HORTICULTURE CONNECTED
Summer 2019
News, analysis and trends in landscape, garden retail & edible horticulture
CHANGING THE RETAIL CLIMATE LIAM KELLY EXPLORES A GREENER SHOP FLOOR
WE’RE WINNING THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM COLM KENNY THROWS A SPOTLIGHT ON PROCUREMENT ISSUES
MEADOW MYTH BUSTER
SANDRO CAFOLLA TACKLES MYTHS AROUND MEADOW CREATION AND MAINTENANCE
Volume 6 Issue 2
STRATEGIC AGILITY
Irish grown mature & semi-mature trees
6 REASONS TO MAKE NANGLE & NIESEN YOUR
FIRST CHOICE WHEN IT COMES TO SOURCING TREES Quality - We pride ourselves on the quality of our trees and operate to the highest horticultural standards. We operate rigorous quality control systems throughout every stage of the growing process Range - Over 40,000 trees with more than 200 varieties to choose from including a large stock of mature and semi mature trees Experience - A history of over 40 years of growing and supplying trees provides a wealth of knowledge and experience unsurpassed in Ireland Reliability - Our proven track record means we can be trusted to give the best advise and service Plant Health & Biosecurity - Nangle and Niesen Ltd is committed to operating in a manner that promotes good plant health and biosecurity as far as it is reasonable and practicable to do so and will ensure that the Company’s suppliers are selected with
due consideration to plant health
Price - All of the above allied to competitive prices and great value
www.nangleandniesen.ie Rathcullen, Aherla, Cork Tel: 021-733 1126 l Fax: 021-733 1663 l Email: info@nangleandniesen.ie 2
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
@ JAMES EADES
01 / EDITOR
EDITOR BARRY LUPTON
GO FOR THAT PINT
W
e don’t realise how important things are until they’re gone. This adage is true of many things in our lives. Things we take for granted because they’ve always been there; the landscape under our feet, the sea that surrounds us, our friendships, our colleagues, our health, our living...our way of life. The recent, sudden and untimely passing of Koraley Northen came as a huge shock to myself and many in the industry. I had affectionately referred to her as the Oracle and it was a most suitable moniker. Koraley was a prophet and a pragmatist. If asked, she would provide wise counsel, sharing her clarity, experience and insights with unspoken, but noble intention. She was both a brilliant colleague and a close friend. Her passing gave me pause for reflection and as often is the case, a change in perspective. We’re losing many things of great value, but their erosion is so gradual that we find it hard to see their significance. Our landscapes are disappearing beneath a relentless development drive, disjointed planning and election-cycle thinking. Our oceans are dying at our shores, unable to absorb more of our sins; and our way of life is becoming abstractedly digital, leaving us more isolated and vulnerable. But these things are in the news. They are being discussed, considered and actions are being taken. What is less discussed is the loss of community: both at home and at work.
HORTICULTURE CONNECTED
News, Analysis and Trends In Landscape, Garden Retail & Edible Horticulture
HorticultureConnected.ie
for daily news updates
HORTICULTURE CONNECTED
Summer 2019
News, analysis and trends in landscape, garden retail & edible horticulture
CHANGING THE RETAIL CLIMATE LIAM KELLY EXPLORES A GREENER SHOP FLOOR
WE’RE WINNING THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM COLM KENNY THROWS A SPOTLIGHT ON PROCUREMENT ISSUES
MEADOW MYTHBUSTER
SANDRO CAFOLLA TACKLES MYTHS AROUND MEADOW CREATION AND MAINTENANCE
Volume 6 Issue 2
Unit 3, CTEK Building Riverside Rd, Carrickmacross, Monaghan, Ireland +353 (0)42 966 3532
I have always believed that our sector’s greatest strength is our tangible sense of community. Our geography, location, scale, cultural heritage and shared experience make us unique. Our competitors are also our friends. We fight our corners to win business, but we have each other’s backs when they’re against the wall. Such characteristics provide us with value and quality, which defy quantification. And therein lies the threat. In our increasingly individualised and reductionist society, we are losing site of what is of real value. And we won’t truly appreciate it until it is gone. Over the years I have strived to encourage the development of the sector through the promotion of collaborative initiatives, groups, associations and just about anything which connects people. This has always been economically driven. Koraley’s passing reminded me that there is more to it and that we are people first and professionals a distant second. Whether we lose the intangible qualities unique to our sector is simply down to us. Keeping them safe, nurturing them so the next generation may benefit is actually easy. All that's required is to simply reconnect with our colleagues and friends. Make that call you been meaning to. Send that message. Attend that event. Go for that pint. Do it while you have the opportunity and ability to do so. If you have a story, research or topic you think should be covered in these pages, please drop me a line at editor@horticulture.ie ✽
HORTICULTURE CONNECTED
Editor: Barry Lupton Photos: Vincent McMonagle News, Analysis and Trends & Joseph Blair editor@horticulture.ie In Landscape, Garden Retail & Edible Horticulture News & Online Editor: Joseph Blair Printers: Turners Printing joseph@horticulture.ie - 087 921 2044 Print Run: 3,500 copies Creative Director: Tanya Gilsenan Distribution: Readership of 10,000 across tanya@horticulture.ie Ireland to businesses and professionals in Editorial Assistant: Aileen Docherty the following sectors: Sales & Subscriptions: Landscape Architects / Garden Retail / Anne Marie Browne Florists / Nurseries / Greenkeepers / annemarie@horticulture.ie Sports Surfaces / Local Authorities & Cover image: FBD Insurance Urban Parks Departments / Machinery / Sanctuary Garden at Bloom Education / Edible Horticulture by Kevin Dennis Publishers: Horticulture Connected Ltd Cover Photo by: Vincent McMonagle HorticultureConnected.ie
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
1
CONTENTS
CONTENTS NEWS
03
IN PICTURES 30
Horticulture News
TEAGASC 08
DESIGN
All the latest news from Teagasc
32 I WONDER Patricia Tyrell reports in from Bloom 2019 and wonders where the future lies
EVENTS 10 Horticulture trade events
TREES
36 I PLANTED A FOREST
BORD BIA 12
Terry O’Regan calls for a grand tree strategy that embraces the totaltree population of the state on both public and private lands
All the latest news from Bord Bia
RETAIL
15 C HANGING THE RETAIL CLIMATE Liam Kelly asks if the garden sector could set trends for greener retailing
39
A NEW WORLD ORDER OR JUST ANOTHER
PRICE BLIP?
John Murphy, leading tree expert provides a fascinating insight into the costs of tree production and factors influencing end prices in Ireland
NURSERY
17 A TURN IN THE WEATHER FOR HORTICULTURE Stiofán Nutty explains how Ireland’s climate change plans may actually benefit the horticulture sector
20
Bloom photos
INSIGHT
41 THE EDIBLE LANDSCAPE Environmental consultant, Féidhlim Harty explores how edible species can be incorporated into designed landscapes.
STAR PERFORMERS Teagasc Nursery Stock Advisor, Dónall Flanagan reports in from the Netherlands and Germany on the latest new plant introductions
44 MEADOW MYTH BUSTER Sandro Cafolla of Design by Nature dispels some myths and sets the record straight about the success of wildflower meadows in Ireland
KORALEY NORTHEN
22 REMEMBERING KORALEY Remembering our dear friend and colleague, Koraley Northen
CONSTRUCT
26 W E’RE WINNING THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM Colm Kenny explains why a failure to address weaknesses in landscape procurement is stimulating a detrimental race to the bottom
JOBS 29 Latest horticulture jobs from 2
RESEARCH 47
THE VERSATILITY OF EUCALYPTUS Andy Whelton of Teagasc discusses the many commercial uses of Eucalyptus and the current interest and research on the species in Ireland
EDUCATION
50 E UROPEAN STUDY TOUR John Mulhern, Principal of the National Botanic Gardens reports in from a recent student tour of the Netherlands and Belgium
Horticulture.jobs
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
02 / NEWS PROFESSIONAL GARDENERS GUILD PRESENTS LOYAL SERVICE AWARD TO STEPHEN BUTLER
creature to poisonous plants. His training in England, first with the Royal Parks at Hampton Court Palace, then at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, gave him an excellent foundation to draw on. He also worked in Bangladesh, first as a volunteer as a horticulturalist at a newly formed government development academy, then as a horticultural administrator with a large aid organisation. This gave Stephen a very different perspective on plants, people pressure, and the need to conserve and protect the wonderful life of this planet. Stephen talks about his experience as a PGG member, “I joined the PGG in 1996, seeing other past students from RBG Kew being involved was a great motivator. The next year the Irish Garden Plant Society held its AGM at Glenveagh Castle Gardens in Donegal, and while chatting
CHAIRMAN OF THE PROFESSIONAL GARDENERS GUILD TONY ARNOLD (LEFT) PRESENTS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO STEPHEN BUTLER (MIDDLE) ACCOMPANIED BY PGG IRELAND REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN O'DONNELL. (RIGHT)
to Sean O'Gaoithin Head Gardener, and mulling over a few past PGG Journals, we convinced each other to try for a PGG meeting in Dublin. That first meeting did indeed attract about 12 hardy gardeners to Dublin Zoo, and for
With over 900 members across Britain and Ireland, the
the next few years Sean, the late Peter Hynes (Birr Castle),
Professional Gardeners Guild (PGG) has been the meeting
and myself (apologies if I've forgotten anyone!) pulled
touchstone for professional gardeners employed in
and pushed to keep a few meetings around the country,
private gardens and estates for over 40 years. Promoting
always well organised by the relevant host garden, and
professional contact, sharing information and skills, and
always interesting, always something learnt, and great
training the next generation of professional gardeners.
camaraderie. It is great to see the PGG still going strong,
The Loyal Service Awards are presented normally at each
especially in Ireland. Social media may be useful, but
AGM, but this year the award traveled to Bloom and was
there is nothing like meeting, walking, chatting, looking,
presented to Stephen Butler to mark his 37 years at Dublin
and comparing with professional colleagues. Between
Zoo, as first Head Gardener and then Curator of Horticulture.
the Journals, the meetings all over Ireland and Britain, the
Stephen’s work is well known in the contribution he made
trainee scheme, and the collective knowledge, the Guild
to the incredible transformation of an old Victorian Zoo
is without doubt one of the premier organisations for
into a modern themed landscape, creating naturalistic
horticulture.”
habitats that visitors can become immersed in while also
For more information on the Professional Gardeners
providing the animals with different plant communities
Guild (PGG) log onto www.pgg.org.uk or you can contact
to reflect their natural habitat, and without risking any
the Irish rep Brian O Donnell at 086-828 5915 ✽
IRISH SOCIAL, COMMUNITY AND THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE SYMPOSIUM 6TH SEPTEMBER AT TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY DUBLIN The Irish Social, Community and Therapeutic Horticulture Symposium is organised for Sept 6th at Technological University Dublin Blanchardstown. Theme for the event is 'Therapeutic use of Horticulture: Research, Practice and the Future. The event is supported by TU Dublin. Keynote speaker Dr. Joe Sempik, renowned Social and Therapeutic Horticulture researcher and author, talks to HC about the event, “This day long symposium will focus on practice in STH and community settings in Ireland, highlighting evidence based practice and practice evaluation (via Social Return on Investment). The event will demonstrate the array of practice ongoing in Ireland through practitioner presentations. Social and therapeutic horticulture is a niche yet growing area of horticulture practice in Ireland. Since 2015 I have written widely on the topics of STH and Community. On Feb 26 of this year a networking event for practitioners here in Blanchardstown, practitioners from all over Ireland attended and from this Social, Community and Therapeutic Horticulture Ireland (www.scthireland.com) was born. This practitioner network includes individuals practicing in this area, and organisations including GIY, Festene Lente with academic representatives in Horticulture from WIT, Teagasc KIildalton and TU Dublin. The organisation aims to enable connections and from practitioner networking, raising the profile of the work and ultimately in the future form a professional body.” This will be their inaugural event. Conference fee is €45.00 inc lunch. Booking via eventbrite. All welcome. Further details via www.itb.ie and www.scthireland.com ✽
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
3
NEWS / 02 GREEN FITS ALL THEME FOR PLANTARIUM 2019 Plantarium is the leading international
SAP GROUP HELP PROMOTE HORTICULTURE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE CLASSROOM
tree nursery trade fair. Participants from 15 different countries and trade visitors from 48 countries underline the international nature of the fair and make Plantarium the leading wholesale market for tree nursery products in Europe. At Plantarium, around 300 exhibitors from various countries will be showcasing a huge range of tree nursery products for the consumer market in pots and containers and as bare-rooted products. Supplier companies will also be displaying the latest developments. Plantarium is an important platform for all the channels involved in the sale of tree nursery products. More at https://www. plantarium.nl ✽
O’DOWD NURSERIES GLAS SHOWCASING STAND EXTENSIVE RANGE
#G2
O’ Dowd Nurseries was established in 1994 and is a family run Irish business situated
By starting a real business in the classroom the Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) has managed to engage students in horticulture. Going forward, this could be an excellent way for the wider sector to sponsor and encourage more young people into our industry. Taking this message on board already, as part of the company’s engagement with communities under their CSR programme, was the SAP GROUP who sponsored the ‘Bee Booster Boxes’ project to the tune of €750. Paul Giles of SAP tells HC, “We were delighted to be involved with this project as it’s really important for businesses like ours to influence and educate children at an early age about the benefits of a career in our sector. Also the environmental message adopted and delivered by the children is really important, and as we too strive to develop more sustainable practises in our sector.” Under the direction of Canalway Educate Together teacher Ciaran Mulhearn, and with the inspiration of local entrepreneurs, the children of 5th and 6th class discovered their strengths as individuals and as part of a team. Together, they chose, invested in and produced their own product from scratch which in this case was the ‘Bee Booster Box’. It is a ready-made, environmentally friendly plant box made from FSC wood and filled with reduced peat compost and bee friendly pollinator flowers
in the centre of Ireland. They provide
to encourage bees. It was made available for sale at a school-hosted JEP Showcase
an outstanding selection of roses
Day and the children enjoyed donating their profits of €1300 at the end for their
which consist of over 250 varieties
chosen charities (Focus Ireland, DSPCA and Friends of the Earth).
(Inc. Hybrid Tea, Floribunda, Patio,
Ciaran Mulhearn told HC, “The children had a great learning experience and really
Climbers, Shrub & Ground Cover).
enjoyed the project from start to finish. It is refreshing to see such passion for the
They also supply an extensive range
environment and creative ideas from children so young. Thank you to everyone for
of vegetable plants in 9 packs, stock
supporting this great cause and for making such generous donations, especially
Vegetables in 10.5cm pots, as well as a
SAP GROUP for the generous donation which allowed us to start our project.” More
huge variety of tomatoes, strawberries
at www.beeboosterbox.com and www.juniorentrepreneur.ie ✽
and high quality bedding plants for all seasons throughout the year. Contact us on facebook.com/odowdnurseries, by email odowdroses@gmail.com or Call (090) 648 1455. ✽
PUPILS OF CANALWAY EDUCATE TOGETHER BLOSSOM AT BLOOM 2019 Once again pupils from Canalway Educate Together School returned to Bloom and were ably guided through the various education areas by Agriware staff. This year it was 1st class pupils who had lots of questions for the SEED area volunteers. The educational benefits of Bloom are often undervalued and over the course of the show, since its launch in 2007, there have been hundreds of classes and thousands of pupils who have benefited from their participation in the various learning initiatives across horticulture and agriculture. Class teacher, Wilma Browne told HC, “The benefits of children growing their own vegetables and fruits in our school garden are very worthwhile and that the Agriware and SEED areas are helpful in educating the children further in the benefits of growing and gardening.” More at agriaware.ie and seed.ie ✽
4
02 / NEWS LITTLE ENTERPRISES IRELAND GEAR UP FOR CHRISTMAS TREE DELIVERIES
GLAS STAND #I10
GLAS STAND #F1
John Little, of Little
O’CONNOR NURSERIES BRING THEMED HERO STAND TO GLAS
Enterprises Ireland, has
O’Connor Nurseries are looking forward to
been in the Christmas tree business since
making a strong return at Glás this year. Despite the
1995 marketing Irish grown Christmas
major damage to their six acres of glasshouses in Storm
Trees. Little started planting his own
Emma in 2018. The O’Connor Nurseries are back up
crops in 2003 in Co. Carlow. Since 2011
and running at full steam for 2019. Having won the best
John has been planting trees in co-
plant stand Award at Glás in 2017, O’Connors are in full
operation with his nephew Peter and
preparation with their themed ‘Hero’ stand this year
they now have a selection of plantings
and will be displaying a vast range of Summer plants
and varieties of Christmas trees including the Noble Fir (which
with lots of colour. “Glás offers us a great opportunity
accounts for 75% of trees sold in Ireland), the Nordmann
to showcase our range and we always look forward
Fir, Fraser Fir and some Korean Fir. This season L.E.I. will be
to meeting our customers and suppliers there”, Jim
offering a single pallet delivery within Ireland and are offering
O’Connor, Managing Director.
