Making his Mark: The florist and landscaper who did Derry Girls star Saoirse Monica’s wedding celebrates 15 years in business with an exhibition
Pics: Doreen Kilfeather
When Saoirse-Monica Jackson, who played Edel Quinn in Derry Girls, wanted singular flowers for her wedding, she called in Connemara man Mark Grehan.
Heritage luxury goods house Hermès made the same call when they wanted to host a garden party at its Bond Street, London HQ.
The soft-spoken gardener and landscaper has an impressive roster of clients, including Gucci, Chanel, COS, Hermès, & Other Stories, Ballynahinch Castle, and Brown Thomas.
He’s created installations for Electric Picnic and has worked with A-list wedding planner Tara Fay.
He also has many big-name private clients that he is far too professional to ever make public.
He is also responsible for The Garden, the delicious-smelling shop that he visualised, setting it up in the entrance hall of Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, on Drury Street, Dublin 2, in 2010.
Situated at the top of the granite steps of this former Georgian mansion and using its flight of curved front steps as his shop window, he turned it from a throughway, a shortcut to Grafton Street, into a destination.
It’s a place where the landscape of Grehan’s native west is on show. Expect to see bogland, heather, bracken, and gorse-inspired displays.
After studying horticulture, Grehan worked in London, Sydney, New York, and across Ireland.
He has built a very beguiling independent business.
From here, you can order a bouquet, pick up some potted plants, fragranced candles, diffusers, and single-estate chocolate.
You will definitely want to browse the space and marvel at how compelling the offer is.
The shop, which has a marble trompe l’oeil flooring and decorative plasterwork cornice, and a fireplace where some of the stock for sale is on display, is now 15 years old.
To mark its birthday, he’s launching an exhibition, Bog, which opens on Thursday, October 9th, and features work in many mediums, from photography, print, film, ceramics, glassware, fashion, jewellery and textiles.
Artists include: Amo Kilfeather, Brian Teeling, Cliodhna Prendergast, Domino Whisker, Endless Rhythm, Fermoyle Pottery, Finn Richards, J Hill’s Standard, Julie Connellan, Linda Brownlee, Maggie O’Dwyer, Mourne Textiles, Noel Byas, Phillip White, Simon Walsh, Superfolk and The Tweed Project.
Additionally, an image of Grehan’s mother’s hands holding bog cotton, a work entitled Mary’s Hands, by Doreen Kilfeather, has been reproduced on a limited run of locally printed t-shirts.
Priced at €35, all proceeds from the sales go to Green Sod Ireland, a non-profit that works to protect biodiversity, create safe habitats for the free movement of wildlife, and restore Irish peatlands to ensure the continued and enduring presence of the bog.
The same image is being reproduced on an anniversary tote bag. Waterproof and hardwearing, it is made using sacking traditionally used to gather turf.
The bespoke bag will launch alongside the exhibition and is priced at €25.
Follow @shopthegarden for updates.
