‘From joy to sorrow’ – Super Garden winner John Dooley laid to rest only days after ‘the best day of his life’

On Tuesday May 28, John became the champion of Super Garden. However today June 8, he was laid to rest surrounded by his shocked and devastated family.

Hailing from Castledermot in Co Kildare, John made his “dream come true” and was crowned the winner of Super Garden only 11 days ago and displayed his winning garden at the prestigious Bord Bia Bloom Garden festival last weekend.

However, John sadly passed away suddenly on Wednesday June 5, just days after achieving that cherished dream.

Described by John as the “best day of his life” after marrying his beloved Liz, he won the competition and “succeeded in what he was called to do”.

“I was shocked to receive a phone call on March 16 from John and it was during this phone call he told me that Liz had entered him into a gardening competition,” recalled John’s younger brother Michael during the eulogy. “He told me how the show would work and how he would be on TV doing a garden makeover.

“I watched the first show which was Gary’s episode and there was John digging in the middle of the show helping Gary. So after the show had finished I rang John and I said to him ‘what are you doing? Why are you helping your competition? If I were you I would have buried his tree upside down’. John just laughed.

“Moving onto episode two, four and five and there was John helping again,” laughed Michael.

“We tuned into episode three, John and Liz’s episode, and we were in complete awe of them. They were so calm and relaxed and worked away in total harmony and the love for their work and each other shone through.”

“John made it to the podium of his hobby,” sighed Michael. “With his hobby he brought so much joy to people around the country.

“I could not wait to see the next chapter of John and Liz’s garden adventure. But it wasn’t to be. John left this world on a complete high.

“I don’t really know what happens in the afterlife, but I do believe there are signs left that those who depart are looking after their loved ones they leave behind may it be a butterfly or a visit from a robin.

“Last Thursday we had some quiet family time at the funeral home. We shared stories and laughed and it was lovely. As I left the funeral home, I noticed some flowers in a pot. I went over to admire them and there was a yellow and black bumble bee working away. It was like John was telling me ‘I’m still working away and I’m not too far away’,” concluded an emotional Michael.

John had always dreamed of entering Super Garden but never had the confidence to do it. In the end his wife Liz put his name forward for the competition without telling him.

“It’s more than a dream come true. I have dreamt about it, thought about it, I never would have had the courage to do it,” said John, speaking after his win.

“I am so thrilled with Liz, if she had said to me, ‘John I am going to put you forward for Super Garden’, I would say ‘no way’, I wouldn’t be up for it, I am glad she didn’t say it to me now that we are here. For both of us it is absolutely magical.”

Named ‘Back to the Future’, John created low-maintenance, sustainable and biodiverse garden for Daija and her daughters, Amanda and Amelia. John’s design accommodated Daija’s scoliosis and offered an easy-to-care-for space for the family to enjoy.

All elements of John’s winning garden, ‘Back to the Future’, will be donated to his local school, Castledermot National School in Kildare.

John is survived by his loving wife Liz, brothers, sisters, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends.

He touched the lives of many, both locally in his hometown of Castledermot and also nationwide, following his appearance on Super Garden. His sincere and genuine personality shone through the TV screens to viewers around the country, inspiring countless people to make the journey to Bloom to meet him last weekend.

“We had the pleasure of meeting John in his lovely garden at Bloom on Saturday, he was a true and most humble gentleman,” read one condolence message on RIP.ie

Another mourner said: “He only just achieved his life long dream to design a garden and he did it with such passion with Liz at his side all the way. A true gentleman he will be sadly missed”.

“The loss of such an inspirational man at a time of great joy in his life is difficult to comprehend,” added another mourner.