Horticulture Connected Autumn Volume 2 Issue 2

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED

Summer 2015

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

Two point perspective.

JOHN JOE COSTIN AND JIMI BLAKE ON BLOOM 2016

Maximising your surface

EAMON KEALY ON ARTIFICAL PLAYING SURFACES

National landscape and garden design survey BARRY LUPTON REPORTS

EDITORS LETTER PHOTO BY BLANKSTOCK

EDITOR BUILD BARRy LUPTON ON THE POSITIVE

I

f anecdotal evidence is to be believed, the slow start to the season has been somewhat compensated for by a flurry of activity over the last eight weeks. Employers have reported increased sales, are hiring full time staff, purchasing machinery, and there is a general sense of optimism in the air. Of course, the perennial issues remain, but their impact has been somewhat mediated. Whether we are moving toward a more stable economic environment is anyone's guess.

Regardless of market pressures, the wider industry can take comfort from the fact that public perceptions of plants and landscapes are moving in the right direction. This is perhaps best manifested in the rise of communitybased activities centred on parks, gardens, allotments and brown field sites. The genuine engagement of people with their shared green spaces is hugely significant for the industry.

The rise of GIY, its shift from temporary

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED

News, Analysis and Trends In Landscape & Amenity Horticulture

HORTICULTURE CONNECTED

Summer 2015

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

Two point perspective.

JOHN JOE COSTIN AND JIMI BLAKE ON BLOOM 2016

Maximising your surface

EAMON KEALY ON ARTIFICAL PLAYING SURFACES

National landscape and garden design survey BARRY LUPTON REPORTS

20 The Cutlers 33/34 Parliament St Dublin 2 Ireland +353 (0)87 921 2044 www.horticulture.ie

trend to permanent feature, should also ease concerns for the future. From the industry’s side, initiatives like GroMór and the work of the IALI, ILI, ALCI, and GLDA is also starting to show results, and not just in terms of short term sales.

The Tree Council of Ireland, CRANN, The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, The Institute of Horticulture, Natural Capital Ireland and numerous other organisations are also prompting a variety of worthwhile activities, all of which afford benefit to commercial horticulture. The publishing of Jane Power's wonderful book, The Irish Garden and the launch of the National Landscape Strategy speak of a shift in perceptions, embracing the quality of what came before, what exists and what we might achieve in the future.

Despite intense financial pressures, Bord Bia continues to support the industry across the board. It's hard to believe Bloom is heading into its 10th year. How the event saw out the last few years is a credit to those behind, in front and beside it. It is an amazing vehicle for promoting what we do.

But is the industry doing enough to exploit its potential? I'm not convinced.

There are opportunities to strengthen Bloom's primary draw: plants. There are opportunities for greater collaboration between nurseries and designers, and opportunities to engage creatively with nurseries to overcome the problems of poor planting design and delivery.

My hopes for Bloom 2016 are that we move beyond hastily assembled schemes, the repetitious and frankly boring compositions of familiar species, to a situation where the knowledge, experience and infrastructure of our nurseries are coupled with the energy and creativity of designers.

This happens of course, but it is the exception rather than the rule.

Bloom has survived the worst economic recession in Irish history, and hopefully so have you. Make a commitment to being part of Bloom’s 10th anniversary now, lets galvanise the groundswell of interest and changing public opinion and deliver a show that truly refl ects what we're capable of.

Sincere thanks to all HC contributors.

Your knowledge is a constant source of inspiration to me personally, as well as to the HC readership. ✽

News Editor & Advertising: Joseph Blair 087 921 2044 joseph@horticulture.ie Subscriptions: subscriptions@horticulture.ie Creative Director: Tanya Gilsenan tanya@horticulture.ie Editorial Assistant: Koraley Northen Marketing Assistant: Aisling Kennedy Publishers: HortiTrends www.HortiTrends.ie joseph@hortitrends.ie Cover image: Koraley Northen

See Hortitrends.ie for Daily News Updates Photos by Koraley Northen & Joseph Blair Printers: Turners Printing Earl Street, Longford.