a pallet of trees with a mix of sizes from 100cm to 250cm on a
For more information please contact:Susan - susan@
single pallet. For more information please contact: John Little
oconnornurseries.ie - 053-942 1217 ✽
086-850 9644 littleentirl@gmail.com ✽
GLAS STAND #J4
COLM WARREN POLYHOUSES IMPRESS AT BLOOM Earlier this year, Colm Warren Polyhouses completed a wide span trellis structure for Country Crest in North County Dublin. The 15m x 32m structure was
designed and manufactured by CWP for the storage of equipment on the farm. The 15m trellis structure is covered in a tough PVC material with intermittent clear panels for some natural light into the cover. The structure was built onto a preexisting concrete pad and the build time was in and around two weeks. Warren told HC, “We also built a similar structure for Bord Bia for the Bloom show, covered in multicoloured PVC sheet, the coloured panels represent the seven colours of the rainbow and eating your seven a day.” Find out more from the CWP stand at Glas or contact Deirdre Warren at dwarren@cwp.ie or on 046-954 6007 ✽
GLAS STAND #E17
SCHNEIDER YOUNGPLANTS EXPERTS ON HAND TO ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS
GLAS STAND #E11
Schneider Youngplants specialises in the production of young plants from seeds and cuttings. The range includes annual, biennial and perennials; Cyclamen and (hobby) vegetable plants. Their range covers seeds, unrooted cuttings and young plants. The Schneider tray is a unique model that is well suited for automatic transplanting machines and is also suitable for long distance transportation. The team consists of Youngplants specialists with years of experience. That specialism is transferred to you in the form of professional guidance and team members who will be on hand at their Glas stand to answer all of your questions. More at schneiderbv.nl ✽
YOUNG NURSERIES EXPAND RANGE AND LAUNCH NEW WEBSHOP Last year Young Nurseries invested in a new greenhouse with automatic climate control, ebb and flood flooring, and water recycling, allowing them to produce crops that require specific growing conditions, expand their range and ensure consistent availability, especially at peak times. They have also launched a new webshop,
showcasing their current looking good plants and core range. The plant list and images are updated weekly, giving near accurate stock levels as well as updating batches as they become ready for sale or sell out. With a simple format of a brief description of the plant, a facility to filter according to size and category, and an automatic shelf calculator to let you know your order size. Ordering is easy and can be done at any time by messaging sales@youngnurseries.com. Young Nurseries told HC, “Our range of pollinator friendly plants has been extended due to increased consumer demand and we expect this to continue. We have increased the varieties of Echinacea, Salvia and Nepeta specifically with this in mind, while also aware that there is a strong desire for long lasting colour in the garden as well as wildlife!”. Another buying option if you are short of time is the ‘Looking Good’ trolley, hand-picked by Youngs from the current best sellers on any week (just let them know if there is anything you don’t want). Ordering can be done either through the webshop or via email. An attractive display can easily be achieved at retail with a trolley of colourful impulse plants. For more information visit the YN stand at Glas or contact: nuala@youngnurseries.com or by phone +353 87 237 1457. ✽
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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NEWS / 02 GLAS STAND #A1
SANCTUARY SYNTHETICS TEAM RETURN TO GLAS Fresh from another successful Bloom the team from Sanctuary Synthetics returns to Glas
to answer all of your professional and technical questions on the wide range of exclusive grass products now carried at its expansive Grassland headquarters in Nass Co. Kildare. Established in 2003 the business services the professional needs of designers, landscapers and local authorities across Ireland. So visit their hairy green caravan just beside the tea/coffee area or have a go on their putting green out by the BBQ! More at sanctuarysynthetics.ie
WHITES AGRI SHOWCASING NEW PRODUCTS AT GLAS 2019 Whites Agri is a leading leading supplier supplier to to the the
GLAS STAND #I14
Horticultural and Garden Garden Centre Centre Sectors. Sectors. They They supply a wide range of fertilisers, fertilisers, chemicals, chemicals,PPE PPEand and equipment. All All with with excellent excellent technical technical back-up. back-up.With With a view to reduced pesticide pesticide use use and and environmental environmental sustainability, Whites sustainability, Whites will will be be showcasing showcasingaawider widerrange range or organic fertilisers, fertilisers, soil soil amendments, amendments,Mycorrhizal Mycorrhizal Inoculants at Glás this this year. year. Also Also on on show show will willbe betheir their Zero lawn moss treatment, treatment, “The “The easy easy way way to to treat treatmoss moss in your lawn”, lawn”, along along with with their their ever ever popular, popular,“Osmo “OsmoMoss Moss Remover”. Visit Visit them them at at Glas Glas or or find find out out more more at atwww. www. whitesagri.ie ✽
✽
and low application rate make it the most economical way of controlling tough weeds such as Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and other invasive weeds. SIERRABLENPLUS WITH PEARL® TECHNOLOGY A unique, recycled, slow-release phosphorus launched into 2 new analyses to provide significantly increased rooting and more efficient nutrient use over traditional ICL will be launching new products at GLAS 2019
phosphorus sources. SEEKA
GLAS STAND #D9
Vine Weevil Seeka contains
ICL AT GLAS 2019
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora beneficial nematodes (85%)
Leading the way in offering the very best in product
and is recommended for use in soil or container-grown crops
innovation, visitors to the ICL stand (D9) at GLAS, which is held at Dublin’s Citywest Hotel on 18 July 2019,
when soil temperatures are between 12°C - 30°C for at least two weeks after application. Vine Weevil Seeka is part of
will get the chance to discover a wide range of new products
ICL’s new programmed IPM approach to vine weevil control
and innovative technologies.
featuring advice on cultural controls, plus beneficial nematode
Not only does the GLAS exhibition offer visitors the chance
and compatible chemical controls such as Exemptor.
to see some of Ireland’s leading horticulture growers but it also offers excellent networking and learning opportunities through
TRANSPORTER
a programme of advanced workshops and mentoring sessions.
To maximise the effectiveness of the Seeka range, ICL has
This will be the first exhibition since ICL was announced as
launched Transporter – a superior blend of surfactants that
official suppliers of Ecoplug Max, the treatment for tree stumps
optimises water, and hence nematode, distribution in the
to minimise root and stump sprouting, to the Republic of Ireland.
growing media. Rigorously tested, Transporter is guaranteed
ICL’s newly launched products include:
to be compatible with beneficial nematode species.
SYNERO
the ICL technical team will be on hand to talk all things
A new selective herbicide for use on woody weeds in
horticulture, turf and landscape. Please visit www.icl-sf.ie.
amenity grassland – Synero is the ultimate tool for controlling
For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on
invasive weeds on a commercial scale. Its large pack size
Twitter @ICL_Turf ✽
As well as showcasing their ever-evolving product ranges,
6
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
02 / NEWS NANGLE AND NIESEN CONTINUE TO BRING TREE EXCELLENCE TO IRISH GOLF COURSES Nangle and Niesen have been supplying trees to Irish golf courses for over 40 years. Mount Juliet, Fota Island, West Waterford, The K Club and The Heritage, are to name a few. More recent times have also brought notable projects with the newly refurbished Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort and Douglas Golf Club, Cork amongst them. Ronan Nangle Owner and Managing Director at Nangle and Niesen talks about the Adare Manor project and growing trees for Irish conditions, “It has been very exciting and rewarding to be involved in one of the largest tree planting projects undertaken in Ireland over the past decade. I don’t think there has ever been as many home grown trees in excess of 60cm girth planted in any one project previously in Ireland. Every large specimen tree planted successfully established and grew. This 100% success rate was hugely satisfying and is something I am very proud of. When growing trees for golf courses we have gained a reputation for quality. As we are located on fertile pasture land 600 ft above sea level our trees need to develop a good root structure. At all stages of production we pay particular attention to enhancing the development of this fibrous root system. This is key to the survival and successful establishment of the trees when they are planted out onto the course. Our trees take longer to get established and grow at a slower rate than on the continent. It can take us 4 or 5 years longer to produce a 20-25cm girth tree giving our mature trees a distinct advantage. Putting an emphasis on operations such as transplanting/undercutting, caning, tying, tree shelters, detailed head branch pruning and training of leaders all contribute to ensure a healthy tree. These operations provide for a well balanced crown with a dominant leader and attractive form. We grow trees for Irish conditions.” Nangle and Niesen have consistently been accredited with a “Quality Award” in recognition of standards achieved under the Bord Bia Nursery Quality Programme. More at nangleandniesen.ie ✽
SUCCESSFUL AWARDS DAY FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS AT CAFRE GREENMOUNT HORTICULTURE CAMPUS Paul Mooney, Head of Horticulture at Greenmount Campus, welcomed special guests and students to this annual celebration of the achievements of students across a range of horticulture disciplines. At the event Paul told the attending students “I congratulate all of you here and I’m sure that your families, friends and the CAFRE teaching staff are all immensely proud of your achievements.I would especially like to commend those who have returned to education after many years, those who travelled long distances to undertake courses and those who persisted and achieved despite difficult personal circumstances – well done to each one of you. Education is not a destination but a journey and many graduating today
PHOTO: SPECIAL GUESTS WELCOMED MR. STEPHEN THOMPSON (MANAGING DIRECTOR, OUT THERE), PROFESSOR AINE MCKILLOP (ASSOCIATE DEAN, EDUCATION ULSTER UNIVERSITY) AND MR. ROBERT HUEY (CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER, DAERA) WERE WELCOMED TO THE GREENMOUNT HORTICULTURE AWARDS CEREMONY BY MR. MARTIN MCKENDRY (DIRECTOR, CAFRE) AND MR. PAUL MOONEY (HEAD OF HORTICULTURE, CAFRE).
will choose to progress to further study, if not now, then later on in their careers.” He concluded the event by calling on the CAFRE graduands, as they graduated “I encourage you to set high professional standards for yourselves. Work hard to make a real difference within your industry. It is an industry that has so much to offer to you personally and to wider society. Be ambitious for that industry and be ambitious for yourself.” He also invited new prospective students to Greenmount’s next Careers Advice Event to be held at Greenmount Campus for all courses on Thursday 22nd August 2019, 7pm. More at cafre.ac.uk ✽
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
7
TEAGASC ezine / 03 NATIONAL BERRY SEMINAR FOCUS ON MALLING CENTENARY There was a large attendance at the National Berry Seminar held in Ashtown recently. The highlight of the event was talks by Adam Whitehouse and Dr. Mark Else both from East Malling Research (EMR) Centre, in Kent. Adam’s talk focused on achieving the best results from ‘Malling Centenary. He also gave an update on other new strawberry varieties soon to be released from their breeding program. Precision fertigation of soft fruit was the subject of Mark Else’s presentation. His work involved the use of sensor technology to optimise crop fertigation. Growers also visited the strawberry research glasshouse in Ashtown. There was a great discussion amongst the growers and scientists and trade on the optimal growing requirements for ‘Malling Centenary’. ✽
‘MALLING CENTENARY’ CONTINUE TO PERFORM The variety has now replaced ‘Elsanta’ as the number one variety grown here in Ireland. This is primarily due to the outstanding quality of the fruit and enhanced harvesting speeds. The current research trial is focused on developing the optimal nutrition regime for this new variety. An additional benefit is also seen when the crop is grown in a heated glasshouse. After the main harvest period (which lasts between 6-8 weeks) the plant produces a second flush of fruit which extends the harvest period for another 4-6 weeks. This is a very unusual occurrence for a short-day strawberry variety. It offers an extra crop potential to those in a position to heat their glasshouses. ✽
ENERGY IN HORTICULTURE EVENT Teagasc recently held an energy in Horticulture event in Ashtown. This seminar introduced growers to the SEAI’s Exceed programme; informed them about on-farm electricity generation using photovoltaic (PV) panels and wind turbines; NDP grant availability and tax incentives; the very latest on the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat and grower’s experience of installing PV. At an individual farm level investment in renewable energy technologies will reduce carbon emissions and the high cost of energy inputs. Presentations from the day are available on the Teagasc website. ✽
UPCOMING EVENTS 15 AUGUST - Cut Foliage Open day at Teagasc Kildalton,
‘NEW LEAVES’ RESEARCH Given the current interest in Eucalyptus particularly for foliage and other uses, a DAFM funded project ‘New Leaves’ aims at improving and perfecting propagation methods through micro-propagation and vegetative techniques to allow for rapid bulking of plant material of elite clones. The propagation work is also looking at using technologies to develop new lines specifically for cut foliage and is being led by Teagasc propagation expert Dr. Gerry Douglas and Dr. Farhana Alfrose of Teagasc Ashtown with the support of technician David Wallace in the glasshouse unit at Kildalton College. This innovative work is exciting those in the industry and the market and there will be an opportunity to see how the research work is progressing along with other aspects of Eucalyptus cultivation at a focused event due to be held on the 15 August in Kildalton College. The event should interest those growing Eucalyptus for ornamental purposes including hardy nursery stock, landscaping and cut foliage but also for forestry and biomass. ✽
8
2 -3 SEPTEMBER - HUPlant COST action meeting in Dublin. Best Practice Workshop for the Control of Human Pathogenic Microorganisms in Plant Production Systems will be hosted at Teagasc Ashtown. This workshop will bring together researchers, regulators and growers, organised by the HUPlant COST action (CA16110) which is focused on examining the impact of plant microbiomes on human health. This workshop will examine critical control points in agricultural and horticultural practices to ensure product safety, with a particular focus on interventions currently in use across Europe, the regulatory landscape and undertaking risk analysis. A specific horticulture industry targeted event will be held on the second day (Tuesday, September 2nd) to disseminate the workshop outputs, and attendance from the Irish horticultural sector is encouraged. Contact Fiona.brennan@teagasc.ie or kaye. burgess@teagasc.ie or Michael.Gaffney@teagasc.ie 23 OCTOBER - The National Nursery Stock Conference, Teagasc Ashtown at 9.30 am.
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
03 /TEAGASC ezine SUPPORT SCHEME FOR RENEWABLE HEAT (SSRH) LAUNCHED Phase two of the SSRH was officially opened for applications on June 4th. It provides operational support for biomass boilers and anaerobic digestion heating systems. This scheme should be of significant interest to the horticulture industry as there are large heating requirements in many sub sectors of Horticulture. Phase one of the scheme was launched in September 2018, which was an installation grant for heat pumps of 30%. Phase two of the scheme is of particular interest as it encourages producers/growers to install renewable heat technologies with tariff payments to incentivise adoption. See the table below, which is used to calculate the tariff payment for each business which is accepted into the scheme:
TIER
LOWER LIMIT (KWHR/YR)
UPPER LIMIT (KWHR/YR)
TARIFF (C/KWHR)
1
0
300,000
5.66
2
300,000
1,000,000
3.02
3&4
1,000,000
10,000,000
0.50
5
10,000,000
50,000,000
0.37
6
50,000,000
N/A
0.00
make the SSRH scheme more attractive and sensible from a commercial point of view. For those interested in applying for the scheme, the process is broken into 6 stages:
1. Submission of Application via the online portal on
SEAI website 2. Technical Submission - The technical submission form must be submitted with all other relevant documentation within ten working days from when the first application was submitted. The Technical submission will include technical details of the existing non-renewable boiler and the proposed new biomass boiler for the site 3. Evaluation Stage – At this stage SEAI will evaluate all documentation received and will provide a response within one calendar month from when the technical submission was received. SEAI will either approve or reject an application at this stage 4. Offer Stage – SEAI will issue an offer letter to successful applicants and provide a tariff agreement
5. Project design, installation and completion 6. Governance review and inspection Applicants can start the application process by submitting an online application form at the link on the SEAI website at the following link: https://www.seai.ie/sustainable-solutions/ support-scheme-renewable-/
EXAMPLE FARM USING 90,000 LITRES OF KEROSENE ON HEAT OUTPUT PER YEAR (TEAGASC 2019) Using current prices for wood pellets and kerosene, there is a significant gain to be made when you combine the saving on fuel and the SSRH operational payment. For example, a typical mushroom unit using 90,000 litres of Kerosene per annum has the potential to save €18,512 each year on fuel costs by switching to biomass wood pellets. The farm would also be entitled to an SSRH operational payment of €32,556 per annum based on heat output for the farm of 815,760 Kwh. In total the farm would save €51,068 per annum by switching from an oil boiler to biomass heating boiler. In terms of carbon footprint, businesses will significantly reduce CO₂ emissions. For the mushroom unit displacing 90,000 litres of kerosene per year, this reduces CO₂ emissions produced by 210 tonnes. This is a very significant reduction in carbon and businesses should consider the return on investment in terms of green credentials and putting their businesses onto a more environmentally sustainable footing. Carbon tax is expected to rise in this year’s budget as Ireland aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. The Climate Change Advisory Council has strongly recommended Ireland incrementally increase the carbon tax to €80 per tonne by 2030 to make a meaningful reduction in rising carbon emissions. An increase in carbon tax which currently is €20 per tonne of carbon will lead to a further increase in the price of fossil fuels. All these factors
Farm using 90,000 Litres of Kerosene per year Fuel cost per year
Oil boiler input (kwh)
90,000
Litres
1 litre oil =
10.3
kwh
€ 58,500
euro
Price of kerosene per litre
€
litre
0.65
927000
Kwh
88
%
Oil Boiler output (kwh)
815760
Kwh
Heating requirement for the farm/year
815760
Kwh
85
%
1 ton of pellets =
4800
kwh
959718
Kwh
Price of pellets/ ton
€ 200
ton
200
tons
Biomass boiler fuel cost per year:
€ 39,988
euro
Fuel saving per year by switching to Biomass
€ 18,512
Oil boiler Efficiency
Biomass boiler efficiency Heat input required for biomass boiler: Quantity of pellets required:
SSRH PAYMENT: Tier 1 Payment
€ 16,980
Tier 2 Payment
€ 15,576
Total SSRH Payment
€ 32,556
Total Saving per year (Fuel saving + SSRH)
€ 51,068
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
9
EVENTS / 04
EVENTSDIARY 06 SEPTEMBER IRISH SOCIAL,COMMUNITY AND THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE
EVENT PROMOTION Promote your event to a wide network of Horticulture businesses and professionals Inprint, Online & Social. Find out more at www.horticultureconnected.ie/events
Theme for the event is 'Therapeutic use of Horticulture: Research, Practice and the Future. This will be their inaugural event. Conference fee is €45.00 inc lunch. Booking via eventbrite. All welcome. Further details
17 JULY FRUIT FOCUS
via www.itb.ie and www.scthireland.com ✽ Venue: TU Blanchardstown, D15 ✽
Technical event for the fruit industry Venue: Kent, UK www.fruitfocus.co.uk ✽
DON’T MISS!
