Horticulture Connected Winter 2020 Volume 7 Issue 3

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED

Winter 2020

News, analysis and trends in landscape, garden retail & edible horticulture

PLANT HEALTH: A NURSERYMAN’S PERSPECTIVE THE IMPLICATIONS, CONCERNS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN IRELAND THE IRISH LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE DESIGN AWARD WINNERS 2020 CELEBRATING LANDSCAPE DESIGN NORTH AND SOUTH PREPARING FOR BREXIT BORD BIA’S ACTION PLAN FOR THE HORTICULTURE INDUSTRY SHOOTING GARDENS PRO PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS TO ENHANCE YOUR GARDEN DESIGN PORTFOLIO

Volume 7 Issue 3

Nangle&Niesen wholesale nursery

Irish grown mature & semi-mature trees

STRATEGIC AGILITY

c: 64, m: 23, y: 90, k: 41

c: 44, m: 16, y: 90, k: 0 Font: Agenda-Light

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 / Winter 2020

01 / EDITORIAL

LOOKING FORWARD

H

ow do you write an editorial about Brexit for a print magazine that will take a week to print and post? What's fact today may be different tomorrow but the advice from Bord Bia, Teagasc and DAFM is real and all

businesses need to follow it, regardless of what Brexit pans out to be. We urge you to heed their advice and to use the remainder of 2020 to make sure your business is compliant with all customs and plant health regulations.

It has been a long and gruelling year for many of us, as we grappled with the drastic and massive changes that the pandemic has wrought upon us. Many of us have had to adapt swiftly and decisively to the pandemic, both personally and professionally including the team here at HC. One of our own

What do people working in

changes has been the addition of a dedicated horticulture

horticulture do when they are not doing horticulture? Answer:

recruitment service led by specialist Sam Barrett. He covers

More horticulture or may even Bonsai! Michael Guerin and Dr

some of the main issues when it comes to attracting and

Karen O’Hanlon attempt to explain what drives the passion

retaining staff in an ever more difficult hiring environment.

for little trees.

Also in this edition the ILI Design Awards showcase all

Barry Lupton looks back over the life and career of the

that is great in Ireland's design sectors. Our very own HC

recently deceased Peter O’Brien Snr. In a career spanning

photographer Vincent McMonagle tells us why professional

many years he built a business that was and remains at the

photography is so important when it comes to selling your

forefront of the developing landscape sector in Ireland. May

services to prospective customers.

he rest in peace.

The GLDA have announced their annual seminar Designing

The magazine would not be possible without our advertisers

in Challenging Times ‘A shift in Perspective’ will be going

and the ongoing support we received from both Teagasc. Bord

ahead in February 2021. It's a virtual offering this year but

Bia and DAFM in 2020. We thank our writers and of course

no doubt the quality lineup of speakers will still be able to

you, our subscribers and readers. We wish everyone a Happy

attract a sizable audience and engage the design community

Christmas and a Prosperous Covidless 2021.

regardless of the medium being used.

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED

News, Analysis and Trends In Landscape, Garden Retail & Edible Horticulture

HorticultureConnected.ie for daily news updates

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED

Winter 2020

News, analysis and trends in landscape, garden retail & edible horticulture

PLANT HEALTH: A NURSERYMAN’S PERSPECTIVE THE IMPLICATIONS, CONCERNS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN IRELAND THE IRISH LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE DESIGN AWARD WINNERS 2020 CELEBRATING LANDSCAPE DESIGN NORTH AND SOUTH PREPARING FOR BREXIT BORD BIA’S ACTION PLAN FOR THE HORTICULTURE INDUSTRY SHOOTING GARDENS PRO PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS TO ENHANCE YOUR GARDEN DESIGN PORTFOLIO

Volume 7 Issue 3

Fumbally Exchange Argus House, Blackpitts, Dublin 8, D08 Y273, Ireland +353 (0)87 921 2044

HC TEAM ✽

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED

AUTUMN/WINTER 2019

News, analysis and trends in landscape, garden retail & edible horticulture

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED

Summer 2019

News, analysis and trends in landscape, garden retail & edible horticulture

MAKING THE PHOENIX BLOOM BARRY LUPTON INTERVIEWS GARY GRAHAM

CHANGING THE RETAIL CLIMATE

WHY ARE YOU IN BUSINESS?

TERRY O’REGAN REACHES RETIREMENT AND ASKS THAT VITAL QUESTION?

THE THERAPEUTIC USE OF HORTICULTURE IN IRELAND RACHEL FREEMAN REVIEWS THE INAUGURAL SYMPOSIUM ON SOCIAL AND THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE

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

MITTELSTAND LESSONS FROM GERMANY

DÓNALL FLANAGAN SHARES INSIGHTS FROM GERMAN NURSERIES STUDY TOUR

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED Spring 2019

News, analysis and trends in landscape, garden retail & edible horticulture

Due to the current Covid 19 Public Health Emergency, we are giving free access to the Digital version of the magazine.

it at https://horticultureconnected.ie/horticulture-connected-print/digital News, AnalysisAccess and Trends In Landscape, Garden Retail & Edible Horticulture AVOIDING THE PITFALLS

COLM KENNY DIGS DEEP ON URBAN TREES

GARDENING ON A THE EDGE

PATRICIA TYRELL REVIEWS THE RECENT GLDA SEMINAR

ALCI AWARDS 2019

IRELAND'S LEADING CONTRACTORS ANNOUNCED

Volume 6 Issue 3

Volume 6 Issue 2

Volume 6 Issue 1

Editor: Heather Campbell editor@horticulture.ie Consulting Editor: Barry Lupton consultingeditor@horticulture.ie Creative Director: Tanya Gilsenan tanya@horticulture.ie Recruitment Content Solutions: Sam Barrett - sam@horticulture.ie Web Design: Gillian Laffery Sales: Joseph Blair sales@horticulture.ie Cover Photo: Ira Ostafiichuk

Printers: Azure Communations Print Run: 3,000 copies Distribution: Readership of 10,000 across Ireland to businesses and professionals in the following sectors: Landscape Architects / Garden Retail / Florists / Nurseries / Greenkeepers / Sports Surfaces / Local Authorities & Parks Departments / Machinery / Education / Edible Horticulture Publishers: Horticulture Connected Ltd www.HorticultureConnected.ie

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

1

CONTENTS

CONTENTS NEWS 03

P18

Horticulture News

35 BONSAI IN IRELAND: A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE

OPINION

07 LIVING WITH PESTS AND DISEASES

Retired landscape horticulturist, Terry O’Regan, continues his series of articles reflecting on his adventures in the landscape sector

38 RECRUITMENT FOR HORTICULTURE

BORD BIA

Design Award Winners 2020

08 All the latest news from Bord Bia

RECRUITMENT SPECIAL

P8

22

Growing your career and business

JOBS 28

Latest horticulture jobs from Horticulture.Jobs

40 YOUR GARDEN CENTRE AS A BRAND

29 PREPARING FOR BREXIT

10

All the latest new from Teagasc

12 PLANT HEALTH: A NURSERYMAN’S PERSPECTIVE

Vincent McMonagle shares his pro tips on how to enhance your garden portfolio with professional style photography

P30

John Murphy reflects on the implications, concerns and also the opportunities for plant health in Ireland

42 HUMBLE HYDRANGEA

Dónall Flanagan explains how Hydrangea producers are adapting to increasing demand for novelty colours and long flowering periods

EDIBLES

45 NEW STRAWBERRY VARIETIES ENTERING THE MARKET

14 TREE NURSERY OPEN DAY

Products, services, companies, even people can be branded, but is your garden centre a recognised brand?

Asks Andy Campbell

RESEARCH

30 SHOOTING GARDENS

NURSERY

Michal Slawski outlines Bord Bia’s Brexit action plan for the horticulture industry

Sam Barrett explains what makes a recruitment service the ideal place to match top horticulture candidates with the right employer

RETAIL

INSIGHT

TEAGASC

Bonsai cultivation is an often misunderstood practice, here Michael Guerin and Dr Karen O’Hanlon attempt to explain what drives the passion for little trees

Dr Eamonn Kehoe discusses some of the new strawberry varieties that are making their way into the soft fruit market.

P45

Michal Slawski reports on the recent socially distanced open day at Nangle & Niesen’s wholesale tree nursery in Aherla, County Cork

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND THE MARINE 16

All the latest news from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)

AWARDS

18 The Irish Landscape Institute

2

32 PERMACULTURE – NOT JUST FOR HIPPIES

Féidhlim Harty explores the marriage of science and art that brought about an ethical and principled design revolution

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

INTERVEW 47

Barry Lupton pays tribute to the passing of Peter O'Brien Snr

02 / NEWS BLOOMING WILDFLOWER SALES FOR DESIGN BY NATURE

Design By Nature, Ireland's long-established Irish wildflower grower, is celebrating another great year of increasing sales and customer numbers.

Sandro Cafolla, founder of Design By Nature comments, “While the 2019 autumn rain and 2020 summer rain put our crops under serious pressure, the late 2020 summer sunshine helped save much, and the barns - while not bulging - are full with seed.”

Covid-19 and slow internet rates delayed the testing and launch of their new website, however web development will resume over the winter with an expected launch date pushed out to February, 2021.

Brexit will cause huge challenges to competitors who import UK wildflower, says Sandro. “While this is a great opportunity for us, it is off-set by more exacting demands on product specification, species and performance. Already new entrants, in trade, retail and giftware markets, are examining the gap in the market. While some will only sell native Irish, others will not.

“The horizon is bright, yet it will be many years before these crops can be mass-produced on a scale to reduce price and better regularise supply. Until those new entrants on the horizon come in on the tide, and invest in production, we are committed to conservation first, keeping wild plants wild while selling first and second generation wild seeds.

“Increasing our production and scale-up is not easily solved. There are only so many harvest days and only so many products that can be hand and craft harvested. This micro SME capability is based on the skill level of each employee, and most take individual instruction for three years to learn the many varied aspects of the work. Our long-term staff of four manages about 10 satellite farms and production centres and all sales.

“There is always employment here for knowledgeable horticulturists who can also advise and support our customers. Our next recruitment window is February 2021.”

Seasons greetings from this small horticultural team, Sandro and the Seed Heads. www.wildflowers.ie. ✽

PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE BUSINESS As part of the same aim Féidhlim Harty, founder of FHWS, has written for Permanent Publications in the UK; producers of Permaculture Magazine and a range of practical eco-friendly books. Septic Tank Options and Alternatives and Permaculture Guide to Reed Beds both examine practical solutions for wastewater treatment. Towards Zero Waste looks at household waste and how and why to reduce it. All part of the same goal towards a cleaner world. wetlandsystems.ie. ✽

NEWS

When FH Wetland Systems (FHWS) was set up in 1996, the aim was to clean up Cork Harbour. Still to achieve that goal, the company has worked on cleaning up watercourses around the country, as and when the opportunity arises.

Not enough to simply clean up water, FHWS’ aim is to have low to zero energy inputs, sequester carbon, provide wildlife habitat and sometimes firewood, fertiliser or compost as a by-product. These multiple outputs from a potentially resource-intensive waste management process is permaculture in action.

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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NEWS / 02 HORTICULTURE STUDENT NUMBERS ON RISE AT TEAGASC COLLEGE

STUDENTS ON A PRACTICAL PLANT WALK IN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS WITH TUTOR LOUISE JONES

Teagasc College recently held a virtual event to promote its courses and studying for a qualification in Horticulture.

College Principal John Mulhern, along with colleagues Louise Jones, Christopher Heavey, James Brady and Paddy Smith gave presentations on the college courses and the student activities in the Horticultural College. This hour-long event was broadcast via Zoom. Attendees were able to participate in the Q&A session towards the end of the event.

This academic year, the college is operating a blended learning format whereby students take live lectures online and attend in small socially-distanced groups to the practical events in both the National Botanic Gardens and Teagasc Ashtown.

Numbers participating in Horticulture courses at Teagasc College have risen this year and overall there is a high level of satisfaction among students in the courses they are following.

Anyone interested in a career in Horticulture contact the college directly through the Teagasc website. ✽

STUDENT WORKING IN ASHTOWN WORKSHOP ON A TORO MOWER

NEWS

BLENDED HORTICULTURE AT UCD AND NEW APPOINTMENTS

4

University College Dublin (UCD) has been operating at the equivalent of level IV of the Covid-19 emergency procedures since the beginning of this autumn’s trimester. Most lectures are delivered online and some students have a blended experience with face-to-face practical sessions or virtual online laboratory sessions. Many of the

international horticulture students have remained in their home countries and now receive their lectures online at the same time as their Irish colleagues. From September 2021 the UCD Horticulture programme will have a single entry under CAO code DN 250. Dr Caroline Elliott-Kingston, Assistant Professor, has been appointed Head of Horticulture and Programme Director at UCD and two new lecturer positions in Sportsturf and Amenity horticulture will shortly be advertised. ✽

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

DR CAROLINE ELLIOTT-KINGSTON, HEAD OF HORTICULTURE AND PROGRAMME DIRECTOR AT UCD

02 / NEWS

AUTUMN LAWN CARE FROM GOLDCORP

This year’s Covid-19 crisis meant that many families spent the year making full use of their back gardens.

Barry Murray, MSc Chief Agronomist at Goldcrop Ltd says, “While the weather has

been kind enough to allow us use this extra outdoor room it has meant that the family lawn has been heavily used throughout the year. Now is the perfect time to give the lawn a bit of TLC to ensure it looks the best coming out of the winter.

“Moss control can be carried out in shady areas using either sulphate of iron or liquid Moss Out. Moss Out can be applied with either a watering can or a LANDSCAPER PRO AUTUMN knapsack sprayer.

AND WINTER FEED – IDEAL “The whole lawn would FOR A TIRED benefit from a good feed such FAMILY LAWN as Landscaper Pro Autumn and Winter Feed. This is a professional grade fertiliser designed for the amateur user and gives up to three months’ nutrient release making it perfect for domestic lawns as pictured.”

For more information email Goldcrop: barry.murray@goldcrop.ie or phone: (021) 4882800). ✽

ANDY CAMPBELL CONSULTING LAUNCHES BRAND NEW WEBSITE

“I have been advising clients on business development for nearly two decades, so I thought it was high time I put some of this into practise within my own business,” commented Andy. “We have been busy over the spring and summer months working remotely, but we are looking forward to supporting the gardening sector in whatever way we can.” The website address is www. andycampbellconsulting.co.uk. ✽

NEWS

As we look forward to emerging from the most uncertain trading period in the recent history of garden centre retailing, the time is right to take a long, hard look at your business to determine whether it is fit for purpose in tomorrow’s commercial environment.

To coincide with these unprecedented times Andy Campbell Consulting have totally rebranded and redesigned their website to enhance its content, appearance and navigation. While nearly all new business to this specialist business development consultancy practice comes from word-of-mouth referral, the website is often used as a point of reference and information source by potential clients.

The website features comprehensive detail about Andy’s skills and experience, the services offered, past and present clients, along with numerous testimonials from across the industry.

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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02 / BAYER ADVERTORIAL

GREENKEEPER FINDS SUCCESS WITH NEW PREVENTATIVE FUNGICIDE Bayer’s latest fungicide to hit the Irish market, Signature Xtra, has provided one golf course superintendent with a radical preventative solution to the two most problematic turf diseases: Anthracnose and Microdochium Patch.

