For the competition each designer is given three weeks and a budget of €15,000 to design and create a garden.

Dozens of condolence messages have been written on Rip.ie following Mr Dooley’s death.

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