10 - 12 SEPTEMBER SALON DU VÉGÉTAL This event takes palce in Nantes, Francem is for flower and plant professionals, garden retailers and landscapers. www.salonduvegetal.com ✽
18 JULY GLAS
GLAS trade show will showcase up to 150 exhibitors and attracts over 1,000 visitors from the horticulture, sportsturf, grounds maintenance and related industries. Venue: Citywest Hotel, Saggart, Co. Dublin glasireland.ie ✽
21 - 23 AUGUST PLANTARIUM
22-23-24 August 2018
The leading international tree nursery trade fair Boskoop/Holland Venue: Boskoop, Holland Register your visit via the Internet and save yourself time at the entrance. www.plantarium.nl ✽
DON’T MISS!
10 - 12 SEPTEMBER GLEE Glee (Garden, Leisure, Equipment, Exhibition) is the UK’s most valuable garden and outdoor living trade show. www.gleebirmingham.com ✽
DON’T MISS!
22 AUGUST GREENMOUNT OPEN DAY & CAREERS ADVICE EVENT
Full-time, part-time and short courses in Agriculture, Floristry, Horticulture, Land-based WWW.PLANTARIUM.NL Engineering suitable for people entering or already working in the industry. enquiries@cafre.ac.uk or call 0044 28 9442 6700 Venue: CAFRE Greenmount Campus, 45 Tirgracy Rd, Antrim BT41 4PS
01 - 03 SEPTEMBER SPOGA/GAFA The garden trade fair. Venue: Cologne www.spogagafa.com
17 - 18 SEPTEMBER LANDSCAPE SHOW Where indoors meets outdoors Venue: London landscapeshow.co.uk ✽
17 - 19 SEPTEMBER NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS Showcasing Irish food, farming and culture. Facts: 1700 Exhibitors, 240,700 Visitors, Over 300 Competitors Almost 2 million feet of Trade Space Economic Impact of over €35 million Venue: Ballintrane, Fenagh, Carlow www.npa.ie ✽
18 & 19 SEPTEMBER TURF SCIENCE LITE EVENTS Join us at Turf Science Lite 2019. An exciting series
✽
of roadshow events showcasing the latest research and technological innovations in turf agronomy.
03 - 04 SEPTEMBER FOUR OAKS
Dublin Event - 18th September - Teagasc Ashtown, Belfast Event - 19th September -Helen's Bay G.C
The UK's premier show for ornamental horticulture. www.fouroaks-tradeshow.com ✽
10
DON’T MISS!
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
DON’T MISS!
04 / EVENTS 04 OCTOBER TEAGASC KILDALTON COLLEGE OPEN DAY
02 - 03 OCTOBER EXPO FOR PUBLIC SPACE Venue: Netherlands www.openbareruimte.nl
It is the largest agricultural college in the country and is a leading provider of training in Machinery, Agriculture and Horticulture. Tours at 10.00 & 11.00 am Venue: Kildalton Agriculture College, Piltown, Kilkenny ✽
✽
02 - 04 OCTOBER GROOTGROENPLUS International nursery stock trade fair Venue: Zundert, The Netherlands Grootgroenplus.nl ✽
DON’T MISS!
DON’T MISS!
30 - 31 OCTOBER SALTEX
03 OCTOBER TEAGASC COLLEGE OF AMENITY HORTICULTURE OPEN DAY
Horticulture Careers and course information day. From 2.00pm to 4.30pm, Tours on-going. Venue: College of Amenity Horticulture, National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 ✽
To promote your event, please get in touch with joseph@horticulture.ie
The leading turf management event for groundscare volunteers, professionals and manufacturers Venue: www.iogsaltex.com ✽
19 NOVEMBER FUTURESCAPE Design . Build . Maintain Venue: Sandown Park Racecourse,UK futurescapeevent.com ✽
29 & 30 NOVEMBER TU OPEN DAY Venue: ITB Blanchardstown, D15 itb.ie/studyatitb/horticultureft.html
✽
21/22/23 August 2019 Boskoop/Holland Register your visit online and save time at the entrance.
IRISH SOCIAL,COMMUNITY AND THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE SYMPOSIUM
INNOVATION
6TH SEPTEMBER
NOVELTIES
at
TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY DUBLIN
INSPIRATION Fur ther details via
WWW.PLANTARIUM.NL
w w w.itb.ie & w w w.scthireland.com
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
11
BORD BIA ezine / 04
In keeping with our Horticulture Marketing Strategy 2019 – 2021 and the Bloom Strategy to place horticulture at the core of the event, the horticulture team spared no effort this year to build and amplify its horticulture content. The objective was to activate additional and stronger horticulture (and industry-linked) content and activity across the show site. This was achieved in the following ways;
THIS IS HORTICULTURE BY BORD BIA The central feature in the Nursery/Floral Pavilion, This is Horticulture, was designed to educate and inform visitors about the Irish Horticulture sector, its existence, scale, variety of activity and how it contributes nationally from a commercial perspective. It showcased both ornamental and edible production in a variety of ways, with fresh produce and plant displays, infographics highlighting production values and a selection of growers, along with plasma screens running Meet the Grower videos. The main focus of the display was a large screen made up of 42 individual half metre screens, which wrapped around the viewer in an especially designed viewing gallery. This provided a virtual tour of Irish horticultural production via six specially commissioned 360-degree videos bringing the viewer through giant glasshouses full of flowers, strawberry and tomato production, a field vegetable production site and apple orchards from spring flowering to harvest time full of fruit. The experience was designed to deliver key messages about the importance and value of the horticultural industry to Ireland and gave growers the opportunity to spend time at the feature and chat to visitors. ✽
THE HEALTHY WAY #EATWELL #BEWELL #FEELWELL Following a collaboration with Healthy Ireland at Bloom 2018 and building on this relationship further in 2019, Bord Bia partnered with Healthy Ireland to install a large show garden at Bloom this year. Healthy Ireland is a Government-led initiative (led by the Department of Health) aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of everyone living in Ireland. The garden, called The Healthy Way represented a public space linking healthy eating, healthy movement and wellbeing through a series of seasonal planted areas and water. Ranging through a mixed perennial environment and mature woodland setting it reflected a vision that Ireland is a place where people can be inspired and feel empowered by their natural surroundings to improve their health and wellbeing. Over the course of the show, the garden had a schedule of interactive activities ranging from cooking demonstrations, to exercise and wellbeing with singers, dancers and yoga bringing the garden to life. The range of seasonal vegetable crops grown in the garden was profiled and cooked into delicious healthy meals by the Hungry Gardener amongst others, with the Food Dude characters along with some other wellknown faces bringing an energetic dynamic to the garden over the five days. ✽
12
RAINBOW TUNNEL (SEVEN A DAY FRESH PRODUCE PROMOTION IN THE FOOD VILLAGE) This year Bord Bia focused on showcasing salad crops, as well as launching new season strawberries, salads and new potatoes. As part of the Celebrate Strawberry Season campaign, strawberry sampling took place while salad preparation and growing demonstrations provided the main sector theme for the entire feature this year. How to use new potatoes in potato salads was a sub-theme of the salad demonstrations. Alongside this a display of Irish honey was hosted within this feature, with beekeepers from the Irish Federation of Bee Keepers Associations (IFBKA) on hand to tell the story of Irish bees and honey making. A series of speakers took on the theme of healthy eating while practical 7-a-day demonstrations took place across the five days. ✽
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
04 / BORD BIA ezine THE HIVE & HONEYCOMB PLANTED FEATURE (CENTRE OF FOOD VILLAGE) This new planted feature in the centre of the Food Village and close to the main stage combined a series of planters containing a mix of crops and ornamentals set out around a hexagon (honeycomb shape) with a centre pedestal with a facsimile beehive mounted on top. The beehive at the centre represented the important contribution of bees to all plants and horticulture, through the work of pollination. It aimed to be thought-provoking in linking worker bees to human existence on the planet. ✽
EDUCATION & SCHOOLS: FOOD DUDES AT BLOOM /INCREDIBLE EDIBLES Key highlights included: ● Kids zone renamed as Food Dudes Kids Zone with new interactive activity including demonstrations and messaging around healthy eating and exercise in a fun and engaging manner ● Food Dudes Information boards carrying healthy eating messages strategically placed at five locations around the Bloom site ●F ood Dudes Selfie stations around the Bloom site ● Food Dudes Characters brought to life – moving around and engaging visitors and children around the site with a key message of eating fresh produce regularly to stay healthy ● 10,000 Food Dudes passports were distributed to children and families as they arrived at the show, inviting them to visit (and where to find) the key educational features around the site (e.g. organic school garden, seven a day tunnel. Food Dudes Kids zone, craft village, conversation area). The passport was stamped at each location visited and could be posted at the Food Dudes characters posting stations on site for a chance to win a prize ● School tours with the Incredible Edibles programme – 1000 primary school children visited on the Thursday and Friday and were provided with portions of healthy fruit to sample. ✽
ORGANIC SCHOOL GARDEN The organic school garden made a welcome return to Bloom this year organised in conjunction with SEED. The very topical theme for 2019 was “The Pollinator Friendly School Garden.” Visitors and children had the opportunity to learn about: ● The 6 key principles of organic horticulture ● The Green Leaf symbol for consumers ● Why bees matter? ● What to plant? ● What schools can do to help bees? ● How to compost (wormery demo – EPA) ✽
GROMOR/BLOOM/ SUPERGARDEN With a view to linking up the various gardening and plant promotional activities by Bord Bia and the Industry, this year’s Supergarden series had an increased focus on using local quality mark plants in the garden designs. Additional funding to spend specifically on plants was provided to each designer to raise the profile of plants in each garden design. ✽
THE QUALITY MARK PLANT VILLAGE The re-named Quality Mark Plant Village was moved to a more highprofile location at the front of the Bloom Bistro and close to the entrance to the show gardens. This was to give quality assured Irish plants greater exposure and to highlight that The Bord Bia Quality Mark means that the plants have been produced to the highest Bord Bia quality standards and grown in Ireland. The formal layout and new shelving with the prominent Bord Bia Quality Mark branding reflected a stronger professional profile for local plants from a variety of QA growers and were run in conjunction with the Kildare Growers and Newlands Garden Centre and supported by Bord Bia. A number of new plant varieties were showcased, with one being mentioned on Lyric FM and consequently sold out during the show. ✽
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
13
BORD BIA / 04 GROMOR/GARDEN CENTRE PROMOTION AT BLOOM GARDEN STAGE At Bloom 2019 a new initiative inviting GroMor garden centres to have a presence on the main gardening stage was piloted. Interested retailers were requested to put together an engaging talk/demonstration. Participants on the stage could choose from a wide range of topics and could also engage a third-party gardening expert to participate on their behalf. Topics suggested included container gardening, lawn care, fruit and veg, the herb garden, year-round colour, etc. or the pilot, the aim was to have one GroMor retailer participating each day. The uptake on this initiative was encouraging, with three garden centres taking up the offer. Throughout the event, QMark plants were showcased on the stage, along with a list of 15 Qmark plants profiled. This list was sent to Garden Centres to ensure that they could stock them for the weekend following Bloom. ✽
FRESH POTATOES AND THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION Recent market research was carried out by Bord Bia with the objective of understanding consumer’s behaviours and attitudes towards fresh potatoes, with a more in-depth understanding of millennial relationships across all carbohydrates with a specific emphasis on potatoes. The market research was carried out as an online survey (sample size n=1,500) with insightful results that will be used to inform the strategy of future potato promotional collaborative initiatives between Bord Bia and the Potato Industry. An application for a new potato industry and EU funded consumer promotional campaign was prepared and submitted to the EU in April. The project partners participating with Ireland in this application included Belgium, France and Europotat (European Potato Trade Association). The outcome of this application will be known in October. The research showed that the carbohydrate world is being increasingly challenged (seven in ten people see it is the least important part of the plate versus nearly five in ten seeing protein and vegetables being more important) and with a rise in meal snacking new requirements and meal solutions are required from a more healthy and convenient driven culture. This is a challenge for the potato category which has reduced importance for younger cohorts than previous generations. However, potato purchase penetration is still high at more than 97% across the population. People are consuming potatoes on average more than three times a week. Focusing on the younger millennials and Generation Z cohorts they are likely to consume rice and pasta more frequently than previous generations, gravitating towards these other carbohydrates in particular for their perceived convenience and health properties. They believe that they are more aligned with their needs. Younger cohorts believe potatoes to be harder to cook and take longer to prepare at a time when they consider that meal preparation time should not take more than 15-20 minutes. The health benefits of potatoes are not as well understood with millennials perceiving them as having more fat and calories when compared with other carbohydrates while older cohorts associate them as a source of fibre, magnesium and vitamin C. The newer grain carbohydrates such as brown rice are perceived as being more nutritious with 44% of people seeing them as being good for gut nutrition. However, where millennials are consuming more potatoes they have a better understanding of their nutritional benefits (of those consuming more potatoes, 35% are doing so for their fibre). The research showed that the potato lacks relevance for many younger consumers and it is not being showcased online in the way other foods are e.g. on Instagram it lacks a major presence and is less likely to be a food that people are prepared to plate-up to show to their friends on social channels. There is limited understanding around potatoes with 35% of all people not knowing any variety, this goes up to nearly 5 in 10 for millennials. The potato is very much part of an indulgent moment and has strong associations with family, Sunday roasts and nostalgic thoughts. While it delivers on taste, these associations are often with more indulgent toppings such as butter, cheese, mayonnaise etc. People and millennials, in particular, are now looking for healthy tasty and convenient options that give them more reasons to consume potatoes. ✽
14
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
05 / RETAIL
Changing
THE RETAIL CLIMATE Could the garden sector set the trend for greener retailing? Liam Kelly investigates
I
was born back in the sixties, a time of protest and change on many issues be it racial, sectarian, political or military. It was an age of supposed total turmoil if any of the many recent decade-driven television series, or cantankerous musicians from that period are to be believed. From an environmental point of view, there were songs highlighting the need for that change, while others told farmers to put away their DDT, even if the majority of the paradise-paving public didn’t really want any spots on their apples, or care whether those farmers left them the birds and the bees. Much of this music-based angst took a new direction and found new enemies to goad in the mid-seventies, waned in the recession-driven eighties before it was just about lost through the spend-all nineties and across to this side of the millennium. We did lose DDT and a few other chemicals in those intervening decades, but environmentalism remained relatively muted – both musically and generally – until the advent of the internet and social media, when those who needed an avenue for the outpouring of earth awareness found an information-hungry audience for their opinions without the need for twangy guitars or electric organ solos. I could never be accused of being a card-carrying, sabrerattling environmentalist, but even my sceptical, cynical eyes can see that we need to start changing our habits. Even if we ignore or disprove the thoughts of some of the more eccentric denizens of social media we are still left with mounting evidence and indisputable facts that make any rationally minded person think that we are severely damaging the environment. This shift is also impacting the shop floor, where retailers could be accused of environmental negligence what with their Sasquatch-sized-carbon-foot-printed products, plastic wrapping and their need to light up, cool down or heat stores in an often not-so-efficient manner. Occasionally a supermarket or other retailer will come up with a green orientated venture or concept, but more often than not this comes across as a cynical plan to appease those who complain the loudest, even if it has the environment’s best wishes at its core. To me, the issue seems to be that these are all singular, standalone ideas that are unattached to a bigger, grander overall scheme of ‘best practice’ for eco-focused retailers. There is no universal consensus in this broad sector of what we are trying to achieve. This problem is compounded by the relentless pressure for retailers to keep pace with whims of constantly changing consumer demands
and a host of other issues. Unfortunately, the lack of cohesiveness and consensus in the general retail sector looks set to continue, but what about garden retailers? Surely it is the ideal seedbed for developing a plan that encompasses all of our sectors? I’m not privy to the machinations of any of the various retail groups, but as of now, I haven’t heard of any grand unifying scheme for garden centres and related retailers, let alone the wider horticulture community. What is needed is a concerted statement of intent which encapsulates ideals, aims and objectives we can all buy into and which can be feasibly delivered over the coming years. We need to agree on targets for using sustainable energy, on reducing or recycling plastics, and for phasing out proven environment damaging products while encouraging the use of earth-friendly lines with a focus on good local sourced products. Framing an agreement and achieving buy-in will be a significant – if difficult - catalyst for change but if retailers take the lead, the manufacturers and suppliers will surely have to follow suit and those who do have a degree of proven environmental awareness should be favoured. Such green centred thinking is already being implemented in the Netherlands, where they are ahead of the curve with their rationalisation and marketing of environmentally friendly products. One of the major plastic garden product suppliers in The Netherlands can boast of producing all their pots via the output from their own wind turbine and can state that its product contains 70% recycled materials (pic2). Dutch nurseries are also growing a range of plants that have been grown without the aid of artificial fertilisers or other chemicals (pic 3). Others produce ranges of organically grown fruit, (pic 1) bedding in biodegradable pots and some have recently started supplying recycled cardboard trays when shipping plants. Of course, they have a scale
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
15
RETAIL/ 05 of production and a Europe-wide list of potential customers, but at least they are seeing the problem, or are listening to consumer feedback and doing something about it. (Although there may be a tinge of irony considering they then ship those plants hundreds of kilometres in diesel guzzling not-sogreen lorries, at least they are trying to force a change, and those plants would be shipped regardless). Can any local Irish nurseries follow suit? On the garden care side of greener retailing, there is a growing range of earth friend fertilisers and pest controls available here from both European and Irish providers, which are gaining traction but, in my opinion, they are not being promoted enough by retailers or the suppliers themselves. Peat-free composts are readily available too from a number of suppliers, and its quality has also improved significantly, especially some Irish manufactured ones. I wonder have any retailers set a target for the percentage of these products they wish to sell? These examples are just the tip of the iceberg, as there are many other areas that need discussion. Of real significance are product knowledge and data: How good or bad is a product for the environment? Carbon footprinting crudely captures some of this – although I doubt many retailers who import either directly or indirectly from, for example, China even do this exercise – but we have no idea of the other impacts in relation to pollution, packaging, deforestation and microplastics and so on; not to mention the humanitarian, ethical and moral implications. Taking a close look at the retail
shop floor could be akin to viewing a Pandora’s box of our environmental ills but the enormity of the challenge ahead should not put us off. Evidence is increasing, solutions are emerging, public perception is shifting, and the opportunities are there for us to exploit. If we work together we can create a win win win scenario where the earth benefits, profits rise, and we can all feel better about what we are doing in garden retail. Perhaps I am being naïve or looking too simplistically at the issues, but sometimes a simple idea is the start of something bigger and better for all of us…with or without cheesy musical anthems. ✽ PHOTOS ON PREVIOUS PAGE PIC 1 - MORE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PACKAGING; PIC 2 - WE ALL NEED TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT HOW THE PRODUCTS WE SELL ARE PRODUCED; PIC 3 - WE NEED TO BE PUSHING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
LIAM KELLY - Liam Kelly is one of the leading specialist consultants on the retail side of Irish horticulture. His in-depth knowledge, experience and nononsense approach are highly valued across many businesses in this sector, including garden centres, nurseries to hardware stores. He can be contacted at 086 8221494 or via lksolutions@eircom.net
GLAS STAND #E17 Y 31 years in business Y Multiple Award Winning Nursery
Specialist Perennial Growers
Y Bord Bia Awards ‘Grower of the Year’
w w w.youngnur serie s.com
Joe & Nuala Young Young Nurseries Ltd. Ballinanima, Kilfinane, Limerick
16
tel: 063-91035
i
fax: 061-280281
email: info@youngnurseries.com
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
@MARK ATKINS / 123RF.COM
06 / NURSERY
A TURN IN THE WEATHER FOR
HORTICULTURE?