SIGNATURE XTRA WAS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENHANCED NATURAL COLOUR OF THE GREENS AT BRAY GOLF CLUB.

MICRODOCHIUM PATCH.

John Bishop from Bray Golf Club started using Signature Xtra earlier this year in advance of an upcoming competition to guard against known infection risks and ensure the turf reached optimum condition.

“The first application of Signature Xtra went on in June and since then we’ve hardly had any cases of Anthracnose and patches that have occurred have been less aggressive than in previous seasons,” says John.

John says he has made a total of three applications of Signature Xtra, with the applications timed to coincide with periods of high summer stress such as drought, heat and wind.

“The wet and mild weather conditions that we’ve experienced recently would historically cause Microdochium Patch to thrive in the autumn, but with Signature Xtra it’s been a different story.

“To date, we’ve had no Microdochium Patch or persisting symptoms of summer stress,” he adds.

Signature Xtra Stressgard is the first true systemic fungicide to offer shoot-to-root protection and is the most advanced formulation produced to date.

The Stressgard formulation technology in Signature Xtra is scientifically proven to improve plant health and prevent disease. As a result,

golfer satisfaction and experience has increased as has the consistency of the playing surface.

John explains that he’s made no other changes to his management programme, so the applications of Signature Xtra are solely responsible for the enhanced natural colour of the greens. He adds that the change has been to such a degree that golf club members have commented on the improved visual appearance of the playing surface.

“I have confidence in Signature Xtra and know the turf is less stressed and susceptible to disease. I'm really pleased with the results I have seen, and the greens are looking great going into autumn,” concludes John. ✽ SIGNATURE XTRA STRESSGARD - THE FIRST TRUE SYSTEMIC FUNGICIDE TO OFFER SHOOT-TO-ROOT PROTECTION.

03 / OPINION

LIVING WITH PESTS AND DISEASES Retired landscape horticulturist, Terry O’Regan, continues his series of articles reflecting on his adventures in the landscape sector

W

hen a severe storm is at its height it is difficult to think beyond the fear and noise, fortunately, in Ireland, even the ‘category red’ named storms usually pass within 24 hours. The Covid-19 storm is in a different category altogether – way off the dial – its imprint on generations will probably match The Great Irish Famine – people will speak of life before Covid and life after Covid.

Depending on your age; diverse major diseases and illnesses directly or indirectly may figure in your consciousness if not your life story – Scarlet Fever, TB/ Consumption, Polio, Lung Cancer, Aids, various flu strains, the vomiting bug and more besides. Those dependent on agriculture will tell you the year and severity of Bovine TB & Foot and Mouth outbreaks and some may speak of Bird Flu and Swine Fever outbreaks.

Some such outbreaks resulted in changes in work practices, hygiene regulations or even lifestyles.

In recent weeks, four media reports caught my attention – the first linked to Covid-19 mentioned that some people who contracted the virus or had relatives who died from the virus were considering litigation against those responsible for the enterprises where the virus was contracted.

The second report concerned the arrival in Ireland of the Oak processionary moth/ caterpillars. The third report concerned Chalara ash dieback – in a depressing but comprehensive overview by Michael Viney

(Irish Times) where I noted that up to 2018, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine had expended €5.8m on a ‘reconstitution scheme’ – since abandoned.

The fourth was related again to Covid-19 when an expert repeated the view of others that “we will have to learn to live with this virus for many years!”

Linking these together set me thinking about living with pests and diseases, the cost involved, the litigation risk and what’s next? Plant diseases and pests are impacting more and more on the horticultural nursery/landscape sector with each passing year and the future looks daunting. If we listened to Donald Trump we might be tempted to spray everything with Parazone!

When I began my engagement with horticulture in the 1960’s it seemed simpler – we learned a lot about Potato Blight, we were all warned to watch out for the Colorado beetle and then there was the Tomato mozaic virus. You’d almost get nostalgic for those seemingly innocent days. Dutch elm disease was beginning to spread across Europe – thanks to an American strain that had apparently travelled to mainland Europe in the bark on timber boxes containing guns. Our suckering Elms are still dying today from the disease.

On websites today, you will readily find long lists of pests and diseases that are clamouring for entry into our gardens, woods and greenhouses. They have travelled from every corner of the world on planes and boats and trains – and trucks

PLANT DISEASES AND PESTS ARE IMPACTING MORE AND MORE ON THE HORTICULTURAL NURSERY/ LANDSCAPE SECTOR

and suitcases and more. Why were we so shocked by the rapid arrival of Covid-19?

It must be 40 years since I stood outside a lovely house in Cork’s Monkstown overlooking Cork harbour. I was explaining to a good client the possible reasons why his semi-mature beech tree had died. I suspected Honey fungus though there were no glowing mushrooms. He had assumed that trees only died of old age. It felt like either I or the tree was at fault.

When landscape designers specify plants and landscapers plant them, they like my man in Monkstown - expect them to grow to maturity, aside from a few early losses to drought or wind rock. Today we must regularly look over our shoulder to see if there is a swarm of pests of a cloud of disease hovering outside the gate.

Just as we are going to have to learn to live with Cousin Covid; we need to reflect on how to live with a hungry bunch of plant pests or diseases. It is time to develop an informed integrated strategy and we all need to be part of the process. Let the conversation begin. ✽ TERRY O’REGAN pursued a career in the Irish landscape sector for some 50 years as contractor and consultant before retiring recently. For much of that time, he was also an active advocate for the bigger picture perspective and thinking outside the landscape box. He can be contacted at 087 240 7618 and terryjoregan@gmail.com.

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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BORD BIA ezine / 04

BRING ON THE BLEND on social media – the campaign has already had a reach of 5.7 million to date this year, and 800,000 video views on the platform.

INFLUENCER To keep the continuing momentum of engagement and retention in the closing months of 2020 (Nov-Jan), the campaign will be running a partnership with MOB Kitchen to promote zerowaste mushroom-based recipes.

Waste-free cooking is a huge trend this year, with popularity increasing over lockdown. MOB Kitchen is a recipe hub for healthy, budget-friendly and sustainable recipes.

The three-year EU co-financed ‘Mushrooms Complement Everything’ promotion campaign in the UK and Ireland comes to a close in January 2021. With an annual budget of €670,000, the campaign has focused on the benefits of combining meat with chopped up mushrooms to ‘Bring on the Blend’.

The highlight of this period will be burst six of the advertising campaign running from the end of September.

This will be supported by ‘always on’ PR, Social Media and influencer activity.

The core of our Bring on the Blend campaign is to raise awareness of the

benefits of mushrooms and increase buyers amongst 25-45 years households.

PR The aim is to promote the potential of mushrooms by inspiring audiences through healthy, versatile and convenient recipes, using date hooks, popular recipes and beautiful imagery. Ten new autumn/winter recipes have been developed based on food trends, search data and calendar hooks to launch in PR, Social Media, advertising and on the website.

SOCIAL MEDIA This final burst of activity aims to build on the high coverage achieved to date

8

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

ADVERTISING The final burst of this three-year campaign will be live from 28th September – 15th November in digital media. The digital display campaign will run on websites targeting women aged 25-45, on mobile through Ogury. Video advertising will be live on YouTube and through Unruly.

The digital display creative heroes two mushroom blend dishes – a meatball pasta, and a breakfast muffin. ✽

04 /BORD BIA ezine BORD BIA’S BEST IN SEASON CAMPAIGN A research study

by The Bord Bia Thinking House in conjunction with Behaviour and Attitudes in April and May this year reported that Irish people have increased their daily intake of fruit and vegetables. Compared to a similar study carried out in 2017, daily consumption of fresh vegetables increased by 7% to 58%, with fresh fruit consumption up 6% to 51%. This growth is being driven by the 18 - 34 age group, for whom the health benefits of fresh produce is increasingly important.

However, the study also revealed that people are consuming on average 3.9 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, less than the Healthy Eating Guidelines of up to seven servings. Additionally, while 87% of consumers are eating fresh fruit and vegetables three to four times each week, just over five in ten people eat fresh produce daily.

To promote the benefits of eating locally grown, in-season fresh produce, Bord Bia launched a ‘Best in Season’ Campaign that highlights the taste, texture and vibrancy of colour of seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables.

To further encourage cooking with fresh produce, consumers can find recipe inspiration and a new interactive ‘Best in Season’ calendar on bordbia. ie outlining what produce is in season each month. Our aim is to increase awareness of the benefits of eating seasonal fruit and vegetables among consumers, along with motivating them to cook with fresh produce.

We teamed up with six influencers with a combined audience of over 310,000 people to provide recipe inspiration on Instagram, driving significant traffic to our website. A supporting communications campaign garnered extensive media coverage and a takeover of the IrishTimes.com food section resulted in over half a million impressions.’ ✽

BREXIT ACTION PLAN As December 31, approaches, it is important that Irish food and drink businesses are turning their Brexit plans into action. Bord Bia has published the fourth edition of its Brexit Action Plan, which provides practical information that Irish food and drink businesses can use to prepare for increased complexity in future trade with the UK. There are six chapters in total covering Customer Relationships, Supply Chain, Customs & Controls, Financial Resilience, Business Continuity & Emerging Risks, and Market Diversification. See: www.bordbia.ie/industry/ brexit/brexit-action-plan ✽

CATEGORY MANAGEMENT – DRIVING SUCCESS AND GROWTH WITH YOUR CATEGORY Bord Bia has created a category management process which draws on the international best practice in the development of category management strategy and plans. This approach builds a collaborative business practice between customers and suppliers and will enable mutually beneficial business growth for both parties.

The programme involves a combination of learning module delivery and expert consultation.

Participants will attend two, threehour workshop modules built upon a dedicated category management framework bespoke to our industry.

The framework will guide companies to develop a robust category management strategy for their business and enable them to develop a customer approach for negotiations resulting in business growth.

We will provide guidance and expert support on the development of a bespoke category strategy proposal for your business in between these sessions.

The programme commences in early November and places are limited. Applications may be made at www.bordbia.ie/industry/growyour-business/category-management It’s available to any company looking to grow its sales by building better customer proposals.

An introductory webinar on the Bord Bia website shows how category management is an essential business practice to enable the delivery of business growth for Irish food, drink and horticulture companies, regardless of sector and customer. ✽

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

9

TEAGASC ezine / 05

TEAGASC MUSHROOM PICKING TECHNOLOGY WEBINARS

CHRISTIAEN’S ‘DRAWER HARVESTING SYSTEM’

Mushroom growers face a constant challenge of recruiting and retaining staff to harvest crops. Labour accounts for one third of a mushroom farm’s overall cost of production. The current method of harvesting mushrooms consists of one-handed picking, manually cutting the mushroom stalk, placing the mushrooms into the punnet, weighing

the punnet to ensure it reaches the correct weight specification, labelling the punnet and placing the punnet into the crate. This process has been in place since mushroom production began. However, as availability of labour tightens, this means the industry must look at streamlining the process to gain harvesting efficiency.

Teagasc Mushroom Advisor, Donal Gernon, attempts to address this issue by hosting a mushroom picking technology webinar series featuring some of the world’s leading companies in the area of mushroom picking innovations. The webinars are exclusive to all mushroom growers and stakeholders in Ireland. Some of the interesting technologies include GTL’s ‘tilting shelf system’, Christiaen’s ‘drawer system’ and Axis Technologies’ ‘mushroom processing unit’. All these technologies are aimed at reducing labour costs by introducing twohanded picking on to conveyors which cuts the stalk and transports the mushroom to the packing area.

These systems are aiming to double the speed of picking and ultimately reduce dependence on recruiting and retaining harvesters. ✽

TEAGASC NEW APPOINTMENT Teagasc recently appointed Eoin Sweetman as Specialised Vegetable Advisor to the Horticulture Development Department in Ashtown, Dublin. Eoin will take over from Stephen Alexander who retired recently. Eoin completed a B.Ag.Sc in Horticulture from UCD in 2018, and since then has been studying a M.Ag.Sc in the Walsh Scholarship programme. His thesis ‘Factors Influencing Tillage Students’ Decision to Diversify into Horticultural Food Production’ investigated opportunities to increase participation in vegetable sector by young tillage farmers.

Eoin comes from a strong horticultural and agricultural background, in North Co. Dublin. ✽

EOIN SWEETMAN, NEWLY APPOINTED SPECIALISED VEGETABLE ADVISOR TO THE HORTICULTURE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN ASHTOWN, DUBLIN

HORTASSURE PROJECT IS LAUNCHED A new four-year study led by Teagasc and funded by DAFM, investigating key issues in the management of microbial and chemical contamination of horticultural produce has been launched. The HortAssure project will seek to support the horticultural sector in mitigating the risks associated with microbiological and chemical contamination by developing evidence-based knowledge regarding the sources of contamination. The project will look at current and new technologies to help reduce the risks of contamination. Some of this work will involve structured sampling of water sources and surfaces on commercial horticultural facilities to identify likely routes of exposure. It is by identifying potential routes of exposure that will allow the industry to take remedial actions to reduce the risk to their business and their consumers. The project team is extremely keen to work directly with horticultural producers on this project, so if you are interested in finding out more please contact either Kaye.Burgess@teagasc.ie or Michael.Gaffney@Teagasc.ie. ✽

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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

05 /TEAGASC ezine

NEW RESEARCH BEGUN INTO ADULT VINE WEEVIL CONTROL

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN! A new four-year collaboration between Teagasc (Dr Michael Gaffney), Harper Adams University (Drs Tom Pope and Joe Roberts) and Keele University (Prof. Toby Bruce) will see Walsh Scholar, Eugenia Fezza investigate

new methods for controlling adult vine weevil on commercial soft fruit and hardy nursery stock nurseries. Despite recent advances in the development of biological control agents for the control of the larval form of this pest, options

for the control of the adult are limited and it still remains an economically important pest. This new project will focus on the control of the adult vine weevil, focusing on the development of improved trapping either by the design of the trap or incorporating novel attractants or repellents into the trap. In addition, the impact of bio pesticides, particularly those previously shown to cause sterility in the adult weevil will be investigated to see how they can be deployed at a nursery level to aid in the management of the adult weevil. The project commenced in September 2020, and if any grower is interested in participating or finding out more, please feel free to contact Michael.Gaffney@Teagasc.ie. ✽

LATEST STRAWBERRY RESEARCH A zoom seminar took place on September 29, the first in a series of evening seminars, focusing on the latest strawberry research trials conducted at the Teagasc Research glasshouse in Ashtown, Co. Dublin. The research concentrated on a number of trials growing the strawberry variety ‘Malling Centenary’ over the last number of years. Studies took place in both heated and cold glasshouse units and the main emphasis of the work was to compare various nutrition regimes, plant density and planting dates on subsequent fruit yield and quality.

One of the most interesting findings was that growers could reduce their crop fertiliser inputs without any loss of crop yield or fruit quality. This would allow the crop to be grown in a more sustainable way whilst also reducing costs. For more information please contact eamonn.kehoe@teagasc.ie. ✽

SUSTAINABILITY IN HORTICULTURE SURVEY Horticulture is an economically strong and important sector for the nation’s health, and for future growth it will need to comply with certain standards for sustainability. With this view, Teagasc’s Horticulture Development Department is leading two studies to examine sustainability in the Irish horticulture industry.

