My Story

Gardening wasn’t always my passion. In fact, I had no interest in it at all but I was always struck by the stunning window boxes in Royal Hillsborough village, not too far away. The multitudes of beautiful blooms spilling over the windowsills of the local shops and homes always made me smile and I started to try and replicate them in my own home, each year trying to make them bigger and more beautiful than before. 

In my quest for the perfect window box I found my best bud Herby (a local nursery owner) who explained little tricks and tips on how to put together the most stunning combinations of plants and how to help them grow so well! Gardening started to get exciting and I loved watching my little projects thrive!  

I began to spend more and more time in the garden and it became my refuge during the first Covid-19 lockdown. My mental health was deteriorating quite rapidly and I needed a way to be free of the claustrophobic monotony of motherhood. The garden was the only place where my two small kids and I could go, other than the house. That summer, we spent so much time growing and watering and getting messy in the sunshine – gardening became my therapy. 

The next spring, I made 75 window boxes for my neighbours in an effort to share some flower-powered positivity to the area. I dreamt that as the flowers began to grow and thrive, so too would those caring for them and that even people walking past the flowers would be lifted by their beauty.  

Barrow & Bloom was then born with the purpose of encouraging good mental health and wellbeing by nurturing plants and surrounding ourselves with beautiful blooms. We sell Bloom Boxes, wreaths and plant gifts, and also run a variety of gardening and floral workshops throughout the year. 

Donations from the business have been made to Lisburn Common to fund various talking therapies for people suffering from mental ill health.