U
sually, when the weather is mentioned in horticulture columns it’s not good news. Over the past couple of years, we’ve experienced the fallout from Storm Ophelia, Storm Emma, the 2018 summer drought and this year’s cold and wet June. For food and amenity horticulture alike, such weather turns the challenges of growing into a nightmare and these nightmares are occurring more frequently. Climate Change is now impacting on horticulture, but perhaps Climate Change may be about to change the fortunes of our sector? Arising out of the work of the Citizen’s Assembly, the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action was formed and its Report ‘Climate Change: A Cross-Party Consensus for Action’ was published on April 16th last. Agriculture forms a major part of the report and the Committee proposes several recommendations around horticulture as an agriculture diversification measure. If these recommendations were to be acted upon, they would provide real opportunities for the sector to develop as well as contributing to a sustainable efficient food production system in Ireland. Section 8.7.1 states; “There is a very wide range of vegetable and fruit crops that can be grown in Ireland, the production of which could be introduced or increased at commercial scale. Furthermore, there is a growing global trend, supported by the advice in recent scientific studies, towards a more plant-based diet. The trend towards more plant-based diets represents a commercial opportunity which Irish horticulture should avail of in the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon food system. Major opportunities exist through import substitution in horticulture that would improve national food security, increase sustainable rural employment, promote a healthier diet nationally and fight obesity as well as reducing
HIF coordinator, Stiofán Nutty explains how Ireland’s climate change plans may actually benefit the horticulture sector
GHG emissions. Horticulture (€433m 2017) is the 4th largest sector in terms of gross agriculture commodity output value with only the dairy, cattle and pigs’ sectors being larger. Despite its relative scale, horticulture has very few Teagasc advisers and more advisory supports are required to encourage greater food crop production.” Although horticulture has not been expressly cited in the government’s recently published Climate Action Plan, the plan recognises the need for agriculture diversification; “We are committed to promoting diversification of activity at farm level and in the wider rural economy towards low-carbon opportunities. We need to restructure agriculture to ensure sustainable land uses that will yield secure family farm income in the longer term.” Horticulture can provide a sustainable commercial low-carbon option for agriculture diversification.
To support the horticulture industry to exploit these potential new opportunities the Horticulture Industry Forum (HIF) has begun to compile information under the following headings;
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Horticulture.Jobs
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● Salary & Benefits ● Reference checking
CONTACT: annemarie@horticulture.jobs Contact : support@horticulture.jobs Tel: 042 - 966 3532
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
06 / NURSERY ●T he environmental sustainability credentials of horticulture
including emission reductions through CO2 recycling, reducing fossil fuel usage through renewable energy and establishing the contribution of renewable energy to the overall energy input to produce a kg of produce
a strong role to play in broadening the use of plants and enhancing biodiversity. The country needs to foster a vibrant more prosperous horticulture industry in Ireland, and we must all work together to achieve this. ✽
STIOFÁN NUTTY has been
●C limate change, emissions & adaption; how can we
reduce the impact of drier climate and the increased need to irrigate, balanced with the need for water conservation ●P otential for import substitution and increasing
consumption and looking at environmental sustainability credentials of locally produced over imports ●P otential for diversification in various horticulture sectors ●C ompile a list of environmental measures that have
already been completed by the industry Having assembled this information, HIF will make it available to government, relevant state agencies. and others who can assist in developing the industry’s capacity to play its full role in the fight against Climate Change. Climate Change also challenges Ireland’s food supply chain and underlines the need to develop and sustain the country’s indigenous producers of fresh produce. Amenity producers have also
involved in commercial horticulture for over 30 years. In that time he has built an expansive experience and knowledge base across the horticultural spectrum. He has owned and operated a nursery business, an awardwinning garden centre, worked extensively in education and TV and was appointed as special advisor to the Minister for Food and Horticulture Trevor Sargent. In 2010 he was appointed as special advisor to the Minister for Sustainable Transport, Horticulture, Planning and Heritage Ciaran Cue. Over the past six years Stiofán has facilitated and moderated fifteen European and global conferences in Ireland, Brussels and the UK, he was appointed as the coordinator of the Horticulture Industry Forum in 2015.
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Tel: 046-9546007 | Email: info@cwp.ie Website: www.cwp.ie Colm Warren (Polyhouses) Ltd. (CWP), Kilmurray, Trim, Co. Meath
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NURSERY / 06
STAR
PERFORMERS
T
he Flower Trials strapline is ‘The place where plants meet people’. It's a chance for growers and buyers to see the latest offerings from seed and young plant growers. Organisers Fleuroselect commented that 2019 was the best year to date for Irish visitor numbers. Many buyers from multiples travelled with growers to select new product lines and plan production for 2020. The Flowers Trials are an annual open-house for the biggest breeders of bedding and pot plants in Europe. New products are launched, marketing ideas promoted, and new plants take centre stage. The event is globally important attracting large numbers of visitors from outside Europe. Twenty-five sites in the Dutch regions of Alsmeer and Westland and six in the German area of Rhineland host sixtytwo businesses. It’s easy to visit at least a dozen business in one day. Sales reps for Ireland can walk growers through the ranges and displays of mature plants, what the final customer will see. As with any trade show, it’s a great time to network and to make new contacts. Production facilities generally aren’t open to the public, but their production managers are usually around to give advice and making acquaintances with them is very useful. The real focus for everyone is the new plant ranges. It could be easy to dismiss a lot of new plants as yet another variation in colour or height; the range of Begonias, Petunias and Geraniums is bewildering. But there are reasons for looking for new – better disease resistance, faster production, more flower power. US plant journalist Alan Armitage recently wrote: “Every plant should help to solve a problem, as well as be lovely to look at”. New products do tend to come with marketing strategies. For example, Petunia Amore from florensis has heart-shaped patterns on its petals, is well supported with promotional material and marketing ideas. This and the use of new labels get attention and increase sales. The customer has a good feeling they are getting something exclusive. Meeting breeders to learn about established and new lines can give a useful insight into a plant. Teagasc has a link with the breeding houses by taking part in the Fleuroselect plant trials. A large range of seed raised varieties of annuals
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are grown for demonstration purposes; Tagetes in 2018 and Tropaeolum in 2019. The breeders are proud of their creations and happy to share some background information, from gathering wild genetics in Australia or walking breeding fields and selecting crosses in India. Sally van der Horst coordinator of the trials has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of the plants and gives life to each of the new varieties. Marketing of the new plants is a slick business. The displays used for plants are every bit as good as any high-end retailer and shows there is scope for high impact displays in garden centres or other retailers. Renowned plant retail expert John Stanley has been promoting this level display for a long time. Irish garden centres adopting it have seen great success. It requires good planning and commitment to the garden centre and the plant producers. Use of coloured printed pots can add a cent or so to the production cost, add to that a quality label and a wrap for your trolley the plants will stand out as a premium product deserving of a higher price point. Demonstrations of plant use were organised during the event for the likes of preparing container displays. Social media influencers were busy sending images of the best new ideas and colour combinations. A key Irish connection at the trials is between Goldcrop the Irish agents for Florensis and P vd Haak Pelargonium. Colm Clarke, Maureen Bollard and the rest of the team were kept busy with growers and buyers from Ireland discussing the new ranges. Colm suggested there are benefits for growers to differentiate and try new approaches - simple promotional material, bigger sizes, branded pots all have an impact and limit growers all competing for the same simple product – a well grown annual or perennial. Busy or inexperienced growers can rely on ‘Plant Retail Sales Planners’, which will set out production guides for colour sales in every month. It can be a good place to start with ordering but doesn’t give a tailored solution to fit your customers’ needs or something that sets your product line out from the competition. Homeowners with no experience want to have success and customers demand finished bedding and perennial plants have resulted in reduced seed sales to the hobby sector. The result is less choice available. The demand for more robust
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
@OLESIA MISTY
Teagasc Nursery Stock Advisor, Dónall Flanagan reports in from the Netherlands and Germany on the latest new plant introductions and trends
06 / NURSERY and shorter plants to fit more shelves on trollies has meant the likes of Nasturtium and African marigolds are being sidelined in garden and garden centre use. Digitalis 'Pink Panther' is a fine new introduction growing to about 40 cm, but is far from the usual Foxglove known by the public. With plant retail sales planners it can be too easy to plan a crop without leaving the nursery. Seeing the new products does bring it to life and make planning better promotions and improved customer offers much easier. The Flower Trials offer new and established growers so many opportunities to develop their range that it should be a must see for all.
KEY NEW PLANTS:
1. Xerochrysum Granvia® Gold from MNP is striking with bright yellow flowers held above dark green foliage. It looks like an excellent pot or patio plant with good impact.
2. Begonia viking from Sakata has red flowers on attractive brown green foliage. It's described as an all-weather performer. It looks great in pots and patio planters.
3. Begonia fiona double flowers bred by Takii seed is a semi-double flowered Semperflorens variety. It's described as self-cleaning and early flowering. Suitable for 9cm pot production.
4. Hydrangea 'French Bolero' is a striking soft pink, compact hydrangea, described as having long flowering season and high flower count. It flowers along its stems similar to 'Runaway Bride'. Marketed by Horteve/Kolster it will be available in good numbers late 2020.
5. Rudbekia 'Summerdaisy' series from Volmary some new excellent colours on sturdy dark green foliage.
6. Salvia hybrid 'Mysty large blossom', strong colour flower and foliage, compact production size for more plants m2. Florensis is marketing Salvia 'Mysty'.
7. Impatiens Beacon and Impatiens Imara are two mildew resistant varieties launched this year. So far, they have shown good resistance and have been well received. Beacon is marketed by PanAmerica seeds and Florensis. Imara is available from Syngenta. ✽
DóNALL FLANAGAN is based with the Horticulture Development Department in Ashtown, serving the nursery stock and ornamental sector. He has been working with Teagasc since 2007 and in his current role since 2016. Dónall Flanagan - Teagasc, Ashtown Food Research Centre Mobile: 087 703 5823; Tel: 076 111 402; Email: donall.flanagan@teagasc.ie
PHOTOS 1. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ankong Variegata' 2. Begonia x hybrida 'Viking Red' 3. Rudbeckia x hybrida 4. Begonia 'Fiona Rose' 5. New Impatiens varieties
REMEMBERING KORALEY / 07
REMEMBERING KORALEY The passing of our dear friend and colleague, Koraley Northen has promoted a huge response from those who knew and worked with her over the years. In all honesty, we struggled with how best to remember her within these pages; so here are some words from her close friends, pictures she captured of them and even some of Koraley herself. Thanks everyone for sharing your kind words. And apologies; I have removed several exclamation marks:
Koraley couldn't stand them.