The first focuses on field-based growing and the second on controlled environment growing.

The purpose of this work is to develop a participatory and inclusive research agenda to support the sector’s growth. Similar approaches have been followed by the Dutch and the New Zealand horticulture sectors.

These two studies focus on collecting sustainability views, practices, benefits, barriers and challenges in Irish horticulture. So far the field-based study has completed 16 interviews with vegetable and nursery stock/plant/ cut foliage growers from across Ireland with balanced representation across gender, organic and non-organic growers, as well as small and large scale growers. Results emanating from these studies are forthcoming in 2020 and 2021.

SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES OF IRISH HORTICULTURE SECTORS INCLUDING NURSERY STOCK, FIELD AND GLASSHOUSE CROPS

TEAGASC EVENTS • For up-todate event details, scan the QR code

Please contact Teagasc researcher Dr. Lael Walsh at lael.walsh@teagasc.ie if you wish to participate in the controlled environment study. ✽

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

11

NURSERY / 06

PLANT HEALTH:

A NURSERYMAN’S PERSPECTIVE John Murphy reflects on the implications, concerns and also the opportunities for plant health in Ireland

T

he year 2020 is the International Year of Plant Health but unfortunately, it has been overshadowed by Covid and has been under-reported. It is also ironic that in the year the industry highlights plant health Ireland had our first outbreak of Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) on imported Belgium Oak. On December 12, 2019, European plant health laws came into operation with much stricter controls on traceability. Instead of only a few species requiring plant passports, the new regulations require every plant to be passported from the original grower to the end-user and these records must be held for three years.

Other changes included the requirement for everyone involved

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OAK PROCESSIONARY MOTH TRAP ON THE NURSERY. AN INITIATIVE OF THE HORTICULTURE AND PLANT HEALTH DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

in plant trade to register with the department and follow the new regulations. This includes, among others: online traders, local authorities and landscape designers who import plants. Prior to these regulations anyone could call up an overseas nursery, buy a truck full of plants and get them delivered directly to site with no plant health concerns. Yet despite these new laws, this is still happening. I am aware of at least two landscape designers who are not registered and continue to purchase plants directly from abroad; this is now a crime and puts our environment at risk.

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

06 / NURSERY With increased communication between Landscape Architects / Designers and the nurseries and a willingness to adapt the design to availability, we can reduce the dangers of importing more problems.”

The proper implementation of the new regulations has cost nurseries money with the purchase of extra equipment, and requires on-going attention and labour. Nurseries are easy for the department to control but many other aspects of the plant trade are more difficult.

I am not a Eurosceptic, but many of the challenges we face with plant health stem from the free trade within Europe. The earliest reference to Ash Dieback that I could find was in a report from a Teagasc delegate from a meeting in 2012 where it is clearly stated that by 2007 Germany were observing a serious increase in infections. Why did we not ban the importation of Ash there and then? The answer is we cannot unilaterally ban certain plants when the plant health organisation in the exporting country deems them to be healthy. At the time of our first importation of Ash Dieback, Fraxinus did not require a plant passport and with the massive demand in Europe during the boom for Ash, chaos ensued and infected plants from Eastern Europe found their way onto Irish roads and into Irish forests.

TAKING THE INITIATIVE So, our first defence against plant pests and diseases rests in the hands of the inspectors of the exporting country. That’s reassuring. However, I will say if they are as thorough as our inspectors then we will have nothing to worry about. At present we have OPM pheromone traps on the nursery put up by the department, which is initiative-taking and reassuring for our customers.

Ireland is deemed to be a Protected Zone for OPM and therefore there are extremely strict rules concerning the importation of Oak. A quick read of the new EU rules almost requires them to be grown in a vacuum in outer space. The cultural requirements are so extreme that both Holland and Germany suspended Oak exports to Ireland and the UK in September 2019, because they knew they could not satisfy the new regulations. This was the system working properly.

So how then did we end up with OPM in a public park in South Dublin? Because not one other EU member state followed the lead of Holland and Germany, claiming therefore that their Oak was OPM-free. This is a moth native to southern Europe on the march north due to global warming with no regard for borders and known to be widespread in northern Europe. Belgium was one such country and indeed the source of the infected Oak in Dublin. While most Irish nurseries stopped importing Oak after the unilateral move by Holland and Germany it is obvious that some didn’t, leaving the door open to OPM. You may also ask why a local authority parks department did not stop the use of imported Oak. Simply, they cannot due to EU laws regarding purchasing even though the Oak trees in question were available, at the time of tender, from Irish growers. There is no weighting given to Irish grown stock on any public supply tenders and this cannot change once we are in the EU. OPPORTUNITIES However, all private tenders for landscape plants, be they large or small, are not subject to such rules and offer a way to reduce imports and thus the risks associated with it. Some compromising will be needed as Irish growers can only produce so much and do not have infinite availability. But with some increased

ASH SEEDLINGS ALONG THE BANK OF THE GRAND CANAL DYING FROM CHALARA

communication between Landscape Architects / Designers and the nurseries and a willingness to adapt the design to availability, we can reduce the dangers of importing more problems. Another problem that drives imports is the specification, sourcing and timing of commercial plant projects. If the nurseries were involved from the start of the project, not at the end when panic ensues, then almost all items needed can be grown in Ireland and not imported in a rush to finish.

Other opportunities offered by the new regulations and our Protected Zone status depend greatly on keeping as many rampant European pests and diseases out of the country. Ireland is the only EU country with an OPM protected zone. This offers Irish growers’ great access to the UK market for clean Oak from Ireland. Indiscriminate importing from other European countries put this at risk and I would ask all importers to look for an Irish product first.

Ireland is a protected zone against 22 horticultural pests and diseases, the highest in Europe, let’s not lose any more plants.

In my lifetime, in trees alone, we have lost Ash, Chestnut, Sweet Chestnut, Elm and Japanese Larch to imported pests and disease. One significant trend worldwide, which has been noted in PHYTOFOR research, is the increasing number of invasive alien Phytophthora species being detected in natural habitats. Many of these pathogens are being brought into the country on infected plants and could represent a serious threat to Irish ecosystems in the near future.y. ✽ JOHN MURPHY is the owner and operator of Annaveigh Plants and is one of Ireland’s most experienced and respected nurserymen. For more information visit www.annaveigh.com

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

13

NURSERY / 06

TREE NURSERY

OPEN DAY

OPEN DAY 1

Michal Slawski, reports on the recent socially distanced open day at Nangle & Niesen’s wholesale tree nursery in Aherla, County Cork

N

angle & Niesen’s annual trade event provided a great opportunity to see first-hand the excellent quality of the trees and the care that goes into producing them.

Set up by Des Nangle and Dutch nurseryman Matthew Niesen in 1973, the nursery was established to serve

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the domestic market with small trees, conifers and hedging. By the 1990s the nursery had expanded from its original 50 acres to over 100 acres and was now specialising specimen trees for the domestic market. Over the years the nursery changed hands before being owned outright by Ronan Nangle. The last 10 years have seen significant growth

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

Nangle and Niesen take a scientific and biological approach to soil preparation.” in the UK export market as well as expanding into mainland Europe.

Situated about 200m above sea level on free-draining, fertile soil the nursery is home to over 35,000 trees in over 300 varieties. The sizes range from 8/10 to 60cm, but specialising in the 10/12 to 30/35cm girth market. The elevated site has meant that it is continually exposed to windy, wet conditions. This has developed trees that are particularly suited to the Irish conditions by culturing the root and heads.

TREE PREPARATION AND GROWING A walking tour of the nursery took in the existing and new plantations. Ronan explained that the process of growing the best trees starts when selecting the stock for growing on. They look for shorter, stockier trees that are feathered down low and with a good root system to start with. They make frequent trips to growers in Europe and deal with growers that they know and trust. Once they take delivery of the stock, they store them in their humidity-controlled shed (over 9,000 trees in the winter of 2019/20). In December/January they prune up the planting stock. This involves reducing the crown and lateral growth by up to 30% and pruning back the root system to encourage fibrous root growth.

Once this work is done, they are stored until they are ready for planting later in the spring. Before planting they are treated with Symbio Mychorrizae bacterial stimulator. After planting they are caned and tied and have a new leader trained in. It is this pruning done before they are planted that starts the culture in their root and crown development.

SOIL PREPARATION Nangle and Niesen take a scientific and biological approach to soil preparation, developed after discussions with Hillery Murphy of Soil Biology Ltd in the UK and Andy Robinson of Whites Amenity in Dublin. In essence, they are feeding the soil and enabling that to feed their trees.

This is the third year of getting their soils analysed and their first year planting into the soil that has been biologically enhanced. They now spread

06 / NURSERY

manure, then work in basalt, dolomitic lime and patentkali before sowing a green manure crop with different grasses, clovers, chicory and plantain.

They leave this crop there for the summer and winter until they are ready for planting in the spring. They then get the ground ready for planting, mulch in the green crop and plant the trees.

This is the first year that they have planted into the ground after a threeyear preparation cycle. About 12 failures in the 9,000 trees and excellent growth and vigour with less disease/pests.

THE FUTURE Ronan shared his views on the outlook for the business. In general, the future of the industry over the short to medium term is cautiously positive. Demand for trees remains strong both domestically and in the UK. Supply at the moment is below demand due to strong growth in the last few years and greater demand from the East. The result is their trees

No longer can everything be based on the lowest price.� are selling at increasing prices.

However, uncertainty is where we are now. Covid, Brexit and the state of our economy in the crisis could change everything in a heartbeat.

The other silent danger is the looming threat to the industry – plant health and bio-security. The movement of trees and plants between states has aided the increase of pests and disease (Ash Die-back, Xyella and OPM to name a few). Managing imports from Europe going forward is going to be important in controlling the increase in these pests and diseases. There will have to be greater emphasis on where and how the trees are grown, with public authorities, in particular, having to step up to the

plate. Their procurement needs to lead the way - no longer can everything be based on the lowest price.

He felt the need to strengthen our plant health and biosecurity measures and promote our trees as being from an area with low risk of pests and disease, and that marketing needs to improve on this subject. Having said all that, he Is optimistic for the future. They grow good trees and there will be a demand for good trees as we move into a greener future. He has two new root-ball machines arriving in November and he intends to drive the business on for the next few years. The tour finished with a gourmet meal, prepared from locally sourced ingredients. âœ˝

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

15

DAFM eZINE / 07

PREPARING FOR BREXIT From January 1, 2021, the transition period will end and the UK will become classified as a ‘Third Country’ (nonEU). This will mean additional requirements for the import and export of plants and plant products to and from the UK. If you are a landscaper, garden centre, nursery, county council, local authority or online retailer that trades in plants and plant products, you are required to register as a professional operator with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

If you are importing or exporting plants or plant products with the UK or another non-EU country you are also required to register with DAFM. Certain plants and plant products will require a phytosanitary

certificate for movement (import and export) between the EU and the UK. All wood packaging material associated with plants and plant products to and from the UK such as pallets, crates and dunnage will need to be compliant with ISPM 15 (International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures).

Imports from the UK will need to be notified to DAFM, 24 hours in advance of arrival and exports to the UK will need to be notified 14 days prior to departure.

For more information in relation to registration, frequently asked questions, import and export procedures for plants and plant products and products which require a phytosanitary certificate please visit our Brexit webpage at: www.agriculture.gov.ie/ farmingsectors/planthealthtrade/brexit. ✽

UNSOLICITED SEEDS FROM OUTSIDE THE EU Over the last number of weeks, DAFM received reports from members of the public who received packets of seeds which they hadn’t ordered from countries outside of the EU. DAFM launched a social media campaign to raise awareness around this issue and ask members of the public to report these incidences to DAFM. To date, DAFM has received 33 seed packets from members of the public. The seed packages were marked as having originated in China, Vanuatu, Tonga, Malaysia, Singapore, USA and Kyrgyzstan.

These seeds have been identified and species have included rapeseed, bamboo, onion, red clover, pigweed, knotgrass, bluegrass and pine. These seeds have been destroyed after identification. DAFM has advised the EU Commission of the situation and is engaging with the other Member States, the Commission and other countries in relation to the seeds.

Under the EU Plant Health Regulation, all plants and plant products - including seeds - from outside of the EU should be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. This is to ensure the plants/seeds are not invasive species or contain any pests or diseases which would have an adverse impact on Ireland’s horticulture industry or its biodiversity. DAFM regularly perform checks on imported plants and plant products to prevent the introduction of pests and diseases into Ireland. These checks are conducted as part of DAFM’s

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Plant Health and Bio-security Strategy 2020-2025.

For more information about this strategy please visit: www.agriculture.gov.ie/dontriskit/planthealthbiosecuritystrategy. ✽

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

07 / DAFM eZINE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PLANT HEALTH 2020 UPDATE Due to Covid-19 restrictions, Ireland’s International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) activities are being extended until June 2021. This is also the case at the UN level and all over the world as the nations deal with Covid-19.

Ireland’s IYPH got off to a positive start with President Michael D. Higgins planting an Oak tree in the Phoenix Park to launch International Year of Plant Health in Ireland. DAFM had several events planned from high profile events such as a garden at Bloom, GLAS and The National Ploughing Championship to local events

with stakeholders, schools and the horticultural Industry.

Given the extraordinary times we now live in, our IYPH events have moved to online virtual events which are a new experience for us all. We have started to run these events with stakeholders such as Teagasc. Outdoor events such as tree plantings are also being planned where Covid-19 guidelines can be observed.

If your business or organisation is interested in getting involved or requires further information please contact us at: IYPH2020@agriculture.gov.ie or (01) 505 8885. ✽

THE BARE ROOT SEASON IS UNDERWAY We have now entered the dormant months and the bare root/root ball trading season is underway.

As always we should source Irish grown plants and trees from the excellent nursery operators throughout Ireland. Where this is not possible, we need to ensure we import from reputable sources which meet the strengthened plant health requirements set out in the new Plant Health Regulation ((EU) 2016/2031), which came into effect on the 14th December 2019. This is especially true for our native oak tree following our first interception of Thaumetopoea processionea, Oak Processionary Moth (OPM), in June of 2020.

This pest was found on Quercus patrea, which was imported from Belgium. The caterpillars were removed from the tree and destroyed. The infected tree and the associated batch was destroyed. An intensive survey, involving trapping and visual inspection was carried out in the area and there were no other findings.

Ireland has a Protected Zone for Oak Processionary Moth. As part of the new plant health regulation, plants for planting of Quercus L, other than Quercus suber, with a girth of at least 8cm measured at a height of 1.2m above the root collar must comply with at least one of the following requirements: a) the plants have been grown throughout their life in places of production in countries where Thaumetopoea processionea L. is not known to occur, or b) the plants have been grown throughout their life in an area free from Thaumetopoea processionea L. established by the National Plant Protection Organisation in accordance with relevant International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures, or c) the plants have been grown throughout their life in a

site with complete physical protection against the introduction of Thaumetopoea processionea L. and have been inspected at appropriate times and found to be free from Thaumetopoea processionea L. After recent exchanges with other EU Member States (MS), it is the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine’s (DAFM) understanding that other MS cannot meet the new criteria. Therefore, it is not possible to import Quercus with a girth of at least 8cm measured at 1.2m above the root collar to Ireland.

