37 Facts About Diarmuid Gavin

Diarmuid Gavin was born on 10 May 1964 and is an Irish garden designer and television personality.

Diarmuid Gavin has presented gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show on nine occasions from 1995 to 2016, winning a number of medals, including gold in 2011.

Diarmuid Gavin has authored or co-authored at least ten gardening-related books.

Diarmuid Gavin grew up in the Fairways development in Rathfarnham, a suburb of Dublin.

When Diarmuid Gavin was six, his younger brother Conor was killed by a car while they were walking to school.

Diarmuid Gavin received his primary school education in St Joseph's Boys National School in Terenure.

Diarmuid Gavin received his secondary education at Templeogue College; he recalls the subjects as being "horrifying," with the exception of art classes with a favourite teacher, Mr Weafer.

Diarmuid Gavin applied to the College of Amenity Horticulture at the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin, failing the first time, but securing entry three years later.

Diarmuid Gavin started work with small jobs, the first, a suburban house garden featuring gravel and railway sleepers, in 1988, while he was studying at Glasnevin, still intact as of 2016.

Diarmuid Gavin has designed many gardens in the UK and Ireland, and beyond, for commercial, public sector and private clients.

Diarmuid Gavin discussed some of his garden concepts, and material sourcing, in his autobiographical volume.

Diarmuid Gavin won a bronze medal in 1995, and a silver-gilt medal in 2004.

Diarmuid Gavin described the garden as inspired by the Oscar-winning animator Richie Baneham, as well as by the "suspended table" novelty restaurant concept, and by the Midsummer Festival of the Senses at Cork, the landscapes of Capability Brown, Charles Jencks and the some Italian Renaissance figures.

Diarmuid Gavin participated again in Chelsea, on the main avenue, in 2012,2013 and 2016.

Diarmuid Gavin described the complexity of the preparation of the garden, which combined classic garden elements, buildings and mechanical animation, and involved planning and preparation over a year, and around 150 people.

Diarmuid Gavin did not participate in the 2017 Chelsea Flower Show, nor those of 2018 and 2019.

Diarmuid Gavin has been a patron at Southport Flower Show and many others.

Diarmuid Gavin became patron of the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland in August 2019.

Diarmuid Gavin has run several fundraising events for the Cill Rialaig Artists' Retreat.

Diarmuid Gavin has participated in promotional work for Ireland's horticultural development board, Bord Glas, free of charge.

Diarmuid Gavin has presented many talks and lectures in both Ireland and the UK, and has delivered courses on gardening and garden design.

Diarmuid Gavin presented Surprise Gardeners, a Central TV series, and Virgin Gardeners for Channel 5.

Diarmuid Gavin presented or co-presented a number of BBC television programmes, including Gardeners' World and Home Front with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, as well as Planet Patio and Art of the Garden.

Diarmuid Gavin presented an episode of Great British Garden Revival on BBC Two in 2014.

In 2018, Diarmuid Gavin judged the Young Landscapers Award at the BBC Gardeners' World Live show.

In 2010, Diarmuid Gavin took part in the first series of the ITV reality competition 71 Degrees North and was the third celebrity to become eliminated on 21 September 2010.

On 12 December 2010, Diarmuid Gavin appeared on Channel 4 on a Christmas edition of Come Dine with Me with David Gest, Hannah Waterman and Sherrie Hewson.

Diarmuid Gavin was the fourth celebrity to be eliminated from the show, despite low scores on his first night.

On 8 October 2013, Diarmuid Gavin appeared as a guest on The Sarah Millican Television Programme on BBC, and on 9 October 2013, on the ITV game show Big Star's Little Star, with his daughter Eppie.

On 14 December 2013, Diarmuid Gavin appeared on The Chase: Celebrity Special, and on 5 March 2014, he appeared in an episode of Sport Relief's Top Dog with his dog, Roxie.

On 8 September 2019 Diarmuid Gavin appeared on a Channel 5 edition of the Irish reality TV home improvement show Room to Improve.

Diarmuid Gavin appeared on Series 1 of The Apprentice UK, agreeing to donate a Suzuki 600 motorcycle to a charity auction.

In 2007, Diarmuid Gavin received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Art from Nottingham Trent University in recognition of his international reputation for contemporary garden designs.

Diarmuid Gavin is the author or co-author of 10 gardening and garden design books, released since 2000, some of which have sold very strongly, been released in multiple editions, and been translated to multiple other languages.

Diarmuid Gavin released an autobiographical volume, "How the Boy Next Door Turned Out: An Autobiography," in 2010.

Diarmuid Gavin is married to Justine Keane, daughter of Ronan Keane and social columnist and fashion journalist Terry Keane, who separated in the 1990s.

The Gavins live, and Diarmuid manages their garden, near the village of Kilmacanogue, south of Dublin, in County Wicklow, Ireland.