“My first impression of Koraley was terrifying. I never thought I could live up to her exacting standards. I soon realised she was my biggest supporter, she remained supportive to the very end. I am delighted to call her my friend, I miss her dearly.” Annette MCCoy, Former GLDA administrator and close friend “
Having known Koraley for over twenty years there are not enough words to describe her, but to me, she was always, kind, fearless, formidable, flirty, ageless and always a girl. Xx she will be missed.'' Carol Marks, Bord Bia
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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
07 / REMEMBERING KORALEY
KORALEY WITH PETER STAM (SUPPLIED BY PETER STAM)
“There were only those rare moments you could help the perfectionist that Koraley was. She contacted me when she got a new smartphone in 2015. She needed to be convinced about the usefulness of WhatsApp. I helped her set it up on her phone and we exchanged quickly stories and photographs. She found this one dating back to 2002. The annual GLDA Seminar dinner where we always made a point sharing a table, enjoying each other’s company while exchanging stories and gossip of the day. We had the same enjoyable time this year back in February at the GLDA dinner in spite of Koraley knowing she was on borrowed time, which she kept very private. While struggling with her decision, you do have to respect it as good friends do, but I will miss her terribly. Koraley was very special” Peter Stam, Garden Designer and Nurseryman
While exhibiting this, my first attempt at a show garden in the 2004 Garden Heaven Show, a sprightly petite lady popped up 'Out of the Blue' (garden's title) and asked to take my picture. On striking a pose (as you do), I remarked how the image might need some 'doctoring' later, which sent both Koraley and myself into kinks of laughter, captured here with her true professional's eye. Thank you Koraley for that moment and for the many memorable moments we shared over the years. Rest easy now lovely lady. Gary Foran, Garden Designer and GLDA member
“Koraley was unusual in that she had no background in Irish horticulture and yet she cared deeply about the profession and the people. She was happy behind her camera but she never hid behind it. she was never the dispassionate photographer. She wanted the best for us all and she was never shy about letting me know. She championed, encouraged and supported any of us who had an opportunity to make a contribution. She was discreet and positive and constructive. She made a massive contribution to our sector and I will always be grateful and flattered that she favoured me with her insights and enthusiasm”. Gary Graham, Bord Bia Marketing Manager
PHOTO: VINCENT MCMONAGLE
“I think it is fair to say that without Koraley at the helm of the administration at the inauguration of the GLDA it might well not have got off the ground. When Chairperson to know she was at you back at all times was invaluable. Then there were the "secret" Christmas dinners of a handful of early lady members started by Koraley which would entail much ribaldry and recalling various adventures over the years, all of which will remain buried in the dinner table.” Susan Maxwell, Garden Designer and GLDA founding member
KORALEY AND DAVID SHORTALL AT KORALEY’S RETIREMENT FROM THE GLDA IN 2012
AN EARLY GLDA COUNCIL MEETING. CIRCA 2000 BACK ROW: GABRIEL SANIO, SUSAN MAXWELL, LOUISE BURNS, NEVILLE MOONEY, GERRY DALY, KORALEY,, PETER STAM. FRONT ROW: ANGELA BINCHY, ANDREW GLEN-CRAIGE, LISA MURPHY, SALLY KELLY
“In the early Days of the GLDA Seminar, circa 1998, I remember getting a call from Koraley at 6am on the morning of the seminar. The Seminar was sold out, so Koraley had made a list of reserve delegates, who would get a seat if somebody pulled out. This was very typical of Koraley to be so intimidatingly organised that one always felt tardy. She also came to see all the show gardens I ever created and went as far as walking me around them so she could give me some ‘constructive comment’. Her desire to improve everything I did was matched with the best encouragement one can have, That is, to come back to me over and over again with more jobs.” When we were getting married I asked Koraley to be our photographer. As expected, she delivered in her organised professional way, but when sending on the finished photographs and awaiting our approval I could see how extraordinarily important it was to her that we were happy with her work. I owe a huge debt of learning to Koraley and I will miss her as a dear friend too. David Shortall, Garden Designer and GLDA member
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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REMEMBERING KORALEY / 07
“Koraley was the kindest of friends. Apart from her meticulous work for, and taking the lion's share of, preparing Compass when I was editor, Koraley helped me with a host of projects outside the GLDA, generously giving of her time and energy for scant reward. We ate quite frequently at each other's houses. Winter or summer, rain or shine, her gardens, front and back, judiciously planted and balanced, were truly gardens for all seasons; her pride and joy and a delight for any visitor. Our conversation, naturally enough, would range over gardening and photography most often; she was much more inclined to focus on you than herself, one reason I think for her popularity, she loved people. She zealously safeguarded her privacy, showed no evidence of self-pity as well she might have done for she had her share of sadness; and absolutely no inclination to boast or parade her achievements. Occasionally Koraley would open up about days gone by, her young days in Canada included. She had an engaging, understated sense of humour and from the start of our friendship, we found common ground in what amused us. A memorable custom she established was putting on an annual cordon bleu lunch for me - she was a most superb cook which took place every New Year's eve until ill health overtook her. Happy days and happy memories, I shall miss her.” Gordon T. Ledbetter, Garden Designer and GLDA member and enthusiasm
“Is that the Dun Laoghaire office? This is Herbert Park calling. I’m looking for the Grammar Department. Or sometimes it was the Punctuation Department, the Photoshop Department, or even the Gossip Department. Every week or month (and in latter years, less frequently) Koraley and I would be on the phone, making believe that we were part of a global corporation devoted to documenting gardens and horticulture in one way or another. The joke was never discussed, it was just a delightful absurdity between us. We had a collegial and warm relationship, holed up in our respective offices, she in the Herbert Park branch and I in the Dun Laoghaire branch. We both did a lot of the same things: visiting shows and gardens, attending lectures, taking photographs for publication. We both spent more time at desks than we wanted, and were happy to shoot the breeze for a few minutes with a fellow toiler. Mostly, I was writing and she was cleaning up other people’s writing. “I’m tearing my hair out here, Jane! This person needs to go back to school.” And she would laugh her special, wheezy, cackle laugh. Then, we’d thrash out the punctuation problem or the nomenclatural knot. A quick gossip or chat, and she’d be gone, back to her painstaking and careful job of making someone else’s work perfect. Koraley was generous and benevolent. She was invariably at Chelsea Flower Show or Bloom a day or more ahead of me, and she would brief me so that I could save the amount of time that she had just spent sifting through everything. She was considerate to all in her huge circle of friends and acquaintances: everyone has a kind Koraley story. I have a hundred more from our twenty years of friendship. I think of her every day: her gracious spirit, her beautiful smile and her perfectly arched, movie-star eyebrows.” Jane Powers, June 2019
Koraley was a good friend, loyal, always helpful, acerbic (with time wasters) and persuasive. When I had problems getting money due me from some well off clients Koraley took over the debt collection. She was so good that one well known rich client wrote to me from New York please call your terrier off, she phoned me seven times in one day. His cheque arrived. We had a great dinner and fun over that. Angela Jupe, Garden designer, plantswoman and GLDA founding member
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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
PHOTO: KORALEY NORTHEN
We met in Unitherm Ltd Pearse St, about 1980 /1. The company manufactured and distributed Fly Killers, Electrostatic Air Cleaners, and Ionizers. I bought a security company from Koraley and Don, well really it was a cardboard box with circuit boards and a few plastic boxes, I paid them £1200 pounds, within two weeks I had assembled and sold the existing stock, re-stocked and came out with a profit of £2000. That cardboard box has raised a family paid for two holidays a year, seen us through three recessions, and hopefully will be our pension. This was the beginning of a lifelong friendship, through thick and thin, too long a list to itemise. when Koraley started with the GLDA I gave her a copy of Microsoft Works which came back to haunt me, because when Annette took over, Koraley was still using it. We attended Ballsbridge college at night on Photography Courses, we used to wind each other up...if she would teach me how to take headshots, I would teach her how to shoot gardens. She had a very quirky sense of humour, We shared a love for good coffee and great Photography (of course we were masters of both). Her parting has left a huge void in my life. Vincent McMonagle, Close friend and colleague
07 / REMEMBERING KORALEY
AS KORALEY WILL BE BEST REMEMBERED
TOP ROW: PETER STAM (PHOTO BY KORALEY NORTHEN); AS KORALEY WILL BE BEST REMEMBERED MIDDLE ROW: KORALEY AT BLOOM (PHOTO BY BARRY LUPTON); LAKEVIEW GARDEN, CO CAVAN, RARE AND SPECIAL PLANT FAIR, MAY 2002, KILDARE GROWERS TRADE SHOW, JULY 2005 — WITH “COW” — SHE GOT SUCH A LAUGH OUT OF THIS. SUCH A PITY THERE WAS NO COWBOY HAT. (PHOTOS BY JANE POWERS); KORALEY WITH SUSAN MAXWELL (PHOTO BY VINCENT MCMONAGLE) BOTTOM ROW: AN EARLY GLDA TOUR WITH ELIZABETH MORGAN, ANDREW GLENN CRAIGE, PETER STAM AND KORALEY; ANGELA BINCHY & DAVID SHORTALL (PHOTOS BY KORALEY NORTHEN)
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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CONSTRUCT / 08
WE’RE WINNING THE RACE TO THE
@ORLANDO ROSU / 123RF.COM
BOTTOM
Independent landscape estimating specialist, Colm Kenny explains why a failure to address weaknesses in landscape procurement is stimulating a detrimental race to the bottom
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T
he principles of horticulture have changed little in the last century, while the business or profession of landscaping has; and radically so. Old process and practices are becoming unsustainable for the modern business world. Ridiculously low profit margins, a race towards cheaper and cheaper tenders, adversarial contracts and subcontract agreements compounded by an overarching fundament lack of business knowledge are really taking their toll. The landscape industry is at a crossroads and drastic changes need to be made. One of the most significant business practices in need of change is the challenging area of procurement. The buying of goods and services is a fundamental function of all business no matter the sector. While it is a process the sector is involved with on a daily basis, it has been stubbornly slow to respond to the changing need of the market. Poor procurement processes and a lack of understanding as to
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
08 / CONSTRUCT what value means, continue to undermine the sector and if not tackled will seriously undermine its future. The race to the bottom is irrevocable and treacherous and it runs through the whole sector: from clients, designers, contractors, nursery owners and suppliers, we are all complicit in cutting our own throats. Our small sector is following a blueprint that seems to have pervaded all areas of construction: equating a fair price with the cheapest, which is definitely not always the case. On public works contracts and capital projects, one of the central issues that contractors complain about is the how complicated the whole procurement process is and how onerous it can be with mountains of paperwork to fill out. They also bemoan the high level of information required to submit a valid tender, which might only be for a small value scheme. On the flip side of this, is the client who is left wondering why there was only one or two tenders returned, leading them to question if the tender process is competitive. Strict regulations around public procurement often dictates the use of eTenders as a portal for the tender process. The word eTender is only seven letters long, but it is enough to deter most contractors. It implies to most that it’s a complicated route to obtain work, not worth the effort. It does take a high level of resources from the client’s side to get the tenders into an acceptable standard to ensure they do not attract claims and variations post-tender. This cost of producing such documents can be resources wasted if contractors don’t engage in the tender process. It makes sense from both a contractor and client’s perspective that the creation of frameworks for works of a similar nature are formed in order to eliminate the need to go through the whole process each time a project is procured. One comprehensive suite of documents is compiled by the client and in turn submitted by the contractor. These are assessed on the basis of technical ability and also cost with a weighted marking system applied to the evaluation process. Contractors are then given a mark and based on this given a place on the framework if they make the cut and meet the requirements. While not without its drawbacks, it reduces the need of starting the cycle of paperwork each time a tender is submitted, meaning procurement can be undertaken on a more efficient basis. The main component to creating a successful framework is early contractor engagement so firstly they are aware the process is being undertaken and secondly that both sides fully understand the requirements.
CHIEF SUSPECTS
While frameworks might be a solution in public procurement, private procurement is a law unto itself. Suspect sub-contract agreements are without a doubt the biggest source of conflict and risk for contractors, and typically it’s the payment terms associated with them. Even before you get to the stage of talking about payment, you have to submit a cost for it. You can have any amount of contractors pricing this against you which only means one thing, standards often drop in order to win turnover. Abnormally low tenders more often than not go under the radar. For example, a scheme involving the construction of an apartment complex could cost €20 million but might only have a soft landscape works package valued at €100,000/€200,000. This package will not be scrutinised
by anyone due to its low value comparative to the building cost but be potentially substantially under-priced. By the time it’s brought to the Landscape Architects attention it is often too late. Typically, this goes two ways. Firstly, the landscape contractor who submitted the original costs realised his mistake and turns his phone off for a few weeks while on holidays in Australia. This can result in the delay as the main contractor has to appoint a new contractor who cannot compete with the original price. The new contractor gets the nod, carries out the works as per the original specification, but when it comes to payment there is invariably an issue and the replacement contractor is often left short.
REALISING MISTAKES
The second scenario is the contractor realises his mistake and is not willing to carry out the works as per the tendered rates. The main contractor goes back to the client looking for additional monies, but when the client is unwilling to approve the new additional cost, savings have to be made within the landscape scheme. Unfortunately, savings translate into lower standards and specifications: much to the annoyance of the Landscape Architect or designer. Nobody wins from this approach as the landscape scheme does not realise it full potential. Often on large construction projects elements of the build such as the electrical and mechanical works are sent out as individual packages outside of the main contract. They are then nominated into the main contract who is allowed to apply mark-up’s and the cost of attendances onto such packages. The nominated sub-contractors benefit from such an approach, as they have a direct link back to the client and therefore will be paid even if the main contractor defaults. In theory, the same thing could happen for the landscape package, but this would require a lot of lobbying by the industry for clients to consider such a move. If such a procedure was to become the norm it would eliminate a lot of uncertainty and risk for landscape contractors and assure designers that the works will be undertaken to the highest possible standards.
THE PERILS OF DESIGN AND BUILD Design and build procurement is another risk to landscape contractors. Using the same example of the apartment block, under this arrangement the main contractor undertakes both the design and the construction in return for a lump sum price. The issue with this is the design of the landscape is often only at planning stage standard and not for construction purposes. Invariability items of work throughout each element of the building, siteworks and so on are under-priced and therefore savings must be found. Value engineering process kicks off and the first item up for scrutiny is often the easy target of the landscaping. Firstly, every cent is squeezed from the landscape subcontractor. The cream from the job turns to butter, profit margins come within a replacement cost of a tree and then the job is not commercially viable. If this crucifixion of the contractor doesn’t produce enough savings, tree sizes are dropped, plant numbers are cut in half and natural stone paving is respecified as concrete paviours. Do such changes required planning permission? I am sure they do, but this bending
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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CONSTRUCT / 08 of the planning regulations often goes unnoticed. From a Landscape Architects’ perspective, the design is not constructed as intended and it’s never given the opportunity to realise its full potential.
FOSTERING CHANGE
The improvement of landscape procurement needs to be an industry wide effort. Having never worked in public procurement, I might have a simplistic view of the whole situation, but I think it’s an issue that could be resolved for our industry in the short term. There is a number of ways it could be resolved. Education of both clients and contractors and an understanding of each other’s requirements would go a long way to get both sides working in tandem for the benefit of the industry and the business. Constructive round table talks attended by a representative from the Parks Department (where there is one, but that’s another story) of each local authority and other state bodies who engage landscape professionals, a delegation of contractors from the ALCI, designers from the GLDA and Landscape Architects from the ILI could plant the seed for the resolution of issues of procurement to be addressed to the benefit of all parties. Never before has there been a better time to be a landscape professional. The opportunities the industry currently offers is immense and the marketplace instability
of a few years ago has diminished to a large extent. How we take our industry forward rests in our own hands. While the challenges inherent with all landscape businesses still remain, fair and honest procurement processes can help us all ensure that the necessary modernisations achieved, and skilled individuals are attached to our industry, in turn ensuring its sustainability. As an industry we must also speak as one with all sectors realising we all play an important part by adding value to the industry and for that we all need fair payment. A good starting point would be for all of us to agree that reasonable profit is not a bad concept and is indeed the foundation of most industries. ✽
COLM KENNY, B Ag. Sc (Land Hort) MSc Quantity Surveying. Colm is a landscape estimating specialist. He provides cost and implementation advice to landscape industry professionals, technical advisors, contractors and facility management companies. He can be contacted on 087 288 5016 or by email info@landscapeqs.ie
GLAS STAND #A1
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PHOTOS: VINCENT MCMONAGLE
EVENTS / 10
BLOOM PHOTOS LEFT: LEONIE CORNELIUS IRISH WHEELCHAIR ASSOCIATION ABOVE: DENNIS FLANNERY FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL
KERRIE GARDINER
OLIVER SCHURMANN GARDEN DESIGNER
KEVIN DENNIS GARDEN DESIGNER & ANDREA BLAND (FBD)
KATERYNA BEST - BIM
MARIE KEATING FOUNDATION LIZ YEATS HELEN FORRISTAL LINDA KEATING & TUNDE SZENTESI
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ELMA FENTON UNIVERSAL PICTURES
SVAJA VIACULLA (LIDL)
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
BLOOM
MARK MOHAN OF SILVERSTREAM LANDSCAPES WITH HIS GOLD MEDAL FOR BEST CONTRACTOR
JAMES PURDY GARDEN DESIGNER -THE HEALTHY WAY GARDEN
PHOTOS: CHRIS BELLEW, FENNELL PHOTOGRAPHY
10 / EVENTS
MINISTER OF STATE ANDREW DOYLE WITH MIKE NEARY OF BORD BIA
PAT AND OLLIE KEVILLE OF THE INDOOR PLANT STORE LTD WITH THEIR GOLD MEDAL AT BORD BIAS BLOOM FESTIVAL IN THE PHOENIX PARK DUBLIN
RUAIRI BASHFORD DESIGNER MOVING FORWARD BUILDING MY BEST POSSIBLE LIFE
An Evening at
DERMOT CALLAGHAN (TEAGASC), DR CAROLINE ELLIOT KINGSTON (UCD) & JOHN SPINK (TEAGASC)
PHOTOS: JOSEPH BLAIR
BLOOM
SHONA DUBOIS (GIY), GARY GRAHAM (BORD BIA), DAVID HARE & MICHAEL KELLY (GIY)
JOE & NUALA YOUNG (YOUNG NURSERIES), TANYA GILSENAN (HC), PATRICIA MULLIGAN
LEFT: KERRI GARDINER & THE KILSARAN TEAM MICHAEL MAIBEN, DAVID NOLAN, RACHEL FREEMAN (TU DUBLIN) & PATRIK WESSER
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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DESIGN / 11
I WONDER Highly regarded Landscape Architect, Bloom gold medal winner, Patricia Tyrrell reports in from Bloom 2019 and wonders where the future lies
I
’ve always liked the eighties pop-band, Talking Heads. During my recent participation in the design and construction of a Bloom show garden, the words to their song, Once in a Lifetime, kept running through my head. The song is about life. About the way we can drift along in its current, only surfacing occasionally to see clearly where we are and what we are doing with our lives. Designing and building a Bloom show garden is like being caught in a current. Months of thought and preparation, weeks on site, building intensively, with all the stress, pressure and exhaustion. It consumes you, carries you along. You finally surface as the final touches are put to your garden only to submerge once again… judging, the media, the public, your actual life, your actual job: It’s exhausting. You briefly come up for air as the show closes, then back under during the garden take-down. Eventually you resurface proper and you wonder why?
SO WHY DO DESIGNERS DO IT? Well, it’s complicated and it’s most certainly not about medals and accolades as many people might think. It is about the experience. For example, entering with the students of horticulture at Cabra Community College, it was all about tangibly experiencing the design and build process in real life. To translate abstract learning into something real and doing it as part of a team. This sense of team spirit, of comradery, of community and shared experience is such a part of the Bloom build. You make new friends, share tools, advice, tents, cake, help each other out. It is buoyancy, which keeps us all from succumbing to the intense current of the build period.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS Designers do it because it is an intensely creative process. A compressed, exhilarating and addictive act of creation which draws designers into a flow state. That magical state of
BLOOM GARDENS 2019 FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: DENNIS FLANNERY FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL; ALEN RUDDEN SANTA RITA; LIAT & OLIVER SCHURMANN BIM; PHOTOS: VINCENT MCMONAGLE
11 / DESIGN presentness, where time is warped, and you are fully engaged. There is a huge satisfaction in seeing what you visualised in your head and on paper appear on the ground. Each new delivery another piece in the puzzle. The planting is like a fascinating conversation, where the words can be arranged, or adjusted to better make the meaning understood.
IT IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE Designers do it as it helps to sharpen skills and provides an opportunity to reaffirm design understanding. The underpinnings of design are brought out in to the light for all to see. Elements and principles are dusted off, honed, refined and you’re reminded why you followed this path in the first place. Show gardens are often the result of months or years of research. They can have a depth and meaning far deeper than your day to day practice. Engaging with this depth is immensely rewarding.
MEDALS AND ACCOLADES As mentioned, designers don’t do it for medal and accolades. That noted, they are an important element in the wider picture: but they’re not everything. What’s more important than medals is what the designer does with them. How do they market and promote themselves, their skills and the wonderful gardens they have built? Of course, the larger garden categories are more prestigious, and promotion is easier. The media tend to broadcast from these gardens and they make the papers and the presidential visits. Smaller gardens are harder to promote through these outlets as they get less media focus. This has become more apparent over the last few years. There seems to be far less emphasis on smaller garden spaces. This should be looked at by the organisers.