Quercus plants under 8cm girth when measured at 1.2m above the root collar can still be imported from other MS. Furthermore, there is a requirement to pre-notify all importation of Oak to DAFM at least 48hrs in advance of its arrival. The following particulars of each consignment are required: • Intended date of their landing into the State • Intended destination • Genus, species and quantity • Identification number of the supplier of the plants • Country from which they have been consigned.

These strengthening measures on the importation of Oak will help to protect our protected Zone for OPM and give our industry the opportunity to become an exporter of Quercus within Ireland’s protected Zone.

When purchasing trees ensure that they are delivered with a valid plant passport, which sets out the traceability of the product.

Email any notifications or queries to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine at the following email address: plantandpests@agriculture.gov.ie. ✽

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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AWARDS / 08

The Irish Landscape Institute Design Award Winners 2020

AND THE

WINNERS ARE…

F

or the first time ever, the winning projects in this year’s ILI Design Awards will face a public vote to decide the People’s Choice Award.

The 11th ILI Design Awards give recognition to exemplary landscape projects by ILI members in the Republic and Landscape Institute members from Northern Ireland (LINI) across a range of categories.

Winners of the Irish Landscape Institute Design Awards 2020 [plus Highly Commended and commended winners] in each category were announced early in October.

President of the Irish Landscape Institute, Kevin Halpenny, stated that, “Since its establishment, the ILI has raised standards of landscape design in Ireland. The Institute is committed to pioneering new approaches in Ireland to environmental planning and design. We are delighted that we have an internationally recognised judging panel to help select from world leading projects. We welcome the support of our sponsors, Hardscape Ireland, Bord Bia, Hartecast, UCD and OPW.”

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ILI PUBLIC PARK DESIGN AWARD WINNER 2020 AND PRESIDENTS CHOICE AWARD - MURRAY & ASSOCIATES: BECKETT PARK, COUNTY DUBLIN

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

08 / AWARDS

ILI INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE DESIGN AWARD WINNER 2020 - BERNARD SEYMOUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS: KINGS BUILDING, DUBLIN

GROUNDED

GROUNDED

GROUNDED

GROUNDED

GROUNDED

REALISE L

REALISE

REALISE LANDSCAPES

REALISE LANDSCAPES

Since its establishment, the ILI has raised standards of landscape design in Ireland.”

Grounded; Growing Conversations in Mental Illness Address: Stage: Site Area:

Bloom In the Park, Phoenix Park, Dublin Complete, June 2019 100m²

Grounded; Growing Conversations in Mental Illness Address: Stage: Site Area:

Bloom In the Park, Phoenix Park, Dublin Complete, June 2019 100m²

With the aim of starting a national conversation around mental illness, Realise Landscapes was commissioned by aim of national conversation Janssen in partnership with mental health organisations Aware andWith See the Change to starting design aa show garden at Bloom around mental illness, Realise Landscapes was commissioned by Janssen in partnership with mental health organisations Aware and See Change to design a show garden at Bloom in The Park. in The Park.

The concept stemmed from the theory of grounding; how walking barefoot in nature can have a stabilising effect, The concept stemmed frombeing. the theory of grounding; how walking barefoot in nature can have a stabilising effect, reconnecting us with the natural charge of the planet and in turn improving our sense of well A sequence of reconnecting us with the charge of had the planet and in turn improving our sense of well being. A sequence of spaces were organised from communal areas to more intimate seating arrangements.

Thenatural material palette a were Water, organised from communal to more intimate seating arrangements. The material palette had a sense of being dug from the earth and resonates with the theme ofspaces grounding. weathered steel, and areas granite sense of being fromdefined the earth and resonates contrast with the large glacial limestone boulders that define the pedestrian area.dug Strong continuous lines with the theme of grounding. Water, weathered steel, and granite contrast with the large glacial limestone boulders that define the pedestrian area. Strong defined continuous lines ground themselves to the plot edge emphasizing the need to understand our own boundaries. ground themselves to the plot edge emphasizing the need to understand our own boundaries.

The success of the garden was in part due to the collaboration between Realise Landscapes and ambassadors

ILI PRIVATE GARDEN JOINT DESIGN AWARD WINNERS 2020 – REALISE: GROUNDED, BLOOMfromINSeeTHE PARK, Thetwo success of the garden was collectively in part due in toathe collaboration between Realise Landscapes and ambassadors Change and Aware. TheDUBLIN final show garden accommodated key concepts developed series of workshops.

from See Change and Aware. The final show garden accommodated two key concepts developed collectively in a series of workshops.

01: The narrative for the steel walkway was one key output. People with mental illness often suffer the stigma of Grounded; Growing Conversations in Mental Illness 01: The The narrative for the walkway was one "becoming” the illness, they’re described as being bipolar or depressed. walkway triessteel to take this apart.

On key output. People with mental illness often suffer the stigma of Grounded; Growing Conversations in Mental Illness "becoming” the illness, “Am they’re as being bipolar or depressed. The walkway tries to take this apart. On one approach, the words “I am” can be read. Challenging that is the other approach, I?” described happy, resilient, Address: Bloom In the Park, Phoenix Park, Dublin one approach, the words “I am” can be read. Challenging that is the other approach, “Am I?” happy, resilient, angry, desperate, hopeful.?

Address: Bloom In the Park, Phoenix Park, Dublin Stage: Complete, June 2019 angry, desperate, hopeful.?

Stage: Complete, June 2019 Site Area: 100m² 02: The engraved oak cubes were the second workshop output. The Ginkgo Biloba tree was referenced in drawing Site Area: 100m² 02: Theused engraved oak cubes wereendurance the second workshop output. The Ginkgo Biloba tree was referenced in drawing workshops. Known as a living fossil, an ancient species, traditionally to represent hope, and With the aim of starting a national conversation around mental workshops. illness, Realise Landscapes wasfossil, commissioned byspecies, traditionally used to represent hope, endurance and Known as a material living ancient resilience.

The Landscapes participants'was sketches were laserbyengraved on oak, and used as a paving in theangarden.

With the aim of starting a national conversation around mental illness, Realise commissioned Janssen in partnership with mental health organisations Aware and See Change to design a sketches show garden Bloom resilience. wereatlaser engraved on oak, and used as a paving material in the garden.

Tracing and engraving wasa the closest representation of the participants handThe ontoparticipants' the threshold of the garden.

Janssen in partnership with mental health organisations Aware and See Change to design show garden at Bloom in The Park.

Tracing and engraving was the closest representation of the participants hand onto the threshold of the garden. in The Park.

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED The concept stemmed from the theory of grounding; how walking barefoot in nature can have a stabilising effect, The concept stemmed from the theory of grounding; how walking barefoot in nature can have a stabilising effect, reconnecting us with the natural charge of the planet and in turn improving our sense of well being. A sequence of

19

AWARDS / 08

ILI STREETSCAPE DESIGN AWARD WINNER 2020 - BERNARD SEYMOUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS: DUBLIN LANDINGS

The winning projects will be on display in St Stephens Green Dublin following the awards in October and November for the public to view and vote for their favourite project (People’s Choice Award) in co-operation with the Office of Public Works (OPW) and supported by Hardscape Ireland.

Category winners are as follows: BUILT PROJECTS • Public Park - Murray & Associates: Beckett Park, County Dublin • Public Plaza - Cathal O’Meara Landscape Architects: Entrances to County Cork • Streetscape - Bernard Seymour Landscape Architects: Dublin Landings • Residential Development - Dermot Foley Landscape Architects: Knockrabo County Dublin • Institutional Landscape - Bernard Seymour Landscape Architects: Kings Building, Dublin • Private Garden Joint Winnners – REALISE: Grounded, Bloom in the Park, Dublin / Cathal O’Meara Landscape Architects: Natural Swimming Pool, County Cork • Heritage Landscape – The Paul Hogarth Company: Hillsborough Castle Gardens, County Down • Overseas Projects – Murray & Associates: Santander Digital Hub, Milton Keynes, UK LANDSCAPE THEORY • Landscape Theory, Policy & Management – Bernard Seymour Landscape Architects: Parnell Square Cultural Quarter, Dublin • Diane Nickels Memorial Award – Peter Hutchinson, Belfast: Travelogue La Rochelle • Landscape Planning – AIT Urbanism: North East Inner City Greening Strategy, Dublin • Research Projects and Publications – Peter Hutchinson, Belfast: Journals in Publications ACADEMIC • Student Award – John McCord

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THE JUDGING PANEL Noel Farrer LA PPLI - UK Director, Farrer Huxley Associates / CHAIR of judging panel Emily Smyth - Former Head of School of Landscape Architecture, Ulster University/ Past Co Chair LINI Kim Wilkie - Consultant Landscape Architect & Author Lily Jencks - Landscape Architect and Author Élizabeth Fournier - Hortis France / Vice Chair World Urban Parks Mark Camley - Director, London Legacy Kathryn Moore - CFLI IFLA President / Professor of Landscape Architecture, Birmingham City University Dr. Christy Boylan - Former President Irish Landscape Institute Torgeir Sorensen - Parks Manager, City of Stavanger Wendy Barrett – Architect / Honorary Member of ILI Peter Nickels - Architect Marina Cervera Landscape Architecture Office, Architects Association of Catalonia / Professor of Landscape Architecture, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya

MAIN SPONSORS • HARDSCAPE IRELAND • BORD BIA • HARDCASTE • UCD

OTHER • Jury Award for Resilience & Climate Change Adaptation – The Paul Hogarth Company: Hillsborough Castle Gardens, Co Down • Presidents Choice Award - Murray & Associates: Beckett Park, County Dublin

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

08 /AWARDS

ILI PRIVATE GARDEN JOINT DESIGN AWARD WINNERS 2020 - CATHAL O’MEARA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS: NATURAL SWIMMING POOL, COUNTY CORK

ILI HERITAGE LANDSCAPE DESIGN AWARD WINNERS 2020 – THE PAUL HOGARTH COMPANY: HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE GARDENS, COUNTY DOWN

The Institute is committed to pioneering new approaches in Ireland to environmental planning and design.”

JURY AWARD FOR RESILIENCE & CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION – THE PAUL HOGARTH COMPANY: HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE GARDENS, COUNTY

ILI RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT DESIGN AWARD WINNER 2020 - DERMOT FOLEY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS: KNOCKRABO COUNTY DUBLIN

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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BENEFITS OF USING AN EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT AGENCY – HOW WE HELP YOU

TOXIC CULTURES – NOT JUST SOIL TO THINK ABOUT

HOW TO WRITE A JOB ADVERTISEMENT – STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

© BROOKE CAGLE

RECRUITMENT

HOW TO DRESS FOR AN INTERVIEW – WHO SHOULD YOU BE IMPRESSING?

3 REASONS WHY PEOPLE LEAVE JOBS – OTHER THAN MONEY

GROWING YOUR CAREER & BUSINESS

HOW TO DRESS FOR AN INTERVIEW

WHO SHOULD YOU BE IMPRESSING?

Growing up I was always told to dress suited and booted for every interview. Whenever I was unsure of what to wear for an interview I would fall back on my trusty suit. Crisp white shirt, smooth black pants and jacket with a blood red tie. To paraphrase my mother “dressed to kill”.

BUT IS THAT WHAT YOU NEED IN HORTICULTURE? Probably not. You are going to be literally up to your elbows in mud and let’s face it, that’s no place for glamour or power suits. So how should you dress for an interview? If not in a suit, how should you dress?

The answer is pretty simple, smart casual.

For both men and women, it is similar attire. You want to wear something that is presentable but also comfortable and practical. Many of our clients will conduct their interviews on site and oftentimes you will be brought out into a garden and that is no place for Italian leather shoes or glossy stilettos!

I would recommend a nice shirt and jacket that offers protection against the outdoor elements but still is presentable. So no mud stains, holes or anything like that.

It is usually best to wear durable jeans that won’t get uncomfortable if you get wet and to wear waterproof shoes/ boots that again, are well looked after.

Most of the clients we work with are down to earth people and don’t usually appreciate pomp and circumstance. You will make a better impression by arriving in clothes that you can rough and tumble in, rather than a suit or dress that won’t offer much protection.

© ELI DEFARIA

Dress to impress your interviewer and not your date’s mother!

HOW TO DO

AN INTERVIEW BEST PRACTICES

I’ve personally done several hundred interviews in my career and will probably be reaching the 1000 mark soon. The point being is that I’ve learnt that there is no set way to do an interview. A good interview flows like a conversation. However, you can for sure lay out foundations on what you want from an interview.

Before you start any interview, think about what you want to achieve; What is the purpose of the role?

What questions do you have about the candidate?

How can I convince this person to join my team?

These are the questions that I encourage any interviewer to think about. There are of course many more questions that may be specific to your situation but these questions can offer you general guidance on where to look. You will often find out where you want to take the interview by starting with these questions.

One common mistake that many companies make is that they think they don't have to sell themselves as a place to work. This is especially true if a company believes they have the choice of candidates.

An interview is a two way conversation, the interviewee is interviewing you just as much as you are them. If they don’t like what they hear, they will likely not accept the role. If they do, they will likely be jumping ship as soon as they can.So, make sure you talk more about what it is that makes your company unique.

EXPERIENCE VS QUALIFICATIONS WHICH IS BETTER?

For this one I want to use a real life example. When I was working in Pharmaceutical recruitment I had a role with a global Pharmaceutical company in Dublin that was looking for an Operations Manager role. Without getting too bogged down in the details, it was basically someone who was going to run the plant.

I had a fantastic candidate who has about 20 years experience but he had no qualifications. He was someone who had joined as an operator 30 years ago and worked all the way up in a couple of different roles to acquire the experience he had.

The client was initially nervous about the lack of qualifications but when he interviewed, he was made an offer and is now running that plant to this day.

As someone who personally places a huge importance on education, it was a good learning experience for me to get me to think about qualifications vs experience. I came to the conclusion that it all comes down to the ability to do the job.

In horticulture, the line is even blurrier. A lot of the time it is hard to determine who has the better knowledge. Do you take the grad who has studied for years in the best institutions in the country, or do you take the older gardener who has been working in gardens for years around the country?

The truth is that there is no right or wrong answer. You have to decide what is best for you and your business. You may find that you are set on one side of the fence, like I was, but then you found yourself on the other side of the fence for a specific situation.

A fresh grad will have broader knowledge and be more likely to be adaptable to new situations. However will likely not have the soft skills that you may need to hit the ground running. An experienced non qualified horticulturist will usually really know their stuff but their knowledge may be narrow and deep. They may not know anything outside of their comfort zone. But having been out in the workforce longer, they will usually have the soft skills to make sure that they can hit the ground running.

BENEFITS OF USING AN EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT AGENCY HOW WE HELP YOU

What’s a newsletter without a little self promotion? Here at horticulture.jobs we are specialised in finding the best staff for you and your business. But that’s all well and good, why should you care? � We save you money � We can reach staff you can’t

� We can save you time

Though we naturally charge a fee for our services, we save you money in the long run. This is because we take care of a lot of the risks that are associated with recruitment. You won’t have to spend money on advertising. You also won’t have to worry about putting your business on hold while searching for new staff which can cost you money.

We are specialist recruiters in horticulture and we are known

in the marketplace. This means that if someone is looking for a new challenge or role, we are often the first port of call for candidates. Not only this, but as an active participant in the horticulture industry through trade magazines, we are in people’s minds even when they are not thinking about making a move.

All of your candidates are screened before you receive them.