Distribution: Readership of 10,000 across Ireland from Businesses and Professionals in the following Sectors: Landscape / Architects / Garden Retail / Florists / Nurseries / Greenkeepers / Sports Surfaces / Local Authority’s & Parks Departments / Machinery / Education

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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GLAS STAND #D13/14

Fertilisers Line Marking Machines Analytical Services Setting Out Kits Groundcover Windbreak Fabrics Grass Seeds Safety Equipment Plant Protection Products Top Dressing - Composts Sprayers / Spreaders Tree Maintenance Products Biological Control

National Agrochemical Distributors Ltd., Blakes Cross, Lusk, Co. Dublin Tel: 01 8437808 Email: sales@nadirl.com Web: www.nad.ie

CONTENTS

Contents NEWS 04

CONSTRUCT

HORTICULTURE NEWS

30

Colm Kenny explores landscape customer service and offers some expert insight on best practice

BORD BIA 08

BUILDING LANDSCAPES & RELATIONSHIPS

Industry Updates

INSIGHT EVENTS 11

32

Horticulture Trade Events

REVIEW 13

NATIONAL DESIGN SURVEY BARRY LUPTON shares data from the recent survey carried out in conjunction with HortiTrends.ie

36

OMAN BOTANIC GARDENS Dr Darach Lupton writes on building an oasis in Oman

BOOK REVIEW Natalie McGettigan reviews ‘The Irish Garden'

DESIGN 15

NATIONAL LANDSCAPE FORUM 2015 Terry O'Regan shares the keys points from the recent National Landscape Forum

RETAIL 18

TWO POINT PERSPECTIVE Jimi Blake and John Joe Costin present two perspectives on planting designs at this year's Bloom

SPORTSTURF

SMALL CHANGE The (sort of) Butterfly Effect at work in the garden retail sector by Liam Kelly

IN PICTURES 20

38

43

MAXIMISING YOUR SURFACE Eamon Kealy talks about maximising the return on investment in artificial playing surfaces

EDIBLES

PHOTOS Bloom in the Park 2015, Garden Show Ireland 2015 and other trade events

46

FRESH FIGURES SHOW PROMISE AND OPPORTUNITY Mike Neary gives a fresh market update

INTERVIEW 26

SODCAST Barry Lupton interviews Peter Donegan

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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01 / NEWS

IN BRIEF

GLAS STAND #C1/M8

SIMPLY GRASS LOOKING TO EXPAND DISTRIBUTOR & RETAIL NETWORK AT GLAS

The team will be highlighting their luxury range of DIY rolls, which are a high quality artificial grass and come with installation instructions on the label. All the most popular sizes will be on display, including handy 4m x 1m (4m2) and 4m x 2m (8m2) rolls. The parent company of Simply Grass is the Internationally acclaimed Tony Patterson Sportsgrounds, who have over 40 years experience in professional sports surfaces installations. They are now looking to expand their team of distributors across Ireland. Find out more and meet the team at stand is C1 or see the product range featured in the Retail Merchandising Showcase go to Stand C1, M8. ✽

HORTITRENDS GLAS JOINS STAND EUROPEAN #D28 HORTICULTURE NETWORK REPRESENTING IRELAND & UK EHN is a network of independent national marketing and communications specialists in the horticulture industry. Together, they form a unique, highly effective network of marketing and PR professionals. The goal of the network is the promotion of free trade between the member states of the EU (internal market) by offering custom made European wide marketing and PR solutions, and also to stimulate trade by providing effective information to countries outside the EU and/ or Europe. The members of the network also wish to promote the social, ecological and economical values of sustainably produced edible and non-edible horticultural products. Find out more at www. hortinet.eu ✽

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HORTICULTURE NEWS

HORTITRENDS LEADING TRADE VISIT TO GROOTGROENPLUS, HOLLAND

GLAS STAND #D28

Linked to their recent membership of the European Horticulture Network (EHN) www.hortinet.eu, HortiTrends will lead a group of buyers from Ireland and the UK to the anniversary edition of trade fair GrootGroenPlus. The offering ranges from seed to ornamental

SANDRO AND IRISH WILDFLOWERS CELEBRATING 25 YEARS SELLING WEEDS Sandro Cafolla tells HC “Back in the day, some in the trade laughed when we started ‘growing weeds’ and were in disbelief at the concept of wildflowers.”

These days wildflowers are grant aided on Irish Farms, appear on most major

plants, standard trees, topiary and horticulture supplies. The event is of interest to nurseries, landscapers and garden centres among others.