MESSAGES Designers do it to communicate. Oftentimes designers are frustrated artists; whose medium is garden space. As such they can desire to express ideas, feelings and thoughts. Show gardens can be a great way to do is. Particularly if you have artistic free reign. The practical reality of design work for real clients in real sites is that you often have limited opportunity for truly creative expression. Bloom can allow you to be your own client. This is wonderfully rewarding, but also challenging. Increasingly, Bloom show gardens are being used as tools to communicate messages from corporate sponsors to charity organisations. In my opinion this has produced mixed results. Design quality and integrity has been sacrificed for sponsor message. Three of the gardens - my own included - were created by education institutions: UCD, Trinity and Cabra Community College. Fingal County Council also designed a garden, something they have done for the last few years. Their Bee Positive Garden was part of an endeavour to educate the public and particularly children about pollinator friendly plants and gardens. There is also the Supergarden sponsored by Woodies, where the winner of the television competition gets to build a garden at Bloom.
THE WIDER PERSPECTIVE While I find myself trying to articulate why designers do it, when I look at the line up over the last few years I am really wondering where have the designers gone. I mean, if you took away the message gardens and the education institutions, how many actual designers are really creating gardens. Very few it would seem. Is it time for a rethink, for the Bloom organisers to make it more attractive to the design community? I think so.
DESIGN / 11 SO HOW DO WE GET THE DESIGNERS BACK Is it time to be more creative with media? Perhaps instead of Supergarden we should have Showgarden – following the trials and triumphs of designers as they journey through their build. It would certainly be a more realistic education for the public on what’s involved in the construction of a garden and give extra exposure to the designers. Initial viewing of the early stages could be aired as a teaser pre-Bloom and the final part of the Build and the medals post Bloom. Sourcing of plants and materials could be a really interesting aspect of this program and allow for more interconnectedness with nurseries and suppliers.
PERHAPS IT’S TIME FOR NEW JUDGES AND A LITTLE GENDER BALANCE? If you do the same job for 13 years it can be difficult to be as enthusiastic as you were at the beginning. I imagine that going through the designs must be very much like being a design studio tutor where for each students design you have to put a lot of energy into first understanding the brief, then understanding the ideas and concept of the design and finally clearly articulating why a particular design element works or doesn’t. After a couple of years this must get a little difficult to be enthusiastic about, so perhaps there should be more of a rotation in the judging panel. Perhaps also there should be some more female judges. Six judges, only one of whom has been female in the last 13 years seems a little unbalanced to me. There are just as many excellent female garden designers as male making an impact in the UK and Europe today.
PERHAPS IT’S TIME FOR NEW CATEGORIES? The showgardens fall into small medium and large. It can be all a little dry and humourless. Could some new categories inspire more interest and inspiration? A garden inspired by art or literature perhaps or inspired by a particular person? What would Borris Johnson's Garden look like for instance, or David Attenborough's? Or just a really witty whimsical garden, based on a person of the designers choosing.
PERHAPS IT’S TIME TO REFOCUS ON ACTUAL GARDENS RATHER THAN MESSAGES? Many designers might say plants are at the forefront of what they do but actually it is people. How the client uses and enjoys a garden underpins our designs. The design itself can be conceptual, but we will return to this layer of the design constantly to ensure it is just right. Purely conceptual builds for sponsors, sometimes cause designers to get lost in the concept, and without a physical user of the space, it can lose this vital aspect. A garden should always have an owner, someone to enjoy the space and its features. Without this there can be very little for the show visitor to relate to or to take home. Sponsors should be more willing to step back and let the designer create a garden with a real wow factor, which will do the marketing for them, rather than compromising the design for the message.
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PERHAPS WE NEED A REVOLUTION IN PLANTING? Bord Bia is promoting horticulture, which should be a green industry. Was there too much concrete, too much hardscape and not enough good planting design? In my opinion, this is potentially the most exciting element of the showgarden design. Good planting design supports many functions and is not just decorative. The planting should be driven by the concept and style of the garden. It should be woven into its bones. It should hold foreground and background and vertical layers. It should be creating the atmosphere of the garden. It’s not enough to just fill in the blank spaces with some nice flowers or foliage combinations. There was quite a bit of interest this year in biodiversity, which is great. Most of these took the shape of a wildflower meadow. How can we build on this message? The Schurmanns garden focused on the littoral zone and highlighted the unnatural disaster which is plastic. There are so many other habitats to inspire a garden: woodland edge gardens, water gardens, wildlife gardens, SUD’s gardens, xerophytic gardens and so on. Our task as designers should be to educate the public to new ideas in planting, new trends and good horticultural practice. I also believe that given that we are teetering on the edge ecologically we should be taking this message far more seriously with regard to the environment and lead by example. This is among the reasons that I liked The Cheshire Homes garden by Ruaidhri Bashford so much. The garden featured a hand woven wattle nest, nestled on a giant branch and surrounded by harmonious, textured native planting. It was calm, beautiful and thoughtfully designed, with a beautifully delivered underlying concept. Everything in the garden was natural and re-usable. This was the ethos underlying our Cabra Community Garden too, Tóg go bog é. Taking it easy on the environment and the local flora and fauna, when designing a garden. Hawthorn, Mountain Ash, heathers, gorse, bog myrtle and even our native rush making up the core of the planting. Everything was returned or reused upon deconstruction. Svaja Vaicula’s small garden for Lidl also demonstrated how you could have a garden for nature and wellbeing in a tiny space, successfully combining water, wildflowers and a green roof. The wildflowers here were particularly beautiful. I think this is one from which the visitor could bring home a lot of ideas. Wildflowers also featured in the Bee Positive Garden from Fingal County Council. The message here was aimed at children, vital to inspire them at a young age. Bee Positive also demonstrated that you can have both cultivated and wild plants which will serve this purpose.
GARDEN IDEAS FOR THE VISITOR A garden where the show visitor could be inspired was The Blackwater Gin Garden, designed by Peter Cowell and Monty Richardson. It was constructed from recycled materials in timber and brick and was the kind of garden that most consumers would strongly relate to and enjoy. It was also fun with it’s barrel hot tub. The design led planting was strong and bold with tree ferns, Tetrapanax and Rheums. Striking Equisetum caught the eye in the water which surrounded a lovely oasis where you could sit back and enjoy a Gin.
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
11 / DESIGN There was much of interest in Kevin Dennis’s FBD Garden which had a planting palette of exotic plants, grasses and perennials such as Cycas revoluta and Osmanthus ilicifolius grown as specimens to give year-round interest. Kevin’s attention to detail was second to none. For a visitor looking for something new, he is always at the forefront with regard to new materials and innovative ways of using them. Porcelain tiles on floors and walls, lighting details, and unique structures which were hard to identify as metal or wood all contributed to something quite unique. Best in Show went to Alan Rudden’s A matter of Altitude garden. We all need a refuge from the Irish summer and Alan achieved this. Argentina without the sun. I love indoor/ outdoor spaces and it’s something we don’t do enough here and is particularly important given our unpredictable climate. Chunky timber structures with lovely joint details enclosed the outdoor dining area. I also loved the steps down the dining area which were open rebar so that plants could grow underneath. Alans garden was very accessible visually with views from different angles and the path at the back was charming and had a lovely atmosphere. Maeve O’Neill’s large garden was very much in the realm of public space scale, with cutting edge use of steel and stone which won Gold and Best Planting Design. Lovely plantings of Nassela tenuissima and a perfect Japanese maple only hinted at what lay behind the striking granite and corten walls. Here the planting really came into its own with some lovely combinations of Rodgersia and ferns. Some of the planting could only really be appreciated from within the garden and a pity that these were a little difficult to appreciate from public perspective. The Kildare Grower’s garden featured a series of curved walls enclosing an intimate seating area. While novel, the walls obscured much of the planting, and in doing so, undermined the garden's commercial brief. As a result, it was difficult to appreciate the plants and planting. As a key growers group in Ireland, their priority from a marketing perspective is to promote the sale of their members plants. To maximise this promotion, they should be not only looking at plants as a decorative element but also a structural one – the roof, the walls, the frame of the garden and the floor. It is an important message to send to the consumer if you are selling plants. No need for concrete walls, when you have a wide choice of plants and the facilities to grow and plan years in advance. It would also send a greener and more environmentally friendly message to the consumer. Curves and ovals were also a theme this year with James Purdy’s The Healthy Way an arrangement of oval vegetable gardens, reminiscent of the famous allotments at Naerum in Denmark. Nice to see some alternatives to the ubiquitous birch being used here with some nice specimen hawthorn. Hawthorn also featured in Barry Kavanagh’s garden Stolen Land. This year, in general, a greater variety of trees featured in many gardens. Moss too was ubiquitous, featuring on walls, in damp valleys and around rocks and boulders. Bloom 2019 had many interesting, well-designed and constructed gardens, which were a credit to those behind their creation, but my resounding sense was one of wonder: where does the show go from here? ✽
BLOOM GARDENS 2019 FROM TOP TO BOTTOM VTOS CABRA COMMUNITY COLLEGE; PETER COWELL & MONTY RICHARDSON BLACKWATER GIN GARDEN; PHOTOS: VINCENT MCMONAGLE
PATRICIA TYRRELL is a Landscape Architect, garden designer, horticulturist and gold medal winner. She can be contacted via her website at living-landscapes.com
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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TREES / 12
I PLANTED A FOREST Terry O’Regan calls for a grand tree strategy that embraces the total tree population of the state on both public and private lands
I “Should we be working on a big picture tree plan? 800 mature trees would be destroyed under the national Transport Authority plan to improve Dublin’s bus corridors” 36
drafted this article as the 75th anniversary of D-Day was being marked on all media with stark images of the landings on the beaches of Normandy. The few remaining veterans and the thousands who died were thanked for the sacrifice they made to save the civilised world of the day. The many forgotten Irish who fought and died in the two world wars are finally being acknowledged. A well-known recruitment poster for the First World War came to mind, which had the caption ‘Daddy, what did you do in the Great War?’ The universal threats are somewhat different today, and our brave young people are asking new questions – will there be posters before long asking – ‘Daddy, what did you do to save us from Global Warming?’ In the early noughties I gave a presentation in Enniscorthy. Afterwards, a young artist who had worked with me on a National Landscape Forum project in 1999 came up to say hello. I asked him what he was up to and his response caught me off-guard – “I’ve been planting a forest” he said. He went on to explain that he gathered acorns each autumn and planted them into roadside ditches on his rambles around the highways and byways of Wexford. He was the living embodiment of the visionary booklet
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Spring 2019
12 / TREES by Jean Giono – ‘The Man Who Planted Trees’ – a simple if profound tale that everyone should read at least once. He also sparked an even earlier memory for me – the tale of Johnny Appleseed – who planted apple seeds on his travels. In recent weeks, as I worked my way through a rather torturous retirement from running a landscape services business, I began to look afresh at the maturing trees on the many sites throughout Munster and beyond that I had a hand in planting. I guess I could claim that I planted a forest over the past 50 years – though in truth I cannot claim to have physically planted each tree. However, I was often party to the decision to plant the trees in question. Typically the force driving the decision was the development planning process and that is a rather blunt instrument. There was rarely an overall tree population strategy or plan guiding the process with the exception of the underdeveloped native species proviso. As we begin to face up to the full implications of global warming, increasingly volatile climate change and the need to get real about carbon resource management, one has to ask the question, “Should we be working to a big picture tree plan?” It is almost 25 years since I first addressed this issue when I spoke in landscape terms of target tree populations and age profiles per-land-use category providing a continuously evolving plan that would guide all players and stakeholders. Such a consistent approach has to be better than random kneejerk reactions to planning applications, sporadic reports and media sound bites. A case in point was the recent eruption of tree interest generated by the proposal that 800 mature trees would be destroyed under the National Transport Authority plan to improve Dublin’s bus corridors. There were calls for trees to be given priority over buses and buses to be given priority over cars. There were also calls for an ‘urban forest’ approach and replacement trees to be planted as semi-mature specimens rather than saplings. In early 2018 the National Forestry Report generated a flurry of media criticism when it noted that we were failing to meet the set targets for forestry planting (7% shortfall each year for 2015-17). The 74% shortfall for native woodlands, agroforestry and forestry for fibre was even more depressing. Similarly, the Dublin Tree Canopy Study published in March 2017 concluded that the 10% average tree canopy cover in the four Dublin local authorities was well below the 15% average cover of comparable European cities. These three episodes of media interest and the reports that prompted the same explain in part why we are failing with regard to addressing the wider environmental disaster that is threatening to overwhelm our species. Ireland is rife with fragmentation, dispersed accountability, the abnegation of responsibility, ill-informed elected representatives and no overall integrated strategies or plans driving and guiding action on the ground. Responsibility for our trees is spread
across a whole range of government departments, agencies and more. There is no clear leader with overall responsibility to whom all the fragments are answerable. So it is difficult to be optimistic that we will reverse this scenario as far as our trees are concerned, because if we could for once be honest we would admit that the country is run in a kneejerk manner, that is more likely to deliver disasters rather than constructive progress. But optimistic I must be – so I call for a grand tree plan that embraces the total tree population of the state on both public and private lands. It would appear to me that the Department of Environment should take the lead and draft such a plan drawing all the existing players and stakeholders into the process. The total land area of the state must be provided for and with the inevitable delegation, there should be clear accountability and targets. This plan should not have a defined life, but rather should set out the long-term tree population and age profile targets for urban, rural and upland areas and it should then have a five-year first phase. A part of this process will have to include a spatial plan for trees! There is no point in talking about more trees if we do not set aside the requisite land to allow them to grow and thrive. From the perspective of the landscape sector, a first step should be to provide clear, intelligent, realistic guidelines on how best to conserve and manage the tree resource that we currently have and then what and where we should be planting. Such an approach should in time not alone improve our environment but should provide a more sustainable market for our designers, contractors and plant nurseries. Maybe then we might all plant a forest in our respective lifetimes and be in a position to answer that awkward poster question on your role in the Global Warming War! ✽
TERRY O’REGAN, B Agr Sc Hort(Hons), FILI, MIoH, founder of Landscape Alliance Ireland, has served the landscape industry in Ireland for some 45 years and advanced the intent and aims of the European Landscape Convention for some 20 years. He now divides his time between providing landscape consultancy services in Munster and working as a Council of Europe international landscape and heritage expert in Kosovo. He continues to promote and refine his ‘jargon free’ landscape circle methodology and is currently leading a pilot study on its use at local and regional administrative levels in Kosovo. The LAI website will shortly be relaunched as www.lai-ireland.com. Contact Terry at terryjoregan@gmail.com or 021 487 1460.
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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12 / TREES
A NEW WORLD ORDER OR JUST ANOTHER PRICE BLIP? John Murphy, owner and operator of Annaveigh Plants and leading tree expert provides a fascinating insight into the costs of tree production and factors influencing end prices in Ireland
O
ver the past 35 years, I have watched plant prices rise in the Spring only to fall back to where they were the previous Autumn when the new crops come online. This trend began to change about three years ago and in the case of trees and transplants prices have continued to rise on a yearly basis. So what are the underlying causes? Land, Labour, and Capital as factors of production were originally identified by the early political economists such as Adam Smith and Karl Marx and they still apply. During the early 2000s, as nursery prices remained static and production costs rose, many smaller nurseries in Holland, Germany and Belgium realised the return from investment was not worth it and began leaving the business. Many of these operations were family businesses and with younger people not interested in ‘dirty hands working’ so they had no succession. The outcome was Europe came out of recession with a reduced production base. As we came out of recession, demand and prices increased and with a lack of product, prices did not fall back as normal.
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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TREES / 12
SO HOW DOES THIS IMPACT THE LANDSCAPE SECTOR?
The companies involved in the larger infrastructure jobs would normally take into account when pricing, the fact that it may take up to three years before they are on site. The inclusion of a figure to cover inflation is somewhat a guessing process and as the price of trees over 18cm girth is forced up over the coming years care needs to be exercised and not to just ‘throw a figure at it’. Landscapers not involved in competitive tendering need to be aware of the recent price increases and not to be pricing off the top of the head using historic prices. To avoid problems, the landscaper should check with the supplying nursery to see if they can stand over the prices originally quoted, especially if the time frame is over a month. Just to give some examples of tree prices on the open market today: An Acer campestre ‘Elsrijk’ 12-14cm R/B x3 transplanted is €72.00 delivered. Three years ago, the same tree would have been €48.00. Quercus robor 8-10cm B/R x2 transplanted €22.50, 3 years ago €15.50. This trend has been most noticeable in the 6-16cm girth trees, but upwards pressure from more expensive planting stock will push through to the 16-25cm girth very quickly. There are a number of other factors that can impact on both tree and transplant prices. Many projects do not consider the life-cycle of plants and have handover times all year round. A job originally quoted rootballed and/or bare root now requires potted trees for summer handover, this will increase the price by approximately 50% per tree and availability can be an issue as no grower can afford to produce the full range in all sizes. Delays to jobs are common
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and we find ourselves with more and more coco fibre rootballed trees to tend each year. This also comes with a cost for at least €25.00/tree depending on how long they remain on the nursery. People responsible for specification have a large influence on total tree costs. Specifying a bare root 8-10cm Betula or an 18-20cm rootballed tree is obviously going to increase the job price, but we often see rare items being used in places where a cheaper alternative more suited to the location could be used. If we had a better level of communication between the Landscape Architects and producers then projects could be run more efficiently with the products freely available on the market. The market knowledge of the producers is not being exploited and as a result, we are rushing around Europe trying to find this year’s trendy plants. Some of the most successful projects we have been involved in during the past years have been ones where we were brought on board at the beginning with the landscaper, the architect and the client. Suggestions were made, compromises reached, and the projects delivered on budget. One other item that must be touched upon is transport costs. When specifying very large trees over 45cm the cost of transport becomes an issue. Most of these trees we import are from Germany and a truck is approximately €3,000, so this can add up to €600.00 per tree depending on the variety. Even within Ireland, our transport costs have risen 8.5% over the past 5 years and according to our haulier, they are set to rise further. The term Contract Grow has always been bandied around and while it makes sense in the right situation, it has always been looked upon to reduce costs. The cost reduction may have been applicable when prices were depressed, but my take on this system is to ensure quality plants at the time required. The process of end users buying directly or on contract has come into the business in recent years and is seen as a cost-saving method. The major problem here is that the chain of responsibility is disrupted and leaves a situation where neither the supplier nor contractor will take responsibility if things go wrong. It also raises the question of biosecurity when we have end users importing directly from overseas especially plants like Olives from Italy which are the root cause of the Xyela outbreak. In this uncertain tree market, a landscaper or architect is better off starting with a budget and trying to work in the right tree sizes and varieties to suit rather than picking out the usual suspects and then discovering the project is 50% over cost. Use the market knowledge of your suppliers and if necessary let them find alternatives to an expensive product. ✽
JOHN MURPHY - owner and operator of Annaveigh Plants is one of Ireland’s most experienced and respected nurserymen. For more information visit www.annaveigh.com
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
PHOTO: KORALEY NORTHEN
Then in 2016, the Chinese arrived in Holland to buy trees. Their wish lists were immense with numbers up to 30,000 of some varieties in 8-12cm girth and they have continued this purchasing year on year. The result is that planting stock, now reduced due to the retirement of many of the producers, took a sharp rise in price. So we arrive at today and many EU countries in Eastern Europe such as Poland and the Czech Republic are feeling the benefits of membership as they undertake large infrastructure projects with hefty plant demand. The Chinese are still in the market, the number of growers is reducing, and wage costs are rising. If it was any other market everyone would be planting trees. But what is happening is the growers are unable to get Labour and with the milk quota change the availability of land has decreased due to the demand from the dairy sectors. I carried out a brief survey with six Dutch tree growers based in Opheusden asking them were they going to expand production; and while they all expressed a desire to plant more trees, they all cited the lack of labour and the fall-off in young people entering the business as the reason not to expand. As a result of all the above factors, tree and transplant prices throughout Europe are at an all-time high and not expected to fall in the near future. The situation for shrubs is a little different with production being ramped up in Holland and Belgium it is predicted to follow the old trend in 2-3 years with prices falling back somewhat.