We save you time knowing that each candidate you receive is someone you actually want to see and not spam that clogs up your email. We’ve all been there!

An unspoken benefit of using us is your privacy. Often our clients are working on delicate projects that they are not able to disclose and by using our services, they are able to keep it anonymous without having to blather about their opportunities all across the industry.

TOXIC CULTURES NOT JUST SOIL TO THINK ABOUT The term toxic culture has been bandied about quite a bit but what exactly does it mean? A toxic culture is a broad term for an unproductive environment that is usually coming about due to negative behaviours.

HOW TO WRITE A JOB ADVERTISEMENT STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

5 signs you need to watch out for toxic environments; � Micromanagement � Excessive sickness � Lack of flexibility � Lack of creativity � Hours of work Micromanagement is something that has been given a lot of attention in recent years but it has to be said that it is not always bad. But like the old adage goes, too much of anything is bad for you. If you are constantly monitoring your staff and telling them what to do, not only is it likely to come across as overbearing and cumbersome, you will actually drastically reduce your productivity.

People get sick, life happens. But when your staff start to call in sick excessively, it can be a sign of a toxic environment. Your staff are either being overworked and their health is being run down or they are looking to avoid the environment that is causing them stress.

In today’s environment, we as workers expect flexibility.

That could mean working from home or it could mean changing around hours. Life is rather complicated at the moment and we expect our employers to adapt with us.

Those that do not adapt will heomerage their staff to their competitors who will accommodate staff needs.

Lack of creativity is a personally massive issue for me.

For those of you interested in the psychology of workers, have a look at the Belbin test. A company that does not allow for me to be creative sounds like a personal hell and I have run away screaming from lucrative roles on that basis. This can happen to your garden designers, and so this can be an important facet to consider.

Hours of work can be tied to flexibility but too much flexibility can be an issue too. If your staff do not switch off from work, it can lead to burn out and stress. Making sure that your staff take time to look after their mental health and their work/life balance is so important. You will have happier and therefore more productive staff.

One of the biggest mistakes that many of my clients have made in the past is not writing targeted and engaging ads.

They were frankly boring and even if they had high numbers of applications, they would often be irrelevant and that ended up costing them more time.

Typically I prefer to get quality applications over a mass of applications. Don’t you?

Here’s what you need to think about when writing those job advertisements; � It’s not about you

� What’s in it for the candidate

� Would you apply for this role When you are writing a job advertisement, you need to take yourself out of the equation. You need to think about your audience. If you were talking to your “perfect” candidate, how would you talk to them about the role? How would you engage them? How would you get them excited about the role and get them on your team? That is the mindset you need to be in when you are writing a job advertisement.

Why should a candidate be interested in your role? What is the exciting thing about working with or for you? What kind of projects do you work with? What about your clients? What about the locations? Do you offer unique opportunities and training? What is your culture like? What about your team?

What quirks do you have in your company that make you, you?

These questions and more are what you should be considering when writing your ads. Too many companies think about what they can get out of the candidate rather than what they can offer the candidates. Be different and add that human touch to your ad.

Would you apply for this role? This involves a lot of introspection and this can be uncomfortable because there may be aspects of your business that you would rather not be true.

I have worked with many clients who could not pay top dollar for their candidates and they struggled with attracting the right candidates due to this.

However when we focused on other aspects of the business, they realised that they had more to offer. People don’t just look at money when considering new opportunities. Think about that when writing your job ads.

OTHER THAN MONEY

Money makes the world go round but it is not the only way to keep your staff engaged. The top 3 reasons why people leave their jobs are;

Culture � Management � Location We touched on this on our toxic culture piece but it bears repeating. Your culture is so important when it comes to keeping your staff. It also needs to be said that your culture does not need to be toxic (that is just an extreme case) for it not to suit your staff. This is why it’s so important to interview for culture fit as well as technical fit. If you hire carelessly with no regards to culture, you may bring in people over time who change the culture. This can lead to loss of staff over time.

Management styles are varied and those of you who are active on professional networks like LinkedIn will see that there has been a movement in recent years towards a more hands off management style. This has been termed macro-management.

But you need to be aware that this does not mean you leave your staff to it and let them get on with it. In fact this can lead to

Profile of

lack of support and staff burnout if they feel like they are being overwhelmed. On the flip side, you have micromanagement whereby you are looking over the shoulder of your workforce. Not only does this usually lead to reduced productivity, it often leads to your more capable staff leaving as they feel you don’t trust them. You need to strike the balance between on hands and hands off with your staff.

Location is an ever evolving one. Traditionally in horticulture, people were willing and able to relocate for work but now people are looking at staying closer to home. With the advance of the pandemic, a lot of people’s priorities are shifting and the balance between work/life balance is becoming ever increasingly important to employees. And if you are not able to adapt to this, you will lose your staff to your competitors who will offer this balance. We would recommend talking to your staff to find out what they are interested in as their individual circumstances may differ.

RECRUITMENT

3 REASONS WHY PEOPLE LEAVE JOBS

SAM BARRETT RECRUITER AND WRITER

I spent most of my time in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry as a recruiter and I got to see some amazing facilities when visiting clients when I returned to Dublin.

Hey! My name is Sam Barrett and I am an honours graduate from Trinity College Dublin who studied natural science, including botany. Upon deciding that academia was not for me, I moved to London to work in architecture recruitment and that was the first time I had exposure to landscape architecture, both soft and hard.

The day before I moved to London, I had my first book launch and so began my interesting career of being a recruiter and an author.

But I wanted something new, something with a new challenge and that is why I have partnered with Horticulture Connected in Ireland to help spearhead the recruitment industry in horticulture. This market has been largely untapped and through both of my skills as a writer and a recruiter, I hope to bring the advantages of a specialised recruiter and content creator to your business.

I tried out a few different recruitment markets and learned a lot about the different recruitment strategies. I would have mostly started off with permanent recruitment but overtime I would have specialised more in contract and fixed term recruitment.

I like long walks on the beach unironically and one of my biggest dreams is to travel to the Serengetti and watch the great wildebeest migration. And if I help make some beautiful gardens along the way, that’s a plus!

HIRING

CALL SAM on 089 476 7424

Recruitment Specialists in Landscape, Garden Retail & Horticulture

HORTIRECRUIT www.recruited.ie Currently recruiting for

HEAD FOREMAN HORTICULTURE MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST GARDEN DESIGNER

CURRENTLY

PETER O’BRIEN & SONS LANDSCAPING t Landscape Operatives (Dublin) t Landscape depot (General operatives) FITZGERALD LANDSCAPING t Production Head Food Crops t Tractor operators TULLY NURSERIES LTD t Horticultural Sales Person SAP LANDSCAPES t General Operatives t Winter Operatives (Kildare) t Foreperson (Kildare) DELANEY LANDSCAPING LTD t General Manager CHARLEVILLE ESTATE t Experienced Gardener HORTIRECRUIT t Head Foreman t Horticultural Sales Strategist t Garden Designer GLANBIA AGRIBUSINESS t Horticulturist CLARENBRIDGE GARDEN CENTRE t Sales assistant

Experienced Gardener CHARLEVILLE ESTATE Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow

We are now recruiting a

GENERAL / CONTRACTS

MANAGER

Apply here — Everyday management of the grounds maintenance and landscaping crews — Working on exciting landscaping and sports grounds projects in the midlands

NOW HIRING Apply here

www.horticulture.jobs

DELANEY LANDSCAPING Mylestown, Killucan, Co.Westmeath Tel: 086 351 6209

on

horticulture.jobs

09 / INSIGHT

PREPARING FOR

BREXIT Michal Slawski outlines Bord Bia’s Brexit action plan for the horticulture industry

CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS This focuses on main points of customs and controls such as new customs formalities, including import and export declarations, pre-notifications for certain products, licence requirements and other regulatory requirements as the UK will become a Third Country at the end of the Transition Period.

FINANCIAL RESILIENCE Key actions to take to improve financial resilience against the uncertainties of trade with the UK as it leaves the European Union. It looks at understanding the impact of currency exposures, hedging and cost-reduction.

T

he departure of the UK from the European Union on December 31, will have profound implications for the Irish horticultural industry.

Exporters to the UK will face new customs procedures, possibly tariffs, and will need to understand how phytosanitary requirements may impact them. Producers will also need to consider what the impact will be on inputs sourced from the UK like packaging and fertilisers. There are also potential delays for goods transported using the UK land bridge to and from the EU. To help producers and companies prepare for Brexit, Bord Bia has prepared a series of guides covering all the areas of importance with checklists of activity, available on the Bord Bia website under the Brexit action plan tab.

The following areas are covered: CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS How to strengthen customer relationships and unlock new growth opportunities. It provides useful guidance on understanding your market position and on developing commercial marketing strategies.

SUPPLY CHAIN Focusing on steps to take in order to get a better understanding of supply chains and the risks that Brexit poses to them.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY How to identify, monitor and manage risks to your business in the run-up to the end of the Transition Period. It also provides some tools that businesses can use to help manage risk more effectively.

MARKET DIVERSIFICATION Explains how to develop a strategy for expanding into new geographies.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and the Marine also has a good Brexit section, with features on plant regulations, animals and animal byproducts, and pallets.

Bord Bia will be running online seminars covering important Brexit topics in the coming months, the details of which will be relayed by regular communication with horticultural producers.

MICHAL SLAWSKI is a Development and Marketing Specialist in the horticultural department of Bord Bia, with responsibility for mushrooms, fruit and protected crops.

He has been with Bord Bia for more than 10 years and has a Masters in Project Finance & Venture Management from NUIM.

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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INSIGHT / 09

Vincent McMonagle shares his pro tips on how to enhance your garden portfolio with professional style photography

SHOOTING GAR FOR THIS SHOT, I SET THE FOCUS AT 1/3 THEN CROPPED THE SKY.

The garden is a family’s dream and a designer's creation and as such, comprises three main elements, as I see it:

garden parties the designer’s name will be casually mentioned; and of course, the design fees will be doubled - at least!

THE OWNER This is the person with the dream. They employ a designer because they believe that person can fulfil that dream,

THE GARDEN This is the little piece of heaven that the family will spend their lives in. As their lives change and grow, the planting will age and grow and so the design will change drastically over its lifetime.

A great garden changes and grows with the seasons; a sensational garden becomes

THE DESIGNER The designer has put in years of study and hard work to fulfil the client’s dream. At

part of the home. It doesn’t have to perform like another room with fixtures, lighting, a party area, rest area etc. but it must be that place that retains those special moments, those memories of family and friends.

And then, for the purpose of this article, there is a fourth ingredient - the photographer; the person who visually captures all these elements. How I shoot is neither right nor wrong, it’s just the way I do it, but there are some practical pointers that I can share with you: LEFT: FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE IMPORTANT. BELOW: THE HOUSE IS STILL IDENTIFIED. THE YELLOW BRINGS YOUR EYE UP TO THE HOUSE.

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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

09 / INSIGHT

THE CAMERA IS ON A TRIPOD, THE ONLY ADJUSTMENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR IMAGES IS THE ZOOM AND PANNING I WANT TO KEEP THE RED DOOR AS A FEATURE SO I FOCUSED ON THE GRASSES. THIS IS SHOT AT 40 MM.

I HAVE JUST ZOOMED IN TO 67MM. GRASSES STILL IN FOCUS.

BEST TIME TO SHOOT A GARDEN Early morning is recognised as the best time to capture a garden on film. If you look at a Kelvin chart it will show you the colour of the light. For warm, moody shots in the morning to white light at midday and of course those spectacular sunsets.

If you Google “Kelvin chart” you will see exactly what I am talking about; this will help you with the mood of shots you want.

DENS SHOOTING ELEMENTS The photographer’s job is to shoot the elements from differing angles; showing the planting, and the features within the garden while concentrating on colour, depth of field, background. I always look for colour to bring life to the image. I try to capture that moment when everything looks amazing, on that perfect day at that perfect time.

CAPTURING THAT IMAGE Getting that perfect image just takes patience. Set up your tripod (essential for sharp images) and assess the situation. Are you shooting in the correct direction? Into

LOOK FOR THE DETAIL.

AGAIN SAME LOCATION NOW ITS 86MM.

the sun and you get a flare, away from it and you get heavy shadows. So what's the answer? What are you focusing on? Move around your subject, checking the CHANGE TO angle as you go. I use a plastic MACRO. slide mount to look through before I take the shot. Check the background - is there anything that might detract from the photograph, like hoses. Focus on the planting, then take your shot. Let the camera do the work; use the shadows and the light to emphasise the image.

People often say you can’t shoot when it’s raining (come on folks this is Ireland!)

On the contrary, some of my best images are either just after or during a good soaking.

Apart from the practical side, I look for the story in the garden, the natural flow to the features. Water, sundials, statues, stonework, steps etc. can be used as backdrops in the shot. Using focal length gives you greater depth or you can just leave it to the client's imagination - let the image tell its own story.

Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure of working with some of the best gardeners in Ireland be they enthusiasts, designers, architects or artists. Thank you to all garden lovers, at whatever level, for making the rest of us smile when we view the fruits of your labour. ✽

BEE PATIENT.

LASTLY AT 150MM.I DON’T LOOK AT THE MATH TO TRY TO WORK OUT THE IMAGE, IT’S JUST MY EYE TELLING ME WHEN TO SHOOT. STILL KEEPING THE GRASS IN FOCUS.

TIGHT FOCUS ON THE LEFT SIDE.

SHOOTING INTO THE SUN IN THE EARLY MORNING LIGHT THROUGH THE MIST ON LOUGH MUCKNO.

VINCENT MCGONAGLE is a professional photographer, accomplished in commercial and editorial photography. A GLDA Corporate Member, Vincent’s work has appeared in leading horticultural publications such as Compass (GLDA), Irish Garden and Horticulture Connected. Contact Vincent McMonagle Photography via his website: www.vmcmonaglephotography.com.

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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INSIGHT / 10

PERMACULTURE – NOT JUST FOR HIPPIES FÊidhlim Harty explores the marriage of science and art that brought about an ethical and principled design revolution.

P

ermaculture; that's, like, organic gardening but with more of a hippy twist, isn't it? Well, if that's what you want in your garden, then perhaps, but really it's a lot broader than that. It is essentially the science and art of designing sustainable systems of any sort that support human needs while protecting the environment.

The term permaculture derives from permanent agriculture or permanent culture. It is a design approach that was developed in

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Australia in the 1970s in response to fundamentally unsustainable land management practices and an over-dependence on limited fossil fuel resources. Initially the emphasis was to create farming systems that served the needs of the designer by producing food and other useful crops, while avoiding damage to the environment through depleting soils, polluting water or introducing environmental toxins.

In the intervening 40 years since Bill Mollison and David Holmgren first coined the word, permaculture has evolved and spread around the world. Growing food, fuel and fibres is still a central core of permaculture design, but it is by no means limited to this. In a world where we have clearly overstretched the carrying capacity of our common home, permaculture has stepped forward with solutions in the areas of business, finance, social structures, housing and sanitation, as well as

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

09 / INSIGHT often in our current consumer society our cheap clothes and new electronics take a terrible toll on the earth, the people along the supply chain and on many generations to come. The ethics inherent in permaculture design help to keep these impacts as visible and overt as possible, so that we can design with care to create better systems and structures.