GrootgroenPlus2015 is held from 30 September till and including 2 October, in Zundert, in the south West of the Netherlands. Interested buyers, please contact Joseph about travel arrangements on 087 9212044 or email joseph@horticulture.ie. Find out more at www.grootgroenplus.nl ✽

roads, adorn gardens, visitor centres and schools and they are priority for nature conservation and Biodiversity.

Keep a lookout for upcoming open days to see the wonderful abundant meadows of GLAS wildflowers Speak to STAND Sandro to learn even more #J4 about Irish Wildflowers at Glas Stand J4. ✽

IRISH GRASS MACHINERY HIGHLIGHTING NEW RANGES FROM MAKITA & DOLMAR The team from Irish Grass Machinery, buoyant after a number of recent tender successes, will be at Glas promoting their new range of Makita battery garden equipment, which is unique in that the batteries interchange with over 130 other Makita tools. The batteries also have a three year GLAS commercial warranty. Also of interest to the trade will be the STAND Dolmar range with their four stroke engines that use 40% less #ST10 fuel than a normal two stroke engine. Michael Smyth tells HC “We are keen to highlight the superior parts and repair service that comes as a given, with all products supplied by our company”. More at www. irishgrassmachinery.ie ✽

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

01 / NEWS CONGRATULATIONS TO FRANCIS MULHOLLAND FROM CAFRE, GREENMOUNT CAMPUS ON WINNING THE YOUNG HORTICULTURIST OF THE YEAR COMPETITION 2015 The one day event took place in April in the Pheonix Park visitors centre. Pictured here are Paul Fitters, Francis Mulholland, Michal Slawski of Bord Bia and Claire Woods of Greemount Campus. ✽

GLAS STAND #H9

INSTRATA APPROVED IN IRELAND MEET THE EVERRIS TEAM AT GLAS

The official launch of Instrata in Ireland took place in Dublin at the prestigious Aviva Stadium, organised by Everris Country Manager, Colman Warde, and hosted by the stadium's Head Groundsman, Majella Smyth. Colman highlighted greenkeepers and superintendents in Ireland have been eagerly awaiting the approval of Instrata.

"Its unique multi-active properties will be especially valuable to protect turf playing quality from disease risk challenges as a result of the typically changeable weather conditions."

Colman and the Everris team will also be launching a range of new products, including the Spec- Ag - Lallemand range

of biological plant health care products, including Cilus Plus, Rise-P, Intracell and Rise S. H2FloWater Conservation Agent.

In professional Hort they are launching the Micromax Premium – controlled release Trace Element package and finally in turf and Amenity both Seamax - highly concentrated water soluble seaweed and DewSmart a new and safe way to help prevent disease on golf surfaces. Meet the Everris team at stand H9. ✽

ARE YOU A PROFESSIONAL HORTICULTURIST OR ARCHITECT LOOKING TO INCREASE YOUR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF PLANTS? Then the Hunting Brook Plantsperson's Course could be just what you need! Widely covered in the gardening press, Jimi Blake’s Hunting Brook has become a mecca for gardeners and horticulturists from around the world.

Participants on this course will gain an intimate understanding of the garden, see it through the seasons and become well acquainted with all of the plants grown there. One of the most challenging technical elements of garden design is succession planting. Learn how to extend the season by intensively using space for waves of beautiful blooms! Over the course of the year Jimi will also share his techniques for combining plants to create stunning modern borders. A key part of the course involves visits to some of the best Irish gardens and lectures by leading specialist in the field of horticulture. Call Jimi to discuss further: 087 285 6601, Email: jimi@huntingbrook.com, learn more: www.huntingbrook.com ✽

CONTEMPORARY IRISH CONCRETE PLANTERS ail+el is ail+el is a contemporary Irish homeware brand based in Dublin and was founded by Aileen Balfe and Eleanor McCaughey. Their unique experiences and styles have been layered together to inspire a creative product range. Pattern, colour and form are integral parts of ail+el’s products. Each planter is hand cast in concrete. They are completely unique as the concrete dictates the finished look and when dry each planter is then hand finished with a different pattern. The planters were conceived and designed looking at urban living, combining the hard and industrial qualities of concrete with lush succulents. More at www.ailandel.com ✽

NEWS FROM THE GLDA

concept garden category.