13 / INSIGHT
THE EDIBLE LANDSCAPE
W
e have the potential to add edibles throughout our parks, housing estates and wider landscapes. Hedges can be grown from Corylus, Rubus and Ribes cultivars as well as the more familiar edibles such as Crataegus, Sambuchus and Malus sylvestris. Tall feature trees can include Castanea sativa, Juglans regia or Pyrus sp. Boundaries can be interplanted with any of these trees or with others such as Prunus domestica insititia Malus domestica and even Castanea sativa. For more formal areas of parks or for domestic gardens, the herbaceous border can be just that – herbs; full of colour, scents and interest for wildlife as well as providing culinary herbs for the kitchen. A range of vegetables can be grown as perennials, providing a yield year after year from the same plant. It's not a large step from ornamental Brassica varieties to those that also provide a yield for foragers or community groups. If you want to really cram in the goodness, then a permaculture forest garden can offer an abundance of interest for people and wildlife. These are productive gardens in which fruit trees, fruit bushes, soft fruit, perennial vegetables, edible flowers and herbs are grown together in a purpose-designed mini woodland. Even on a tiny scale of two apple trees and an understory of bushes and herbs, they are ideal for most urban and suburban gardens and can be designed to provide fresh fruit and vegetables almost yearround. On a larger scale, you can have a whole community woodland park composed of a full suite of edibles. Where low maintenance is a priority, as it will be on many public projects, the designs can be tailored to include more of the larger fruit and nut trees, or fruit bushes, and fewer perennial vegetables and more delicate herbs. There are lots of reasons to design edible landscapes and gardens for your clients. As well as providing fresh fruit and
@MAXIMKABB / 123RF.COM
In the first of a series of environmentally focused landscape articles, environmental consultant, Féidhlim Harty explores how edible species can be incorporated into designed landscapes. As the coordinator of Garden of Eden Projects Ireland, he has a particular emphasis on community projects, but the same plants, pointers and principles can be applied to any garden or landscape design vegetables, once in place the work and cost can be much lower than growing annuals. Obviously, the more work put in, the more produce got out – yet the beauty of an edible landscape is that even if you sit back and add nothing else, the fruit and nuts still grow on the trees and bushes. Edible landscapes are very wildlife friendly. They attract an abundance of birds, butterflies and bees to the varied mix of species present. They're also great fun for children. There is great satisfaction in picking your own food, whether from your own garden or from local community orchards. With careful design and selection of plants used, the fruit and nut trees and fruit bushes can provide an extended play area which provides healthy, chemical-free food nearly all year round. In the context of the climate and biodiversity emergency, careful landscape design can actively sequester atmospheric carbon in the soil (capturing CO2 from the air as it does so) as well as providing abundant opportunities for supporting local wildlife. As we see the growing evidence of plastic in our oceans, many of us are moving towards zero waste. Food from the garden doesn’t come in plastic!
WHAT PLANTS CAN BE USED? The variety and number of plants that you select will be dictated by the conditions on site; such as site size, topography, existing planting layout and soil characteristics: depth, drainage and chemistry. Malus and Pyrus sp., for example, won't appreciate damp heavy soils or a high-water table. For challenging sites you may want to include nurse crops like Alnus, Symphytum and Lupinus sp. to break up the soil a bit or to fix nitrogen. As the edibles begin to grow and take their space, the Alnus can be taken out and will leave a supply of nutrients and biomass in the soil to support the developing fruit and nut trees.
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INSIGHT / 12 Most trees prefer relatively good sunshine, but some will tolerate shade more than others. Here are some examples of suitable trees for edible landscaping in different shade conditions:
SOUTH FACING SITE
SHELTERED SOUTH FACING WALLS
PARTIAL SHADE
NORTH WALLS, MORE SHADED AREAS
Walnut Juglans regia
Fig Ficus carica
Cooking apple Malus domestica
Sour cherry Prunus cerasus
Cob (Hazelnut) Corylus sp.
Peach Prunus persica
Culinary pear Pyrus communis – culinary varieties
Mulberry Morus sp.
Apple Malus domestica
Pear Pyrus communis
Walnut Juglans regia
Damson Prunus domestica insititia
Pear Pyrus communis
Plum Prunus domestica
Cob Corylus sp.
Plum Prunus domestica
Cherry Prunus avium
Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa
Sweet cherry varieties Prunus avium
Hawthorn Crataegus sp.
Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa
Elder Sambucus nigra
“With careful design and selection of plants used, the fruit and nut trees and fruit bushes can provide an extended play area which provides healthy, chemical-free food nearly all year round”
The same is true for bushes and climbing fruit. Examples of suitable shrubs and climbers:
SHELTERED SOUTH FACING WALLS
PARTIAL SHADE
NORTH WALLS, MORE SHADED AREAS
Currants Ribes nigrum and R. rubrum cultivars
Kiwi Actinidia arguta
Blackcurrants Ribes nigrum
Roses for hips Rosa sp.
Raspberries Rubus sp.
Grape Vitis sp.
Blueberries Vaccinium sp.
Loganberry Rubus x loganobaccus.
Gooseberries Ribes uva-crispa
Raspberries Rubus sp.
Tayberry Rubus fruticosus x ideaus
Blackberry Rubus fruticosus and other sp.
Blackberries Rubus fruticosus and other sp.
Boysenberry Rubus ursinus x Rubus ideaus
SOUTH FACING SITE
Gooseberries Ribes uva-crispa
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Typically, edible landscape designs will include fruit trees, nut trees, fruit bushes and cane or climbing fruit, perennial vegetables and edible flowers or a selection of some of these categories depending on the design. If you're designing a park, for example, you may include more trees, bushes or flowers and fewer vegetables. A simple orchard layout can work well for community projects on public space. You can plant 6 trees in an hour or two, or 60 in a day if you have a group of volunteers on hand to dig holes, barrow compost, and stake new whips.
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When it comes to edible ground cover plants, most culinary herbs are Mediterranean in origin and will thrive in full sun or partial shade. Foeniculum vulgare, Myrrhis odorata and Mentha sp. are particularly good in fresh teas as well as cooking, and very easy for gardeners or visitors to the park or community space to identify and use. Many herbs are also happy with a bit more shade, such as Thymus sp., Petroselinum crispum, Mentha sp., Matricaria chamomilla, Anethum graveolens, Salvia officinalis and Allium schoenoprasum. Perennial vegetables such as Brassica oleracea var. Ramosa and Brassica Oleracea Botrytis Asparagoides can be used in full sun or partial shade and produce quite happily for much of the year. Vegetables such as Valerianella locusta,
13 / INSIGHT Beta vulgaris, Brassica oleracea and B napus varieties self-seed easily, so they will come back year after year if the conditions for germination are good. Make friends with native edibles such as Rumex acetosa and Teraxacum officinale, since these produce vegetables for the pot or for salads even amid competition from grass. In conventional gardening terms, these are called weeds - but if you start to eat them it shifts the focus somewhat.
LAYOUT AND MAINTENANCE Often the richest most abundant growth takes place at the interface between different habitats. In permaculture design, there is an emphasis on using and valuing the edge. Thus, in forest garden design, that woodland edge is the one that is encouraged.To allow for this, apple and pear trees may be planted that bit further apart than in standard orchard layout, allowing for edge habitat of bushes, climbers, herbs, flowers and veg interspaced throughout the planted area. Naturally, any design will be steered to some extent by the starting layout and conditions of the site. If you find yourself with a large sheltered south facing wall, then go wild with Ficus sp. and Prunus persica and find a less benevolent spot for the hardier Malus and Juglans sp.. You'll have a greater selection of suitable trees if you have a good rich south facing slope and will be more limited on a cold site with heavy soil. But there will always be options available. To remain at their most productive, fruit and nut trees need a supply of nutrients to keep them happy for many years. If you follow standard apple tree planting advice and add a generous bucket of compost in the base of the planting hole, that will get the new trees off to a good start. But it won't last indefinitely. An occasional top dressing of compost or well-rotted manure works wonders if you can manage it, but on community projects such as parks and public spaces, the budget and workforce for regular maintenance may be more limited. Although convenient, artificial fertilisers have distinct drawbacks in that they reduce the effectiveness and
numbers of healthy soil microorganisms. It is these communities of fungi, bacteria, worms and other life within the soil that keep it vital, vibrant and alive, so they are to be supported as much as possible. In the past, I've used mycorrhiza fungal mixes and microbial preparations to help seed poor soils with the right microflora and fauna to nurture the trees into the long term. Companion planting is another way to help plant communities of plants that will support one another with relatively little input after the design and planting date. One of the ways I have found to provide nutrients in the longer term is to use aged woodchips as a surface mulch around the trees. This will reduce the available nitrogen in the early years, but as it breaks down it will provide nourishment for the developing roots. Often woodchips are available in abundance from local tree surgeons, so you can get the benefits of weed suppression, aesthetics and longterm soil enhancement for free.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANTING IN PUBLIC SPACES There are several preconceptions that people tend to have about creating productive beautiful edible landscapes in public spaces. The words rat, littering, vandalism and anti-social behaviour are sometimes heard at the beginning of a community planting project. Certainly, many different species of wildlife will be attracted to fruit and nuts if they lie on the ground but bear in mind that rats are already well catered for by human’s propensity for untidiness and a few more fruit trees will be much more likely to attract blackbirds, finches and tits than rats and mice. Similarly littering is a common problem even without the fringe benefits of fresh fruit and nuts. In relation to vandalism and anti-social behaviour – the severity will depend on where the project is located, how much local buy-in there is during the planning, planting and maintenance, and/or how much people even know that the project exists. One measure I have taken on some of the projects I've organised locally is to simply avoid advertising it too widely. Without extensive local coverage in local papers or radio, a new orchard can pop up in a green space without even being noticed. This may not make for great marketing but has the distinct advantage that the new trees get a good head-start without undue negative attention. After a few years, the trees will be well established, and we can advertise community events such as pruning workshops or foraging days to our hearts' content. Another measure I've adopted is to plant lots of small trees. The budget is similar to a small handful of tall standard trees, but the former is much easier to plant as part of a community event. If these are interplanted with cuttings of Salix alba and S. viminalis then the number of small trees can grow exponentially at no extra cost, making the expensive fruit and nut trees much less of a target for theft or harm. The Salix can then come out after a few years by coppicing heavily in August for a year or two. Certainly, if we create a beautiful space that people want to visit and socialise in, surely, we've done a good job. Sometimes that will include drinking, but in my experience, the fear of antisocial behaviour is mostly overestimated. By contrast, the threat of the current climate and biodiversity emergency is dramatically underappreciated. If given the option to leave a quiet corner to grass, or make it into an area of beauty, sociability, recharge, carbon sequestration, food security and biodiversity – I'll steer toward the edible landscape option every time. ✽
FÉIDHLIM HARTY
is the director of FH Wetland Systems environmental consultancy and writer. His most recent book is Permaculture Guide to Reed Beds. For more information on his publications and service visit wetlandsystems.ie
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MEADOW
MYTH
BUSTER Sandro Cafolla of Design by Nature dispels some myths and sets the record straight about the success of wildflower meadows in Ireland
A
s someone who has grown wildflower meadows for over 30 years, I have seen many successes and lots of failures. There is one certainty about establishing a meadow: if you know and understand your site and species they nearly always grow. If you take short cuts or deviate from the instructions you are effectively leaving potential success to chance. The further the divergence from what is required, the greater the difference in the results. Also, as no two sites are the same, why would any two bags be the same. A word of caution, British, EU and American wildflower advice is for soils, climate and species very different to Ireland. Worse still is advice from quazi-landscapers, writers, journalists and seed re-packers whose interests are not yours. Over the years I have read such guff about wildflowers that I would say 50% of all failure is due to misinformation and lies. The best advice comes from full-time wildflower growers or professionals with a proven track record over many different sites, and these days there are many. To help you make more informed decisions about what works and what doesn't with native wildflower meadows, I’ve compiled a list of commonly held myths. If you don't agree or have a different opinion, please contact me directly.
“50% of all failure is due to misinformation and lies” 44
IF YOU JUST CHUCK THE SEEDS OVER THE WALL THEY WILL GROW Wildflower meadows took hundreds of years to evolve, they need management and maintenance, they need some site preparation.
MIX SEED WITH SAND Sand is far heavier than seed and usually damp, meaning it sticks clumps of seed together. Instead learn to sow just seed or use dry crushed oats mixed in to help you identify where the seed is.
YOU CAN SOW INTO GRASS You can sow into an existing sward or you can 'plough up' a fresh growing sward and sow wildflowers. If you turn a grass sod over without 'killing it off' the grass will eventually recover and in doing so you enrich the soil and improve the grass so it out competes the flora. Ploughing and rotavating also often brings up a buried layer of weeds, especially dock which ruins a meadow. Deep Ploughing can work well. Also, you can’t you just scatter wildflower into grass, especially over commercial vigorous grass which is bred to out compete the weeds and sown at such high rates there Is no room for weeds to grow. One way around this is to stop feeding a sward for a few years, prior to sowing, 'scratch harrow' the surface. You can then establish a limited species meadow in Autumn. If you sow the semi-parasitic species such as Red Bartsia, Eyebright and Yellow Rattle whose roots
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absorb water and minerals from its host, they reduce the spread and vigour of meadow grasses by 50%. As parasitic species are often upright growers they cannot tolerate summer grazing or cutting below the top most flower buds. Autumn is the best time to sow these species as winter breaks down the seed coat ready for spring. I recommend sowing the seed of these species close together in patches onto bare soil as the seedlings help each other to establish in the difficult grassy environment.
YOU NEED POOR SOIL Poor soil produces great meadows, but rich soil can also. The Shannon Callow’s are some of the very best species-rich meadows on some of Ireland's most fertile soils. They can survive because of late grazing and then winter flooding. Mostly the summer flowering species are taller than the surrounding grasses, so they can out-compete them. These tall species have deep roots that grow below the root zone of the grasses avoiding competition. Gardeners know that lawns with fertile soils grow dandelion, daisy, plantain, selfheal, yarrow and buttercups, and the more these are cut, the more weeds can establish. Many of these small species spread sideways and early on smother the grass with wide broad leaves. So, the choice on fertile soil is either cut short and often or leave very tall provided there is enough species diversity of stiff plants to hold up the meadow in summer storms.
STRIP THE TOPSOIL
C-profile subsoils are very low nutrient, compact, with water running off the smeared surface that it's difficult to even sow the seed into the soil. More so the seedlings that do grow take years to develop beyond a few leaves and in summer growth is often yellow, especially where grasses are present. After about 10 to 15 years, wildflowers will rebuild topsoil, so why strip it off? I only recommend stripping soil if the topsoil is needed elsewhere or there is no alternative.
GRASS TAKES OVER We have all seen grasses smother a meadow. Why? Because the existing grass species are commercial vigorous strains such as rye grass. Typically, its sown very heavily, as in the case of those UK 80% grass 20% flora mixtures designed for eastern England chalky soil where the grass dies back in hot summers. If a meadow is established with lots of annuals to check the grass in the first year and allow deep rooting perennial species to germinate under the 'nurse crop' then the meadow will succeed.
THEY MUST BE CUT, OR THEY DON’T NEED ANY CUTTING Most meadows should be cut once, and everything raked up as soon as you can. Tall bird attracting meadows can be cut and cleared in early spring. Short meadows can be topped every six to eight weeks, short flora is ideal for honey bees as they need flowers.