PROBLEM AS SOLUTION The permaculture principles are a set of aphorisms that help to reframe the questions that arise in the design process. One famous principle is “the problem is the solution�. With this principle Mollison used to argue that you don't have a slug problem, you have an abundance of underutilised duck food. He developed an extensive list of principles, which are worth the look if you're interested in what you see here (See the Permaculture Association website.)

A distilled version of these is Holmgren's more recent list of 12 principles, outlined in his book Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability, as follows: 1. Observe and interact 2. Catch and store energy 3. Obtain a yield 4. Apply self-regulation and accept feedback 5. Use and value renewable resources and services 6. Produce no waste 7. Design from patterns to details 8. Integrate rather than segregate 9. Use small and slow solutions 10. Use and value diversity 11. Use edges and value the marginal 12. Creatively use and respond to change

the more traditional focus on gardening, farming, forestry, fisheries and the like.

There are two central arms of permaculture; the ethics and principles. The permaculture ethics are earth care, people care and future care. Earth care reminds the designer to select methods, materials and energy inputs that won't harm the planet; either on the project site or where the materials are manufactured, grown etc. People care acknowledges that people matter. To create durable, workable systems, we need to be fair and inclusive and have our eyes open to the possible ramifications of our design decisions, particularly on people who are out of sight, such as those working on our behalf, halfway around the world.

The third ethic reminds us to set limits to our carbon, ecological and resource footprints and to ensure that the systems we design take cognisance of the long-term impacts of our decisions. All too

PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES So, if we were to start a new garden design, for example, how would we apply the permaculture principles? Taking Holmgren's list as a guide; with the first principle we'd have a look at the land available. How does it behave in different weather conditions and in different seasons? Where does the rainfall flow? Where are the frost pockets? What are the shady areas or exposed parts? These will all influence our layout and design choices.

Next we look to catching and storing energy. Can we nestle a passive solar building in a south facing horseshoe or devote a sunny corner to frost-tender fruit trees? On larger land holdings we may be able to gather rainwater high in our catchment to serve as a source of micro-hydro energy or for gravity fed irrigation.

When we seek to obtain a yield, we remember that we can't work on an empty stomach. Somewhere we need to get a return on our time and resource inputs. This may be a financial return from something we sell such as food, fuel or fibre, but it may also be a less tangible return such as a valuable quiet space, an opportunity to connect with others, an absorbing hobby or other yield.

In applying self-regulation and accepting feedback we may keep our projects somewhat more modest in scale than in our wilder dreams. Much of the impact on the Earth isn't so much what we do, but the sheer scale combined with the methods we use to do it. Accepting feedback may be sitting up and taking notice of the chaotic weather and deciding to shift from conventional growing methods to ones that are actively regenerative; sequestering atmospheric carbon in our compost and using natural fertilisers such as nitrogen fixing plants or peeing on the compost heap as a zero carbon source of nitrogen fertiliser!

Renewable resources and services are everywhere around

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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INSIGHT / 09 WHEN APPLYING PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES TO YOUR GARDEN FIRST EXAMINE HOW IT BEHAVES IN DIFFERENT WEATHER CONDITIONS AND IN DIFFERENT SEASONS

EUROPEAN BISON

us when we look. Gravity, to power our water supply, in the polytunnel or the house. Willow biomass planted over our (carefully redesigned) infiltration areas to provide a steady supply of firewood. A good workhorse for farm or forestry work is a tractor, a mower and a fertiliser factory all in one; and replicates itself rather than depreciating over time. Oh, and it works without any fossil fuel inputs. It also reminds us of the next principle, produce no waste, getting the work done with neither fossil fuels nor plastic.

By designing from patterns to details we focus on the big picture of our project first, and then get down to the nitty gritty; avoiding the temptation to get distracted by the detail too early in our concept stage. By integrating rather than segregating we might combine a natural swimming pool with watercress for the kitchen with reflected solar gain for our home or greenhouse. A willow planted percolation area is another example; integrating ecofriendly effective sewage treatment with both fuel supply and the rich biodiversity benefits of willow trees.

Small and slow solutions are often the most effective and lasting.

Earthworms till the soil quietly and ceaselessly. Hydraulic ram pumps can work for decades with no power inputs other than the steady flow of the nearby river or stream. Each plant in a reed bed appears inconsequential, but together they provide high quality filtration for septic tank effluent. We can use and value diversity in our vegetable gardens with open pollenated seed, in our farms with agroforestry and silvopasture methods, in our businesses with collaborative projects and initiatives and in our lives as we appreciate the growing multiculturalism of our changing world.

Edge spaces are often the most productive and diverse. Think woodland edge; estuary habitat; riverbanks. By cultivating the edge spaces we can key into this productivity. In valuing the marginal we look for the gold hidden in the shaded corner of the site, or for the richness of possibility in a steeply sloping site. Finally, the principle, creatively use and respond to change keeps us on our toes, open to new possibilities and also aware that old ideas have sometimes simply run their course.

So where can your new project incorporate a permaculture

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EDGE SPACES ARE OFTEN THE MOST PRODUCTIVE AND DIVERSE

approach in woodland management, off-grid electricity, orchards, wildlife gardening, poultry, passive house design, energy conservation, sewage treatment, gardening, dry toilets, buffer zones, forest gardening, agroforestry, biodiversity, wild food and foraging, farm management, money matters, waste minimisation or whatever? The list is as long as the human imagination. A fertile place to start any project.

There are many excellent resources available online and a growing range of Permaculture Design Certificate courses to attend around Ireland, the UK and worldwide. For the complete beginner and experienced designer alike, I recommend Maddy Harland's What is Permaculture? series of articles in Permaculture Magazine.

Start with Part 1: Ethics and follow the links from there. âœ˝

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

FÉIDHLIM HARTY is director of FH Wetland Systems environmental consultancy, and author of Septic Tank Options and Alternatives; Permaculture Guide to Reed Beds and Towards Zero Waste. He completed his Permaculture Design Certificate course in Cloughjordan in 2013.

09 / INSIGHT

BONSAI IN IRELAND: A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE PHOTOS BY: IAN YOUNG THIS EUROPEAN HORNBEAM WAS COLLECTED IN 1995 FROM A PARK IN BELFAST

T

Bonsai cultivation is an often misunderstood practice, here Michael Guerin and Dr Karen O’Hanlon attempt to explain what drives the passion for little trees.

he literal translation of the word Bonsai is simply “tree in a pot” but it means so much more to those who enjoy the practice of the art or hobby. Bonsai entails the cultivation of trees in containers whilst endeavouring to make them look like they have the appearance of a mature example of their species, albeit in miniature. The aim is to apply techniques in the styling and cultivation process in a manner that becomes “invisible”, in other words the tree takes on a natural

appearance in terms of its trunk formation, branch placement and so on.

The ultimate objective of bonsai culture is to create an aesthetically pleasing composition where a container and tree must form a single entity that will evoke a feeling in the viewer. In order to understand this evocation of feeling, you need to refer to Eastern aesthetic objectives. You will hear these spoken about frequently by bonsai enthusiasts in the west, but many can lack anything

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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INSIGHT / 09

THIS JAPONESE MAPLE IS ROUGHLY 1 METRE TALL AND SHOWN HERE IN SPRING AS IT EMERGES

RHODODENDRON TREE, COLLECTED FROM A GARDEN IN THE LATE 90'S

more than a rudimentary understanding of these concepts / principles.

IMPERFECT BEAUTY An often used phrase in the bonsai field is “Wabi-sabi”, which refers to a Japanese way of living that focuses on finding beauty within the imperfections of life and accepting peacefully the natural cycle of growth and decay. In terms of bonsai what this essentially means is that this philosophy prizes attributes in bonsai that would in all likelihood be frowned upon by conventional western society. A good example is where a lower branch has been torn from a coniferous bonsai and rather than being perceived as a fault the deadwood is highlighted and regarded as a beautiful feature, indicative of the struggles the bonsai has had in its life to date. Equally the co-existence of live and dead wood within the one composition is a welome feature in coniferous bonsai. In an analogous way, gold leaf is sometimes used in ceramics repairs (“Kintsugi”) to highlight an imperfection rather than attempt to conceal it, thereby using the “flaw” of the damage to add character to the piece by drawing one’s eye to it.

A second aesthetic principle that is again often overused and not fully understood is “ Mochikomi”. This refers to when a good quality specimen bonsai exhibits the character of a tree that has grown in a container for many years (sometimes decades or centuries). “Mochikomi” does not focus on a singular attribute that a tree may have but rather views the composition as a whole in terms of characteristics such as bark maturity, reduced leaf/ needle size and the relative proportions of trunk and branches etc. All of this contributes to an overall aesthetically pleasing composition that strives to evoke feelings of inner humility and insignificance. These feelings not only allow an appreciation of the beauty of the bonsai, but can contextualise the viewer’s place in the greater world and the insignificance and transience day-to-day troubles. Accordingly, those immersed in bonsai culture will invariably highlight the enhancements that the discipline can bring to their mental wellbeing.

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There is a vibrant and thriving group of bonsai enthusiasts in Ireland and the quality of trees has improved dramatically over the past number of years. This is as a result of the importation of quality specimens from Japan and around Europe but also due to the development of “yamadori” or native collected raw species and starting the process of styling them into refined bonsai. Noteworthy native species include Scots Pine and Hawthorn both of which are readily available and have good characteristics for bonsai culitivation.

USE OF BIOLOGICALS IN BONSAI Contrary to popular belief, bonsai are neither starved nor stunted to maintain their diminutive stature. In fact, there are times of the year when bonsai are aggressively fertilised and encouraged to grow in order to maintain their health and vigour. The application of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) represents a new and significant departure in improving the health of the trees as it mimics, to some extent, the microbial activity in a container that is commonplace in a native habitat.

This new approach has included the application of biochar coated with specific soil organisms and other liquid cultures for use as organic material and fertiliser substitutes. The advantages of using such high carbon enriched biochar include: • An increased uptake of minerals into the plant • The promotion of plant growth and modulation of plant hormones • A reduction in nutrient run-off • Increased levels of nutrient retention in a largely inorganic media Bonsai is about pushing energy internally into the plant (Yin) and holding back growth externally (Yang). To encourage this type of growth, specific micro-organisms are selected which exhibit beneficial properties to the bonsai plant. The key functions of these micro-organisms include:

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

09 / INSIGHT • The production of cytokinins to enhance lateral growth • The sequestration of iron - a component in chlorophyll biosynthesis • The production of highly specific fungicides • Phosphate solubilisation • The creation of a rhizosphere that can attract mutually beneficial micro-organisms

LARCH FOREST, PLANTED ON A SLAB TO SIMULATE A LANDSCAPE FEEL. THESE TREES WERE PLANTED TOGETHER BACK IN THE 70'S

Bonsai growers have successfully selected organisms that convey the following benefits to the bonsai tree: • A more effective promotion of plant development • Enhanced iron sequestration resulting in vibrant leaf colour • Transferring energy and nutrients into weaker parts of a plant RESULTS OF RECENT TRIALS Preliminary trials using PGPB with some bonsai collectors in Ireland commenced in 2019 and have shown encouraging results.

Those participating report that the treated plants appear to be more vigorous, healthier in appearance and have excellent leaf/ needle colour. Significantly, deciduous specimens treated with PGPB appear to have an increased tendency to produce adventitious budding from “old wood” which is considered by many enthusiasts to be an accurate barometer of overall bonsai health and vigour.

One of the struggles with long-term container cultivation is the maintenance of a healthy rhizosphere that is populated with beneficial micro-organisms that are conducive to plant health.

Once again PGPB treatment is giving encouraging results based on those trees that were re-potted in spring 2020. The skill set required for the maintenance of a high quality bonsai for an indefinite number of years in a container environment is vast and the task is demanding, especially for amateur enthusiasts. You need to put the health of the tree before any stylistic or aesthetic aspirations. The early indications from PGPB use through inoculation of the rhizosphere with specific strains are promising. We have been fortunate to have had the input of Peter Warren from Saruyama Bonsai in the UK who is a Japanese-trained, internationally renowned professional along with long-term Irish enthusiasts Ray Egan from Co. Clare and Ian Young from Northern Ireland.

Knowledge and skills in Irish bonsai cultivation are improving all the time which has been due, in part, to the regular visits of professionals from abroad, including those trained by experts from Japan. There are a number of clubs/ groups in both Northern Ireland and the Republic; The latest addition to which is the Limerick/ Clare/ West of Ireland group “Bud Bonsai” which runs meetings, events and workshops and exhibitions attended by professionals from around the world.

A MOUNTAIN PINE THAT STARTED OUT AS NURSERY STOCK AND 20 YEARS AGO

The most important aspect of bonsai enthusiasm is the sense of community and friendship that exists amongst those who pursue their passion of little trees. Bonsai is not so much about producing a refined specimen as enjoying the journey to that end point and sharing the trials, tribulations, disappointments and occasional little victories of bonsai life.

BONSAI COMMUNITY There are a number of bonsai clubs and groups in Northern Ireland and the Republic with a wealth of experience and knowledge to tap into. Such as: • Bud Bonsai club run by Ray Egan. Contact: budgardencentre@gmail.com • Ian Young teaches bonsai throughout Ireland. Contact: Bonsaieejit@gmail.com • Peter Warren apprenticed at the world-famous Shunkaen Bonsai Museum in Tokyo owned by the equally world-famous Bonsai Master Kunio Kobayashi. Contact: saruyama@gmail.com ✽

MICHAEL GUERIN is an avid Bonsai enthusiast and senior addiction therapist with Cuan Mhuire CLG, Ireland’s largest addiction rehabilitation charity. He has been a long term advocate of the use of horticultural therapy in the addiction rehabilitation field.

DR. KAREN O’HANLON, is the founder of a microbiological based company called probio carbon Ltd. She has developed a range of bacterial, biochar and seaweed based products for use as biological fertilisers, as an alternative to chemical fertilisers. She has co-ordinated field trials across Europe using these products. Contact details: info@ probiocarbon.ie / 087-9816569 / www.probiocarbon.ie

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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RECRUITMENT / 10

RECRUITMENT FOR HORTICULTURE

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orking on the landscapes and gardens around the Republic of Ireland and the UK is always hard work, but your recruitment campaigns shouldn’t be. What you need is a focal point for all of the talent in horticulture to congregate where you can discover the right experts to help grow your business through organic talent and excellent work. Allow us to introduce horticulture.jobs.

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Sam Barrett explains what makes our recruitment service the ideal place to match top horticulture candidates with the right employer and robust company. We are a specialised agency who work exclusively with horticultural businesses and their recruitment needs. Couple this with our reach within the industry, and you will have access to the best talent in the marketplace.

We are not just a recruitment agency; we are an industry voice that offers its service as a fountain of information on all things horticultural.”

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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

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Who we are Combined, we have the recruitment expertise and horticultural knowledge to grow your business into a strong

Why you should care Modern recruitment techniques have been using social media to tap into talent throughout the industry, with the horticulture industry starting to switch onto this resource too. Work norms from just 10 years ago are now considered dated and we are adapting to our clients’ current and indeed future needs. Candidates expect to have more choices and want their workplace to reflect their own personal values and culture. This will become more prevalent as the current young workforce matures and becomes a larger part of the working population.

This is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to do right off the bat. This is because a lot of time is wasted interviewing candidates who will either not want to work in your culture, or you will not want to work with your team.