GLAS On Saturday 13th June the GLDA organised garden In early May the GLDA was represented at Garden STAND visits for members and friends of the Association.

Show Ireland in Co Antrim, where it hosted a very #B12 The visits started with a large private garden near St successful design tent throughout the show. Free Margarets designed by Andrew Glenn-Craigie and Lisa 15 minute consultations were given with a booking Murphy. A lunch picnic was organised at Jane McCorkell’s system in operation to deal with the demand. before exploring her garden.

The GLDA stand at Bloom saw the launch of their new Finally the visit moved on to Beech Park in Clonsilla website. Visitors to the GLDA stand were given where Fingal Co Council is restoring the garden which a demonstration of the new website and were able to sign will eventually be opened to the public. Future visits and up for a competition by having their details entered directly events will be publicised on the website www.glda.ie and to the site. As well as demonstrating the new website on Facebook. Do visit the website where not only is there members gave free design consultations to visitors. Full information on all the full members but you will also find members Jane McCorkell and Ingrid Swan were medal under the “suppliers” heading all the Corporate Members of winners in the large garden category with Jane winning the Association and their services. ✽ Gold and Best in Show, and Ingrid winning Silver Gilt in the

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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01 / NEWS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BLANCHARDSTOWN TEAM & FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL WIN BEST SMALL GARDEN AT BLOOM 2015 Fingal County Council has worked closely with the Department of Horticulture at ITB for the past four years, providing a training ground for their students in Beech Park Gardens, Clonsilla, Dublin 15. The students have gained invaluable work experience in garden restoration, plant cultivation and plant identification under the guidance of John Harrington, Chargehand Gardener in Fingal County Council who has worked in the horticultural industry for more than 40 years.

This year at Bloom in the Park, Fingal County Council and ITB created a show garden that was a representative vignette of the famous walled garden at Beech Park, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 developed by the Shackleton family during the second half of the 20th century. The design of the Bloom garden referenced and drew on the archive of detailed planting and layout plans for walled garden at Beech Park prepared during its heyday in the 1980s. In particular, unusual and signature

GLAS STAND #E10

GLAS STAND #D5

plants which were or are still part of the collection at Beech Park were sourced and incorporated into the show garden to demonstrate the level of horticultural excellence planned for the fully restored garden.

The walled garden at Beech Park will be opened to the public as an important local amenity, visitor attraction and tourism asset. The gardens are widely regarded as being internationally significant due to their long association with horticultural excellence and in particular due to the wide range of rare and exotic plants recorded there over many years. During the 1980s, the gardens were included in "The Good Gardens Guide" (with two stars). This is the highest accolade awarded by the guide and reserved for the very best gardens in the British Isles.

Garden designer Jane McCorkell, lecturer in horticulture at ITB and a six times Gold medal of Bloom worked with her students on the design of the Beech Park Garden at Bloom 2015. Eamon Kealy, lecturer in Horticulture cultivated all the plants for the garden at the new ITB urban horticulture facility. ✽

YOUNG NURSERIES PROMOTING ‘IMPULSE BUYS’ & PLANNING FUTURE LINES Joe and Nuala Young and the team will have a wide choice of flowering perennials on display at GLAS aimed at stimulating sales in July and August. Joe tells HC “Our goal is to deliver an excellent quality product at a competitive price combined with exceptional customer service”. They are currently researching new consumer trends as they plan their production for 2016“. We are inviting all customers – potential new & existing to visit us at Stand E10 to listen to their needs", says Nuala. ✽

BORD NA MONA ACHIEVE RHP - QUALITY AWARD RHP is a Dutch quality mark for substrates subdivided into three separate quality marks: Horticulture, Consumer and Mushrooms and is managed by the RHP Foundation based in Holland.

The objective of the RHP Foundation is to optimise and warrant the quality of peat products and raw materials through compliance of a specific set of standards for a particular field of application.

Bord na Mona Professional Horticulture made an application for direct membership in Autumn 2013 and so began the process towards certification. In September 2014 Bord na Mona Horticulture was awarded the quality mark 'RHP- Horticulture' for their peat products demonstrating compliance in the area of general product requirement, chemical, physical and phytosanitary product requirements.