WILDFLOWERS DON’T GROW
While stripping away topsoil will greatly help on unnatural high fertility, weedy sites or with a seed bank of unwanted weeds, you must leave a layer of friable second B-profile 'weed root free' soil for the seed to germinate into. Most true
Far too often imported seed is stored for too long in UK, French or Dutch warehouses and is stale. It’s then sold cheap 'dumped' into Ireland as we have no regulations or enforcement of the few laws that apply unlike other countries.
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INSIGHT / 13 70% of all imported seed is not native provenance seed. Most so called 'wildflower' is commercially grown and has lost its wild 'seed trigger', meaning that if it doesn't germinate at once like lettuce seed, it will not germinate over the years when conditions are best-suited, which is why true native species will grow. Far too often they grow, but are not cut and managed properly, but it’s easier for the contractor to blame someone else.
WILDFLOWERS ONLY GROW FOR ONE YEAR Most grass-free wildflower meadow mixtures contain annuals, biennials and perennials. The annuals grow first and fast and provide nurse crop conditions for all other species. In the second year, the biennials emerge which are then followed by perennials. While some perennials germinate and grow in the early stage, most take a few years. By then the customer is disillusioned as the meadow is not a 'field of tulips'! It’s your responsibility to educate your customer that meadows evolve and take time, just likes shrubs and trees. It’s the annuals that only grow for one year, go on ask yourself why!
YOU CAN GROW A MEADOW IN SHADE No, you can grow a flora in the shade or semi shade, but not a meadow, most meadow plants need at least six hours midday sunshine if not full sunshine.
YOU CAN SCATTER WOODLAND SPECIES ONTO SOIL No woodland species need soils rich in humus.
WILDFLOWERS ARE EXPENSIVE Wildflowers cost between 15 to 36 cent per square metre for the seed and greatly reduce the management, inputs and cutting regimes so that over five years they are the lowest cost alternative to sowing grass and never cutting it.
NATIVE IS NATIVE 100% Irish origin seed has to be collected in Ireland, from Irish parent materials. It’s not that it's native that counts, it's that its provenance is Irish. Native seed can be native to another country and sold here as native. Ask for DAFM certification and proof that they are either wild collected or grown in Ireland. Yes, I would say that but then again, as we are the only company in the world to guarantee our wild seed to three or five years depending, I can guarantee our mixtures because they grow, or I would not still be in business.
substitute it with fillers, mix it with inappropriate grass seed, destroy it by leaving too long to drown in the hydroseeder. Another reason why wildflowers don’t grow is that they sat in a van during hot weather and cooked. In other cases, the seed was just spread a bit here and there and you expect a full meadow. Then there are those who sow it too deep, or just onto the surface without the seed contacting the soil. The worst guff I hear from those who should know better, and it clearly identifies the industries lack of willingness to question where they get their info from, "when you cut it, leave the cuttings on the ground for a few days to shed the seeds". First, flowers and seed grow all summer over a range of species and within species over long flowering periods, most seeds have already been shed, such advice only applies to July and early August cuts of a meadow. Secondly, as you cut it, more seed is shaken out and falls. And yes, a few days on the ground would help release more seed... but who can ever get a contractor back to clear up, especially a farmer with a cutting bar. So, get the whole job done at once, cut, rake up and remove the cuttings, then harrow over the surface to scratch the soil so that with the sudden onslaught of sunlight those dormant seeds can grow.
THERE ARE NO SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES There are many examples across the country which serve as positive examples of how following best practices yields positive results. For me, probably the best meadow we supplied seed for was Cabinteely Park under the direction of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown. They started on poor soil, cut it every year and over twenty years later it’s stunning and saved a fortune in maintenance. When it first grew, letters were sent in 'to have it cut, it’s so unsightly!' Years after, when the park lads cut the pathways in the meadows, the same people complained about cutting their meadow: You can’t win. Another great success is on many Eskers for NPWS and Offaly Co Co, where we have established floras that are identical to the local native floras. In one case which really reflects excellent practice, we collected seeds from protected species nearby. Along with these, there are countless examples created by private gardeners. If you want to establish a meadow, know your site, do your homework, use certified seed, the correct methods of sowing and maintenance, and if you have any questions, ask an expert: That’s what we’re here for. ✽
SANDRO'S DESIGN BY NATURE SEEDS FAIL TO GROW Our seed is tested by Dafm and can be seen growing at our farms and for our clients all across Ireland. We have less than 2.5% failures in 30 years. Only once did we have to give a customer their money back as much of the soil on site was polluted with diesel. Mainly our seed has failed after we sell it, and it’s out of our control, as we all know there are those in the industry who then
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SANDRO CAFOLLA is Ireland’s leading expert on native wildflower species and has been creating meadows in Ireland for over 25 years. He can be contacted through his website www.wildflowers.ie or via email at info@wildlfowers.ie
14 / RESEARCH
THE VERSATILITY OF EUCALYPTUS ial uses of rc e m m o c any nd usses the m ecies in Irela c p is s d e c h s t a n g o a rch lton of Te t and resea s re te Andy Whe in t n re and the cur Eucalyptus
N
ative to Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, Eucalypts are widely cultivated throughout tropical and temperate areas including North and South America, Europe, Africa, China and India. They were first brought to the UK in seed form in 1774 to Kew with the first report of Eucalyptus planting in Ireland of Eucalyptus globulus at Garron Tower, Antrim in 1857. There are more than 700 species ranging from shrubs to 80-100m tall trees. Eucalypts provide a great variety of leaf and stem colour, bark and flowers. Most, however, can be kept as shrubs by cutting back each or every other year. This does no harm to the plant and their powers of regeneration are simply remarkable. They have this ability due to natural regeneration after fire or grazing in their native Australasia. A sense of maturity can quickly be brought to a new garden and the rapid growth of Eucalyptus can soon cover an eyesore.
Eucalyptus leaf as it unfolds from the parent growing tip. These are called naked buds and are capable of rapid growth as soon as the parent leaf unfolds. The ones nearer the tips continue to produce new growth without limit and in the axil of each new leaf is another naked bud. The number of leaves that can separate from the growing tip is indefinite and the naked buds expand simultaneously. Another feature of their growth is that they also develop lignotubers. They start life as swellings in the axils of the cotyledons or first few seedling leaves and tend to fold down the stem and bury themselves beneath the soil. They can produce very many leafy shoots if the crown is destroyed and will replace the original stem. They have this ability due to natural regeneration after fire or grazing in their native Australasia. Given the climate in Ireland, these evergreens continue to grow almost all year round and photosynthesise immediately once weather conditions are suitable.
HARDINESS
AROMA
the severe winter of 2009/10, when Ireland experienced some of the lowest winter temperatures ever recorded, Eucalyptus niphophila survived -17C in southern counties. However, some provenances of E. nitens were damaged. The importance of the correct selection of provenance cannot be overemphasised. Hardiness increases as the leaves change from juvenile to adult and the stem girth increases.
COMMERCIAL USES
Key to the success of Eucalyptus is that seed is sourced from the correct provenance (exact place of origin) to ensure survival in our temperate conditions. Different provenances of the same species can differ considerably in their performance and survival. In general, only the stock of high-altitude Australasian origin should be sourced. In some cases, the environment they experience here is kinder than their natural habitat. The majority are hardy down to -14C and -18C . During
GROWTH
Eucalypts have evolved particularly successful ways of producing shoots which helps to explain their capacity for rapid growth and regeneration. These habits are quite unlike our native trees. Buds are present in the axil of every
All Eucalyptus have oil-producing glands in their leaves which give their characteristic odour. They may also be in the bark and in the flowers. There are more than 15 essential oils found in the Eucalyptus genera with between one and four found in different combinations and quantities, in turn, producing a slightly different aroma for each one. The Aborigines found that oils from certain Eucalyptus had a beneficial effect on colds, influenza, toothache, headaches, fevers and skin soars. Eucalyptus oil is widely used for cleaning, as an antiseptic, for de-odorising and in foods such as cough drops and toothpaste. Certain oils are also used in the perfumery, drugs, disinfectants and deodorants.
CUT FOLIAGE – Over 100 ha of Eucalyptus is cultivated in the South of Ireland for the floristry trade at home and abroad. A sheltered site is a prime requirement without which the young foliage, as it meets in the rows can
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REASEARCH / 14 rub against one another causing damage to the growing tips. After two seasons, cutting commences in October and continues until March in mild areas.
JUVENILE AND ADULT FOLIAGE
Perhaps not fully understood, but there is a substantial difference between the juvenile, intermediate and adult foliage in some of the Eucalypts, e.g. E. perenniana. After two-three years the tree will stop making juvenile foliage altogether where the leaves tend to be broader and more upright with a brighter colour as opposed to when the leaves become adult they are longer, more drooped and duller in colour. If you require only the juvenile foliage, the only way is to coppice or cut back to a stump or frame at the end of March after at least two full seasons growth. This will force the tree to produce the suitable leaf shape desired by the florist trade. Whilst the main demand is for juvenile foliage with E. parvula and E. glaucescens being the main species, there are markets for some adult foliage and E. coccifera is suited for this purpose and should be pruned and not coppiced. Planting distance is commonly 1.5m giving 102 plants per ha.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF PESTS
In Ireland, Psyllid (Ctenarytaina eucalypti) and an exotic leaf beetle pest, Paropsisterna selmani pose a risk to commercial Eucalyptus crops whether for foliage or other use including forestry. Psyllids (both adults and nymphs) can become established on the bloom of tender glaucous juvenile foliage where they surround themselves with a woolly excretion which is a mixture of honeydew and cast skins. Young trees or coppice regrowth is at most risk. The Eucalyptus beetle is a relatively new pest and can be more damaging on adult foliage. Gaining an understanding of the phenology of these pests and developing bio-control strategies have been the subject of PhD studies in recent years. A parasitic wasp (Psyllaephagus pilosus) has been introduced under licence to control Psyllid where the female wasp parasitizes the Eucalyptus psyllid exclusively. The parasitic wasp Enoggera nassaui has been tested as a bio-control agent for use on the leaf beetle with success and its introduction into commercial plantations is the next step in ensuring a sustainable control strategy in the future. Careful monitoring and management of biological control agents is vital to their successful performance in outdoor crops. Glycerined foliage – successful methods have been developed for preserving Eucalyptus foliage through the use of Glycerine and dyes. Adding value to foliage by glittering and painting is an area that continues to be developed. Carbon sink – this is the fashionable term given to forests because of their major role in the planetary recycling of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Through photosynthesis, plants will combine carbon dioxide and water to produce
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sugars needed for growth. Therefore, they are critical in the adsorption of the rising levels of CO2 which lead to the greenhouse effect. Eucalyptus plantations can produce as much as ten times as much sustainable harvest as can native virgin forest and consequently absorb much higher amounts of CO2 .
EUCALYPTUS AS A WOOD FUEL
In recent times we have heard a lot about renewable energy and biomass. Willow and miscanthus have been promoted as energy crops for the production of wood chip and wood pellets. With the recent interest in the use of timber for wood fuel, Eucalyptus offers several environmental advantages over fossil fuel. Eucalyptus produces high volumes of dense timber suitable for wood chip, pellets and fire wood logs. One of the characteristics of Eucalyptus is that the wood splits easily which makes it a delight to use for chopped firewood and an attractive proposition for owners of log burning stoves. 0.6 acres of Eucalyptus would give approximately the same heat value as 1000 litres of oil on an annual basis. i.e. 0.6 acres would produce equivalent energy as 8000 litres of oil when harvested at the end of eight years. Given the ability of the species to coppice, after felling the tree stumps will produce new growth which when thinned out to a single stem will give a new crop of timber after another eight years. This process can be repeated to give a third and final crop after which you must replant. One planting of Eucalyptus could, therefore, give you a 24-year rotation with three harvests if species that reliably coppice are used. There is currently a support programme from DAFM for growing trees including Eucalyptus species such as nitens and rodwayi amongst others for use as a domestic fuel.
HEDGING OR IN TUBS
Certain species with the smaller size of adult leaf and a tendency to keep their lower branches can make an attractive 2-3 m hedge. The species coccinea and archeri are good examples. Pruning management, however, is important to maintain shape and this should start at the end of the second season’s growth to begin to shape them for a hedge. Remove a third of the height and cut to an inverted ‘V’ shape removing some of the side branches in September or April. The following year remove a third of the height again in a similar way shaping into an inverted ‘V’. Once the hedge has reached the required height cut back every year in
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2019
14 / RESEARCH September or April. Eucalyptus can also be grown in tubs but remember they grow fast and to accommodate the related root growth you must be prepared to re-pot into larger pots as the plant grows or alternatively prune as described for hedging.
‘NEW LEAVES’ RESEARCH
Given the current interest in Eucalyptus particularly for foliage and other uses, a DAFM funded project ‘New Leaves’ aims at improving and perfecting propagation methods through micropropagation and vegetative techniques to allow for rapid bulking of plant material of elite clones. The propagation work is also looking at using technologies to develop new lines specifically for cut foliage and is being led by Teagasc propagation expert Dr. Gerry Douglas and Dr. Farhana Alfrose of Teagasc Ashtown with the support of technician David Wallace in the glasshouse unit at Kildalton College. This innovative work is exciting those in the industry and the market and there will be an opportunity to see how the research work is progressing along with other aspects of Eucalyptus cultivation at a focused event due to be held on the 15 August in Kildalton College. The event should interest
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those growing Eucalyptus for ornamental purposes including hardy nursery stock, landscaping and cut foliage but also for forestry and biomass. ✽ PHOTOS PIC 1. EUCALYPTUS COCCIFERA WHICH IS USED FOR FOLIAGE OR CAN BE SHAPED FOR HEDGING. PIC 2. COPPICED PLANTATION OF EUCALYPTUS GROWN FOR CUT FOLIAGE IN CO. KERRY PIC 3. DANIELLE BOLAND, DAVID WALLACE, DR. FARHANA ALFROSE AND DR. GERRY DOUGLAS EVALUATING THE PROPAGATION OF EUCALYPTUS UNDER THE ‘NEW LEAVES’ PROJECT AT KILDALTON COLLEGE. PIC 4. EUCALYPTUS IS GAINING POPULARITY AS A WOOD FUEL WHICH OFFERS SEVERAL ADVANTAGES OVER FOSSIL FUELS. PIC 5. EUCALYPTUS PSYLLID (CTENARYTAINA EUCALYPTI) CAN BE DAMAGING ON EUCALYPTUS IS GROWN FOR CUT FOLIAGE BUT BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS ARE AVAILABLE.
Andy Whelton M Sc Ag Sc is a horticultural development officer in the Teagasc Horticultural Development Department based in Teagasc Clonakilty College and is specialist adviser on ornamental cut foliage. He has spearheaded the developments in cut foliage as a new sector in commercial horticulture. He also works closely with outdoor vegetables and protected crop businesses in Munster and south Leinster. You can contact Andy via andy.whelton@teagasc.ie.
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EDUCATION / 15
EUROPEAN STUDY TOUR
John Mulhern, Principal of the National Botanic Gardens reports in from a recent student tour of the Netherlands and Belgium
THE STUDY GROUP AT PALEIS HET LOO
I
n April of this year the staff and students from Teagasc, College of Amenity Horticulture in the National Botanic Gardens and Kildalton travelled to the Netherlands and Belgium to visit some of the best horticultural destinations Europe has to offer. The tour began with a visit to Royal Flora Holland, the flower auctions in Aalsmeer. From the elevated walkway, which spans the length of the giant warehouse, we witnessed the hustle and bustle of what is the world’s largest flower auction in action. Thirty million plants are sold on a daily basis, exporting mainly to Germany, the United Kingdom and France. The logistics of how a warehouse the size of 220 football fields runs and operates is a thing to behold and left each one of us impressed with the magnitude of the operation. From Aalsmeer, we travelled south to Belgium to visit a rare and special tree nursery. Solitair tree nursery specialises in the production of trees with diverse shapes and sizes. Here we received a passionate and very insightful tour by Valarie Cools, the daughter of Dirk Cools, who originally founded the company that he now operates with Valarie and his other daughter Emma. Solitair was a visit which really captured the student's imagination, a very unique tree nursery who’s plant material ends up in large landscape projects all over Europe including Ireland. On the second day of our trip, we began with a visit to Batowue nursery, a very different operation to that of Solitair. Batouwe was established by brothers, Willem and Henk Huibers in 2005 and specialise in the production of P9 grafts. We visited their Dodeswaard site consisting of five hectares
50
of cutting comprising of mainly common and unusual tree and shrub varieties. Willem explained some of the new techniques they employ in the nursery, such as the Air Pot U system, that allows plants to generate a fibrous root system quickly and that secures better establishment upon planting in the fields. Batouwe produces over four million plants a year, of which two-million are P9’s. They export to over 25 countries worldwide. Our next visit was the royal gardens of Paleis Het Loo, a Dutch garden with impressive fountains and symmetrical parterres in the Apeldoorn region. A guided tour of the magnificent gardens and palace was given to us by one of the conservationists at the Paleis. Our tour guide, Emma explained how thousands of meters of boxwood hedging in the formal gardens had to be replaced in recent years after becoming infected with box blight. On the final morning of our trip, we visited the Hortus Botanicus and Bloomenmarket in Amsterdam. Finally, no trip to Amsterdam would be complete without a visit to the world-famous tulip fields, to witness the blanket of colour that dominates the landscape for the month of April each year. For more information on available courses please contact the College in the Botanics. ✽
JOHN MULHERN has worked with Teagasc for more than 23 years, primarily in an educational capacity. He is the current principal of the College of Amenity Horticulture, National Botanic Gardens, Dublin.
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