Add this to the fact that only active candidates will be applying for your jobs, and you are really narrowing your options. Active candidates are actively looking right now and are usually looking to move as soon as possible.

This has two problems for you and your business. One is that you are only getting a small percentage of the candidates at any one time and so your options are going to be limited.

Two is that the active candidates who are applying for your role are more likely to be desperate. This means that they may take your job even if it’s not right for them and they may be gone again in weeks or months if it doesn’t suit them and you are back to square one, looking for their replacement.

That is where we come in.

We tap into what is called the passive market. These candidates are already in jobs and so are not actively looking right now. But, and this is crucial, they will move if presented with the right opportunity. We take the time to grow and nurture those relationships and we get to know these candidates. So, when you come to us looking for a specific skilled professional, we will know people who may be interested.

On the off-chance we don’t, we can dedicate time to tapping into this passive market to source you the best talent.

We will interview these candidates before their CV will ever reach you and they will have been pre-vetted by us. You can rest assured of the quality that you will receive.

Why our candidates talk to us Our candidates talk to us not only because we have the best clients and the best jobs in the country, but because we are a respected voice in the industry. We are not just a recruitment agency; we are an industry voice that offers its service as a fountain of information on all things horticultural.

We are specialised and only work with horticultural jobs and so our candidates understand that staying in touch with us is the best way to make sure that their career keeps progressing onwards and upwards.

Types of roles we work on We work on a variety of different roles but broadly speaking, fall into three categories: • Permanent • Contract • Fixed Term Permanent roles are typically PAYE positions and are an excellent way to grow your business for the long-term.

These roles are a long-term investment and that is how we approach it here at horticultural.jobs. We take the time to

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10 /RECRUITMENT

get to know your needs and what you need to succeed with your business. We understand that taking on an employee for these types of roles is a large investment on your part and so we take the time to get this right.

Contract roles are best for seasonal work or for winning new projects. These roles are all about speed and efficiency.

If you need a contractor, you likely have needed them yesterday and we appreciate that here at horticultural.jobs.

We keep our finger on the pulse of the contractor market so that when you need a crucial project delivered, we are there to help.

Fixed-term contracts are the halfway point between contracting and permanent roles. These types of contracts are ideal for you if you are looking at a specific deadline for a project and you know it will be completed by then. Many contractors looking to go into permanent work like to try out a fixed-term contract before committing to any specific company. We will be in touch with these candidates so that when you need them, they will be there.

Why you should be working with us as candidates We have massive visibility on the horticulture market as thousands of horticultural professionals across the Republic of Ireland and the UK read our newsletters and our seasonal magazine.

We work with the leading names in the industry and working with us means you will have access to the hottest jobs when they are available.

You will also be partnering with leading recruitment experts who can guide you through the often convoluted recruitment process. We are trained negotiators and will work to get you the best wage/salary possible for your career level.

We prepare you for your interviews with extensive interview preparation. This will be done with experienced recruiters who will give you the opportunity to practice your skills with them and real-time feedback in your technique.

For more information visit: www.horticulture.jobs. ✽ SAM BARRETT has an honours degree from Trinity College in Natural Science (including botany) and has worked within the pharmaceutical, IT and architecture sectors in the Irish and UK job markets before taking up the role as Digital Editor and Recruiter at Horticulture.jobs.

Contact details: 089 476 7424.

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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RETAIL / 11

Products, services, companies, even people can be branded, but is your garden centre a recognised brand? Asks Andy Campbell

YOUR GARDEN CENTRE AS A BRAND

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his is not branding in terms of creating a major national or global consumer brand like Coca-Cola; simply establishing your garden centre as a destination of first choice in the minds of the population within its catchment area. The true test being, where they would drive past a competitor to visit your centre, or to walk away from the eCommerce site on their device to come to you. Never has this been more important than in a post-Covid-19 era.

What we really mean by a brand is something that everyone can latch on to, buy in to, believe in, and develop some form of emotional attachment to. The ideal starting point is to establish something that is unique about your business as far as the consumer is concerned. Something that cannot easily be replicated by anyone else; an element of your total offer that no one else has. At the most basic level this involves the absolute positioning you adopt on the major elements of the marketing mix namely choice, quality, service, price and promotion. However, it becomes harder

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and harder over time to find a position that is uniquely different. Therefore, what you need to seek to genuinely differentiate yourself from everyone else are the less tangible elements such as the style, design and innovation credentials of your offer which constitute the “look” and the experience you offer which contributes to the “feel” of the business.

WHAT YOU STAND FOR Successful branding is not really about designing a logo and then spending vast amounts of money placing it in front of the consumer repeatedly. It is about the essence of what you stand for that is believable and then ensuring that wherever existing and potential customers come into contact with it, the message is consistent.

These customers build their perception of your garden centre based on an amalgamation of all their contact with it and experience of it, including word-of-mouth referral.

It is not limited simply to the products and prices on offer, but includes external advertising and promotion, building design

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

and frontage, initial impressions on arrival, the ambience and shopping environment, internal signage and point of sale material, the approach to merchandising and display, staff uniforms, the customer service experience, interaction at the information desk and final impressions at checkouts; as well as the performance of the products and services themselves.

The key message is that this long list of elements has to be right for the brand to be truly successful. The right products on the right display equipment in the wrong environment won’t work. A great offer in a fantastic shopping environment but with non-existent or unhelpful customer service equally will not strengthen the brand; it all has to be there and pointing in the same direction. The only way this can be achieved is if everyone working within the organisation believes in the brand and what it stands for. This will then manifest itself throughout the business from how messages are communicated in written form such as promotional leaflets, how the telephone is answered, right through to a positive ex-

12 / RETAIL • To simplify what is a complex offer, particularly where it has been drawn together from several sources.

• To make profitability improvements over the proprietary brand, particularly for commodity products.

• To improve the packaging and presentation of the offer over and above what is available from the supplier.

• To provide additional authority as a retailer of perishable, seasonal and weather dependent ranges.

• To enhance their quality and design reputation, particularly for added value, leisureoriented ranges.

CUSTOMERS BUILD A PERCEPTION OF YOUR GARDEN CENTRE BASED ON THEIR ENTIRE EXPERIENCE OF IT: PRODUCTS AND PRICES, EXTERNAL ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION, BUILDING DESIGN AND FRONTAGE, STAFF UNIFORMS, CUSTOMER SERVICE INTERACTION, FINAL IMPRESSIONS AT THE TILL AND MUCH MORE

change at the checkout. The principle also applies behind the scenes in the organisation and covers everything from how the employees are treated and the style and approach to working with suppliers.

When it comes to product selection, what is clear is there are products and brands that will enhance the overall brand of the centre and there are those that will very likely harm it. You are what you stock to a large extent. The selection role is therefore a critical one in all retail businesses.

OWN BRAND Large retailers tend to progress down the own brand route for a number of reasons:

To the consumer they are seeking to offer something better, cheaper or different, ideally all three and, wherever possible, exclusive. Very few single independent garden centres though are likely to find the development of their own label ranges a viable option due to scale, particularly when all the costs of development are taken into the equation. Therefore, ensuring the most compatible proprietary brands are stocked is essential.

So, having worked to ensure that the product and service offer is right; the infrastructure of the centre is right; the ways of doing business are right and all the people within the business are totally aligned; the challenge is how to market your garden centre as a brand. Here again the key message is consistency. You need to ensure that all forms of communication repeatedly reinforce the message of what the brand stands for – the brand values. In addition, there needs to be a consistency in the detail such as logo, colours and fonts so that the customer continuously receives the same visual impression and over time subliminally

links this to the brand values. A strong brand is one that communicates quickly and unequivocally what it is about.

The primary benefit of adopting this approach is the opportunity to steadily build your business over time. By developing a clear and consistent brand identity that is pitched correctly at the customer base within your catchment area, you are much more likely to attract more of them to your garden centre and capture a higher proportion of their garden, home and leisure spend.

Secondly, the opportunity to trade more towards the premium end of the spectrum where profit margins tend to be higher is clearly there if you choose to take it, moving away from the need to compete purely on price. Whilst this might not be uppermost in many people’s minds right now, when the marketplace becomes much more competitive, which it inevitably will, this issue will be even more vital to sustained profitability.

Finally, by establishing a relationship with the consumer though the brand, you are appealing to their emotional side as well as the rational side of their nature, on which greater loyalty can be built. This is what will put you in good stead during times of adversity, when customers are more likely to give the business the benefit of the doubt, continue to support you and keep telling others of the positive experience they receive. ✽

ANDY CAMPBELL is an independent business development consultant specialising in the garden centre industry with approaching 40 years’ retail experience. Contact details: 0044 (0)7788 567011 / andy@ andycampbellconsulting.co.uk / www.andycampbellconsulting.co.uk

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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RESEARCH / 13 HYDRANGEA X. FRENCH BOLERO NEW COMPACT VARIETY THAT FLOWERS ALONG ITS STEMS. PHOTO: DÓNALL FLANAGAN

HUMBLE HYDRANGEA Dónall Flanagan, Teagasc Nursery Stock / Ornamentals Specialised Advisor explains how Hydrangea producers are adapting to increasing demand for novelty colours and long flowering periods

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arge flowers in subtle and brilliant colours; Hydrangeas have become a must-have for landscapers, gardeners and florists. Hydrangea plants have proven to be hugely popular in the last 20 years. A new market has developed for younger gardeners and Hydrangeas are now one of the most popular plants sold across Ireland, Europe and North America. For

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example, Hydrangea ‘Endless Summer’ has sold almost 40 million plants since its introduction.

Their future looks positive as they are hardy, suffer few pests and diseases and are innovating at a fast pace. For many years, Hydrangeas were seen as old-fashioned plants.

Introductions of remontant (repeat flowering) plants such as ‘Endless Summer’, with long flowering seasons and

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

13 / RESEARCH

CUT FLOWER PRODUCTION IN NETHERLANDS. PHOTO: ANDY WHELTON

more tasteful colours in the late 90’s introduced a better product. Landscapers have been loyal to the well-established ‘Annabelle’ and ‘Limelight’ but garden centre customers’ demand for novelty and longer flowering plants has pushed innovation. The industry has responded with support, through breeding, trials, conferences and technical improvement in production and marketing. The result today is a demand that witnesses sales of Hydrangea in the tens of millions across Europe each year.

DEFINITION Hydrangea are deciduous shrubs; H. macrophyla traditionally flower on stem tips on one-year-old wood, H. arborescens and H. paniculata on new growth. The familiar colour change from pink to blue due to pH level is well recognised. Most coloured varieties are more blue than pink in acid soil. Flowers of H. macrophyla and arborescens are ball-shaped and categorised as ‘mop head’ or ‘lacecap’ varieties. H. paniculata has coneshaped flowers.

PRODUCTION Young plants can be grown from unrooted cuttings (URC) or plugs. Low costs and ease of rooting have made URC economical and allow access to a wide range of varieties from inside and outside the EU. Potting and production of young plants is highly specialised with specific programmes for pruning, plant growth regulators and pot sizes to deliver plants of consistent quality with exacting branching. If pruning

is carried out at the wrong time, the following year’s flower buds will be lost. Each variety will normally benefit from light pruning by pinching of new growth and PGR treatment.

Refrigeration of plants for forcing is begun once flower buds are set. This is to break dormancy and increase uniformity of flowering. Often plants are stored as early as August, well before natural leaf drop and subsequently plants are processed to remove dead leaves and prevent rotting.

Forced pot hydrangea are a premium product with high market appeal often produced around Mother’s Day. Production from refrigerated plants can be precisely scheduled. Crops take between six and 10 weeks to flower at 17C. Supplementary light may be required for some varieties but is not essential for all. A staggered flowering period can be achieved with phased potting from cold storage. Garden hydrangea, potted in Spring, should be ready for sale by Summer. Their branching and flower count will depend on their variety and their treatment in the previous year as the correct pinching and hormone treatments are required for each variety to produce well-branched plants.

Growing media should be well drained and moisture retentive; in North America pine bark is used successfully. For white, pink and red Hydrangeas a pH of 6-6.2 is ideal with high phosphorus and low potassium levels to assure pink and red flowers. Blue varieties should be grown between pH 5 and 5.5 with high potassium and low phosphorus to improve colour.

Lime-induced chlorosis or iron deficiency is often seen where pH is too high.

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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RESEARCH / 13 Disease issues are predictable and can be reduced through variety choice and some cultivation changes. Rust occurs on many arborescens species, ‘Annabelle’ is especially susceptible.

Hydrangea ‘Miyamayae Murasaki’ and ‘Veitchii’ have high levels of resistance to powdery mildew and anthracnose. Research in Tennessee, USA, has shown increasing shading reduces the incidence of Anthracnose NEW VARIETIES The dominant forces in breeding have been Japan and the Netherlands. Since 2010, there have been 328 varieties registered with UPOV; Japan registered the most with 252, USA 32 and Germany with 16. The greater numbers of these new varieties being paniculata rather than macrophyla.

In Europe, the key players are ILVO in Belgium who developed H. ‘Pinky Winky’ and ‘Bobo’. The Hydrangea Breeders Association (HBA) in Netherlands is a collaboration between Dutch breeders Agriom and German breeders Kötterheinrich and Heuger. In France, the University Agro Campus Ouest Angers has developed new varieties and partners with local nurseries under the collective of Hydrangea Worldwide (HW2). Their breeding programme and that of ILVO demonstrate the benefits to nurseries of state support for plant breeding. Royalties for these plants generally ranges from .03 to .35 cent a plant.

RECENT TRENDS Recent developments in breeding have focused on improved size and shape, disease resistance and flower colours. Repeat flowering has transformed the sector, varieties like ‘Endless Summer’ flower all summer instead of in one flush. There are also

numerous varieties that have striking colour change over the season. Kolsters’ ‘Magical Revolution Pink’ starts lime-green before changing to light pink, dark-pink and then green/purple. Compact plants suitable for table top display such as ‘French Bolero’ or ‘Tabletensia’ are ideal for pots and require no pruning. Disease resistant hydrangea have helped build a more robust plant, suited to wider markets.

‘French Bolero’, is a new show-stopping hybrid between H. scandens and H. macrophyla that will shake up the sector again.

It has pink flowers along its branches as well as at the tips. It has won several awards including best new plant since it was launched at IPM Essen in 2019. With increasing availability of young plants this will be a highly visible, must have plant, next year.

The new on trend colour of white and lime green will build on the market share of ‘Limelight’. Brand new H. paniculata varieties ‘Panorama’ and ‘Panenka’ and recent introduction ‘Skyfall’, are likely to prove hugely popular in 2021. With an estimated import value of €15 million finished outdoor shrubs and €2 million for liners of trees and shrubs in 2019, there is ample scope for growing production in Ireland. Future breeding may give more climate-resilient plants, better able to tolerate drought and cold ensuring a certain place for the humble hydrangea.

While new varieties are plentiful, better ones are harder to discern. Teagasc will establish a Eurotrials Hydrangea trials programme in Ashtown during the winter of 2020. This will see 140 varieties of H. paniculata planted and assessed in Irish conditions. These will be open for inspection by the trade and interested parties. See www.teagasc.ie/crops/horticulture for more details.