In addition under the Peat module, additional compliance must be achieved under site standards, additional weed requirements, non-chemical use, arrival trans-shipment storage sites, extraction methods and sampling.

The award is a credit to the dedication and hard work of both Feedstock and Professional teams working together to achieve this prestigious Horticulture Industry Standard.

We know that Bord na Mona peat and it's quality can be specifically measured against high industry standards and this award is proof that the professional team are playing their part in promoting quality Growing Media constituents that

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GLAS STAND #B2

Derrinboy Bog – IPS conference 2015 can only strengthen horticultural markets at a premium level.

MPS-ECAS is the independent auditing body composed of auditors who are experts in their field who carry out regular product and process inspections.

It was fitting that at the recent IPS conference in Tullamore Bord na Mona received their Certificate at Derrinboy bog from the Director of RHP Mr. Hein Boon in the presence of over 100 international delegates and their Feedstock colleagues. ✽

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

CAFÉ CULTURE & CONSERVATION IN THE PARKS - NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL PARKS As a city dweller, parks are central to the quality of life for all city dwellers and visitors alike. Dublin City Council currently manages in excess of 1,500 hectares of parks and their associated facilities, which can range from new tea rooms to the newly designated ‘UNESCO Dublin Bay Biosphere’. One of the most successful and very popular initiatives being undertaken is the addition of cafe style tea rooms, which have been very warmly received by the locals and tourists. They have been introduced in several parks already including St Patrick's Park and Harolds Cross by refurbishing unused or underutilised buildings.

The award of a UNESCO Biosphere designation to Dublin Bay was officially announced in June. The

GLAS STAND #E16

strategy for the biosphere is based on themes of conservation, research and education, tourism and sustainable business. Dublin City Council was to the forefront of the initiation of the Dublin Bay Partnership, set up to protect and promote the bay. A new Physic Garden in St. Anne’s Park, Raheny was also officially opened on the 23rd May. Further conservation studies have been commissioned for several parks, that will support their development, in keeping with their historic importance, their environs and community needs. Leslie Moore, Head of Parks, tells HC “Dublin City Council intends to continue to develop creative and innovative initiatives to provide a level of quality in parks befitting of our capital city". ✽

TULLY NURSERIES ‘YOUR IDEAS, OUR EXPERTISE’ AT GLAS

‘Your ideas, our expertise’ is the theme for Tully Nurseries at this years GLAS. Niamh Tully tells HC “We want to get as much feedback as possible from our current and potentially future new customers. We will continue to strive to produce a better quality and wider range of plants, based on the market knowledge of our retail customers, who at the end of the day are the ones that really know what consumers are looking for". With this and their own market research in hand, they travel to various tradeshows and flower trials across Europe to select the best new varieties of plants, which they then bring to their state of the art production facilities in Dublin. Meet the team and find out more at Stand E16. ✽

IRISH Grown FLOWERs & Plants

Buy Your Flowers & Plants Directly from our Drivers Delivering to Florists & Garden Centres Across Ireland Contact Arjan: Tel:087-241 5091 Email: Arjan@AquaflorFlowersDirect.ie

Quality Value Selection Service Always

www.AquaflorFlowersDirect.ie Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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02 / BORD BIA

GLAS STAND #C10

eZine NATIONAL STRAWBERRy WEEk According to Kantar Worldpanel there was a 14% increase in the retail value of strawberry sales to consumers in the 35 to 44 year old category in the last 12 months compared to the previous year, to reach €8 million. These figures were released during National Strawberry Week which was held in the first week of June. Total annual retail sales of strawberries in Ireland are currently worth €54.7m.

Berries in general have enjoyed very healthy growth, with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries showing 20% growth in both value and volume in the last two years. With a total retail value of €133m per year, berries are now the biggest fruit sector by value, bigger than apples, bananas or citrus.

The aim of National Strawberry Week is to grow sales amongst 25 to 45 year old females. The focus this year was an on a pack sticker with point of sale material at 130 stores country wide. 800,000 on-pack peel and reveal stickers gave details of a text-in competition which received 7,000 entries and was backed up by in-store material consisting of posters and shelf talkers. A number of other activities took place, including radio programme sponsorship, press advertising and digital advertising.

