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
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