CUT FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE A small number of growers in Ireland are already producing quality blooms in limited numbers for Irish florists. A long shelf life and a changing colour with maturity makes these a versatile and valuable flower. Work carried out by Andy Whelton and Kildalton College trials have shown varieties with dark green and large leaves or dark stems such as the variety Black Steel to be of high interest to the foliage and flowers sectors. Flowers produced on oneyear-old wood can be pruned heavily in summer after flowering to produce fewer but larger blooms the following year. If plants are produced for foliage only there is less concern of pruning and frost damage. ✽

HYDRANGEA PANORAMA, A NEW INTRODUCTION

BY HYDRANGEA BREEDERS ASSOCIATION – PHOTO HBA

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DÓNALL FLANAGAN is a Nursery Stock / Ornamentals Specialised Advisor working with the Teagasc 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

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

14 / EDIBLES

NEW STRAWBERRY VARIETIES ENTERING THE

MARKET

‘MALLING ALLURE’ GLASSHOUSE CROP COMES IN APPROXIMATELY 14 DAYS AFTER ‘MALLING CENTENARY’. PHOTO COURTESY OF EAST MALLING SERVICES

Dr Eamonn Kehoe discusses some of the new strawberry varieties that are making their way onto the soft fruit market.

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he variety ‘Malling Centenary’ is currently the dominant strawberry variety on the Irish market. Whilst the fruit quality of the variety is superb, the yield can be a little low. Growers are always on the lookout for newer, higheryielding varieties.

'Malling Centenary' was bred by the famous East Malling Research (EMR) Centre in Kent. They have expertise which spans over 100 years in fruit breeding. The centre founded in 1913 by an association of over 600 fruit growers, is most famous for its work on apple rootstocks. As well as soft fruit, the research centre was also responsible for breeding a whole host of fruit cultivars including apples, pears, cherries, and hops.

Strawberry breeding is now at the forefront of their fruit breeding programme. Extending the soft fruit

season was the primary driver for the strawberry breeding programme.

‘MALLING ALLURE’ One of the latest strawberry varieties released from the breeding programme is ‘Malling Allure’. Like ‘Malling Centenary’ the variety is a ‘June-bearing’ strawberry or according to scientific lingo a ‘short day’ plant. This means these plants initiate flower buds in short days, but the day length needed for such initiation is not fixed but is modulated by temperature.

The lower the temperature, within limits, the fewer the days needed. These 'Junebearers' fruit naturally in June and hence the name. 'June-bearers' are the most popular amongst commercial growers and are the result of decades of breeding for productivity, size, flavour, disease resistance and other attributes.

‘Malling Allure’ is a sister of 'Malling Centenary'. It is, however, classed as a

late-season variety. The crop yield is much higher than 'Malling Centenary'. In some trials in the UK, the plant has given up to 1 kg of fruit per plant.

‘Allure’ crops approximately 10-14 days later than ‘Malling Centenary’. This lateness in fruiting would be ideal for strawberry growers who are looking to spread out their crop harvest. The quality of the fruit is also excellent. The fruit is a little smaller than ‘Malling Centenary’ but is a benefit as some of the latter’s fruit is too big.

Overall in trials, the percentage of Class 1 fruit harvested is greater than 90%t. Fruit firmness is also superb.

The harvest period for ‘Allure’ in UK trials lasted from four to five weeks which is quite similar to its sister 'Malling Centenary'.

I have seen several 'Malling Allure' crops this season and was very impressed with the yield and the quality of the fruit. It is an exciting addition to our strawberry variety list.

‘MALLING VITALITY’ Another new cultivar from the EMR breeding programme is ‘Malling Vitality’.

This is an early-mid season ‘June bearer’.

Picking begins approximately 5-10 days before ‘Malling Centenary’. Yields and Class 1 characteristics are quite similar to ‘Malling Centenary’. The percentage of Class 1 fruit was 96% in a trial run by EMR. The fruit size was also excellent with 60% of the fruit being greater than 35mm. The shelf life of the strawberry is excellent with the gloss, colour and firmness achieving very high scores in tests.

The main advantage for the variety is it has moderate resistance to crown rot (Phytophthora cactorum) and powdery mildew (Podosphaera aphanis) disease, which is hugely beneficial to growers.

Both diseases can be very troublesome for growers and any increase in resistance to these is to be greatly welcomed.

All of these varieties are seriously worth trying on a small scale on your farm. All of the strawberry varieties mentioned here are ‘June-bearing’. This means they are genetically suited to our cool, temperate climate and our latitude. Therefore your odds of success are much higher compared to trying to grow some of the everbearing varieties. ✽

DR EAMONN KEHOE is a soft fruit adviser and research scientist with Teagasc. For more information contact: eamonn.kehoe@teagasc.ie

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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INTERVIEW / 14

The End of an Era “

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Email the interview questions and we’ll go through them over a cup of tea next week

,

replied a buoyant Peter O’Brien Snr in response to my interview request for the winter issue. Sadly, we never did get time for that cuppa. Peter passed on October 26th last, peacefully and surrounded by his loving family.

By Barry Lupton

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or those of you who didn’t know him, Peter was founder of Peter O’Brien and Sons Landscaping LTD, Ireland’s longest established, family-owned landscaping company. Those who knew him, know the enormous contribution he made to the professional development of the commercial landscape sector in Ireland over the last 60 years. Personally, I have known Peter for a number of years and the privilege of working for him for the last three.

While I didn’t get the chance to conduct a formal interview with Peter, I have had opportunities in the past to discuss and record his comments and stories about his early days, his business and his commitment to the sector. I share some of these here with words from a number of leading industry figures who worked and knew him well over the years.

“My father spent his formative years farming the land and was renowned in the area for his ploughing skills,” explained, Peter when I first asked him how he got started. “When we missed out on an opportunity to extend the family farm, I knew I would have to broaden my horizons. Despite my parent’s protests, I decided to pack my bags and create a new life for myself.” Like many of his generation in the 1950s, he found his way to England, working in whatever capacity he could. Before long he secured work on the buses and spent several years happily navigating the streets of Birmingham.

“I worked hard and made a home in England, but Ireland was always calling,” he said.

In 1963, he decided it was time to head back to Ireland, and with his wife Kitty, he set up home and a fledgling landscape company in Artane in North County Dublin. “Ireland was in the midst of a house boom and the new homeowners in Raheny needed lawns. I was able to put the ploughing skills my father thought me to good use preparing and seeding gardens. Kitty worked from home answering calls, doing the accounts and chasing down new business”.

From these modest beginnings Peter and Kitty grew the business, taking on staff, buying machinery and expanding the range of services. As the business grew, so did the family. As soon as they were able, the children - Dermot, Karen, Helen, Mary and Ciaran - all found themselves involved in day to day operations. “We were all expected to work, no exceptions.

Dad was a tough operator with high expectations of us

46

all,” explains Ciaran, who has been a company director and primary shareholder for many years.

With his commitment to quality and integrity, Peter quickly built respect, knowledge and reputation for getting the job done and done well. This allowed him to diversify into other areas and develop new services. From his first small gardens, he went on to do work for local councils, larger gardens, parks and sports pitches. The company grew rapidly with men in the field and administration in the company offices. While initially run from the family home, the company quickly outgrew it and the decision was taken to invest in a permanent base in Malahide, where the company is still largely based.

“My dad was first and foremost a family man,” says Ciaran O’Brien. “He had a sincere belief in the importance of traditional family values and in many ways, built his business around them; Truth, honesty, respect, morality and ethics run at our core.

He was also a man of faith and charity, and often combined the two with donations and support. He pursued both with no expectation of return and out of a genuine sense of duty and responsibility. He would never see anyone stuck or wanting”.

“There are few people that have had a greater impact on my life,” explains, Peter O’Toole. “I studied with Ciaran in the bots and then went off to Kew. Not long after, Ciaran asked me to come back to work with himself and Peter. That was thirty years ago,” he added.

Peter has been instrumental in the development of the company over the years working shoulder to shoulder with Ciaran and his father. “I have learned so many lessons about life and work from Peter over the years” he continued. “He was committed to people and to operating with integrity. He knew the difference between cost, price and value. He understood that some of the most important things in business aren’t reflected on the balance sheet. He’d often pay more for things from someone he knew, knowing he could get it cheaper elsewhere.

He understood the value of relationships and how much more important they are for the long-term health and success of a business; and a family. That will always stay with me.”

Peter O’Brien Snr had a motto: From little acorns, mighty oaks grow. And grow they did. From a one-man show, rotovating back gardens in north Dublin, Peter built a thriving, muliti-award winning, full-service landscape company instilled with traditional family values. Through his

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Winter 2020

14 / INTERVIEW

commercial activities, involvement with industry associations and commitment to professional development he made an immeasurable contribution to the landscape sector. He will be dearly missed.

A WONDERFUL ROLE MODEL I first met Peter on a Landscape Horticulture class fieldtrip from UCD in 1983. We were visiting the award winning, Artane Park scheme that Peter O’Brien and Sons had just completed. Peter’s easy way with a group of young students, his professionalism and his enthusiasm for the landscape profession impressed this young student to the point that I immediately applied for a Practical Year placement with O’Brien’s and was lucky enough to be accepted. I enjoyed the experience so much that I returned after qualifying to work professionally with the company.

Peter’s enthusiasm for the landscape profession was infectious. While it is obvious, he was a consummate businessman, he was much more than that. Peter understood that the young fledgling Landscape industry needed to be fostered, promoted and professionally developed. He brought this vision through in his own company, but also in the industry generally by being a founding father and constant supporter of ALCI. Peter understood that a rising tide would lift all boats.

Apart from being inspirational in the landscape sphere, Peter inspired as a person. He had incredible balance in his life; he was dedicated to his family, made time to enjoy his golf, raised money for charities, and supported many in a quiet understated way. Generous to a fault, I like many others got nothing but support and guidance when the time came to move on and ‘plough our own furrow’.

Peter was a true gentleman and a wonderful role model.

Brian Whyte, Director Radharc Landscaping & Co. LTD

A LANDSCAPE PIONEER It was 1975 when I first met Peter. I had completed my studies in the USA and returned to join the Parks Department of Dublin Corporation as a Parks Superintendent. Most landscape works were done in-house by staff in the department and Peter had discussions with the then department head Barney

O’Reilly, whom he persuaded to allow some work to be done by landscape contractors. It was a period when significant social housing projects were underway and after completion, the grounds would be maintained by the Parks Department. Therefore, the Housing Architects Department asked the Parks Department to provide the landscape design and construction element of their programmes and that became my brief. I think it helped that Barney O’Reilly, like Peter, was a Meath man and with that in common, they formed a good relationship.

At Peter’s invitation, Barney went to see some of the work he was doing and was quite pleased with the standard of workmanship. It was on that basis that he asked me to include the firm on the tender circulation list.

When I met Peter, I found him a friendly person, who put great emphasis on delivering a good standard of work and on time. He was well supported by his brother Tom and Ciaran O’Dea and the other loyal workers with whom I became familiar over the years. One of the first schemes that Peter did for Dublin Corporation was the Poppintree Housing Scheme beside Ballymun. It comprised about 600 houses set out in courtyards of 12 and the intention was to have communal gardens in the courtyards. The idea was grand until each resident put up fences around their garden a few years later.

Peter’s team did an excellent job of landscaping these areas and the open spaces surrounding the scheme and followed through in the winter with tree and shrub planting. From my perspective, I came to rely a great deal on their work and never found fault with the standard achieved and from recollection no project had to be revisited. Contracts with Peter extended to landscape refurbishment of old inner city flat schemes where the challenge was much greater.

Before the era of health and safety regulations, it was not uncommon to find hordes of young children in and around his team making it very difficult for them to do their work. It was an intimidating situation, but by maintaining cool heads they succeeded. On one memorable occasion in St. Therese’s Gardens, near the Coombe, several tools went missing and Peter went straight to the local pawn shop and retrieved them without confrontation. It was a mark of his modus operandi that he worked with the crew at every opportunity. That was his way of knowing the ins and outs of each job and it contributed significantly to the high level of respect with which he was held by the staff. Another example of his work is the very successful planting scheme on the 40 acres of the Chapelizod By-Pass, completed in 1991. I also experienced his generosity to another landscape contractor who didn’t have sufficient funds to buy materials and was unable to deliver on the project. Instead of letting the other contractor fail, Peter supplied him with the necessary materials and helped him complete the contract. I am also aware that in other projects Peter undertook additional work such as drainage for which he was not paid, to ensure that his work would not be impacted.

As the years progressed, Peter diversified the company by taking on golf courses, drainage works and hard landscaping.

Winter 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

47

INTERVIEW / 14 As an adjudicator for the ALCI awards in the early years of the organisation and about a decade ago, I was able to view the work of Peter’s team on other projects and not surprisingly, many awards were achieved. It is great to see the next generation moving the company even further. While he always kept a close eye on the company, he was very proud of what was achieved and how the success was continuing under the family’s management.

On a personal level, I always found it a pleasure to work with Peter and his team and on social occasions with Kitty whom I know was the glue that helped keep the enterprise going. I was pleased to attend both their 70th birthday celebrations and in recent years to meet occasionally to discuss events of the past. When Peter became ill last year and came home to Ireland, John McCullen and I visited him in February at home in Swords. We all expected that he had just weeks to live, but he recovered to everyone’s surprise and delight and when I spoke with him in September, he seemed fine but was worried about his brother Tom who died shortly afterwards. Peter was an excellent person in so many ways; he pioneered improving the landscape contracting business through his own enterprise and through ALCI of which he was a founding member and President. It was a privilege to have known him. Kitty and family are coming to grips with his loss and I wish them the very best for the future.

Dr Christy Boylan (Jury Chair for for Entente Florale Europe and Adjudicator for the Tidy Towns Competitions (Ireland); Lecturer, Technological University Dublin)

A LIFE WELL LIVED - SAM FEENEY Landscaping in Ireland owes a big debt to Peter. He was one of the founding members of the ALCI in 1974, and without

doubt its most respected and activie promoter. He struck up a close and long-lasting relationship with his co-founders from the North, including Ronnie Cameron, Jack Duff, Peter Woods and Joe Prunty. Peter’s natural, calm, outgoing and inclusive personality was ideally suited to making long friendships and his commitment and integrity were crucial to fostering the organisation as an all-Ireland body.

My first meeting with Peter was in the late 1970s, when I was working for a nursery group of Northern Ireland Growers in Belfast. In that troubled time, when not that many people were venturing north of the border, Peter was more than happy to do so; doing business with ourselves, Thompsons of Garvagh and machinery dealers in Coleraine. He was by that time known to all the landscapers in the north and held in high regard by all who knew him.

My first impression of him was his courtesy and encouraging nature. He was a businessman to his fingertips, but work didn’t weigh heavily on him and his socialable, affability and inclusiveness were to the fore at any gathering. To quote Michael Good, who knew him well from the early days of the ALCI, “What I loved most about him was his great sense of fun and devilment.” Though a teetotaller, he was the life and soul of association weekends away, as often not, the last man standing at the end of the night.

He made the Grand Hotel in Malahide, the Mecca for landscape Awards, which, as chairman, he instigated, organised and presided over in 1983, when he presented the overall award to his friend and fellow Meath man, John Culleton.

The expression, ‘ni bheidh a leitheid aris ann’ was never as apt.

A true gentleman, he will be missed, but he has left a legacy of a life well lived. Sam Feeney (Owner and operator of Sam Feeney Landscaping LTD) ✽

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