A video was produced on strawberries with producers and visitors to Bloom, and was loaded onto the Bord Bia YouTube channel, and onto Facebook where it received 50,000 views. ✽

MUSHROOM PROmOTION DRIVES VOLUmE INCREASE The ‘Just Add Mushroom’ campaign which is being rolled out in the Ireland and UK markets commenced in July 2013 and is worth €2.7m over three years. It will continue into 2016. It is co-funded 50:50 by the EU and producers and marketers in Ireland and the UK. The campaign targets women aged 25 to 45 years old, and also health professionals, mass caterers and children in educational establishments. The most effective means of reaching this target audience is by advertising online and in women’s magazines. The strategy is to increase penetration and frequency of purchase among younger households in the UK and Ireland. The ‘Just Add Mushrooms’ campaign has seen an increase in the volume of sales in the combined markets of 4,900 tonnes in the two years of the campaign to date. The Facebook page for the campaign recently grew to more than 100,000 likes. Planning the next stage of the campaign includes looking at the breakfast meal occasion and how mushroom growers can take advantage of current trends including healthier and more substantive options. ✽

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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

02 / BORD BIA FUNDING SECURED FOR POTATO PROmOTION The EU announced recently that the application to the EU

by Bord Bia and the (British) Potato Council for co-funding to implement a three year promotional programme for potatoes in Ireland and the UK was successful. The total marketing fund available over the three years to spend across Ireland, will be €4.6million with Ireland accounting for €1m of this total. The EU will provide €0.5million to Ireland with the balance being funded by the Irish Potato Industry and DAFM (Department of the Agriculture, Food and the Marine). The campaign in Ireland will be targeted primarily at the 22 to 44 year old age group and will aim to: ● Increase frequency of purchase amongst the target audience ● Re-engage consumers emotionally with the category so that potatoes are seen as an exciting and relevant addition to the modern world of meal solutions ● Inform consumers of the great taste and versatility of potatoes, and expand the range of meals based on potatoes that can be enjoyed

● Increase perceptions that potatoes are convenient across a

range of traditional, contemporary and international recipes ● Build awareness of the added health and nutritional

benefits of potatoes The campaign will be launched in October 2015. ✽

NEW HERB WEBSITE A new website www.loveherbs.ie providing information on the cooking and health benefits of herbs was launched in May to mark National Herb Week 2015. It is a collaboration between herb producers (O’Hanlon Herbs and Mc Cormack Farm) and the Irish Register of Herbalists in association with Bord Bia. The website focuses on recipe-driven traffic presented as pictorial and video based recipes.

It includes a full herbs identification profile, a featured herb of the month, a focus on associated health benefits as well as discussions on the traditional usage of herbs. The site also provides a kids’ section, a frequently updated herb blog, and a directory of Irish herbalists contributing articles and information to the website. ✽

EXPLORING SALAD POTATO OPPORTUNITIES The salad potato category has grown in recent years. The market is supplied from both Irish growers and imports. It is estimated that 20,000 tonnes are imported per year. While there are a number of Irish growers supplying some of the domestic market demand for this product, there is scope to increase the volume of home produced salad potatoes to the domestic market. The production of salad potatoes requires considerable skill and a change of practice if changing from traditional ware potato production, and farmers will require the knowledge and support to enable them to make the necessary changes for a profitable and sustainable future. It is in this context that this initiative between Teagasc, Bord Bia, the IFA and the Potato Industry has been undertaken. The overall purpose of the programme is to increase the level of information to existing growers and ultimately increase the quantity of salad potatoes grown and available to the market

in Ireland. This will involve equipping the industry with the necessary skills and knowledge to sustainably develop their potato enterprises.

Methodology of the project ● Run a technology transfer project over the next three years ● Regularly meet existing growers through each season at critical times ● Develop markets and solutions to extend the window where Irish salad potatoes are available to the market ● Provide up to date agronomy detail for growers over the period of the project Elements of the project include a demonstration farm in Wexford and collaboration set up with SRUC (Scotland's Rural College) with Dr Stuart Wale to help with technical delivery. Two meetings have taken place to date with key technical areas discussed and demonstrated. For further information contact Michael Hennessy, Teagasc, Oakpark, Co Carlow at michael.hennessy@teagasc.ie ✽

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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02 / BORD BIA BLOWN AWAy By BLOOm Bloom 2015 took place from 28th May to 1st June in the Phoenix Park, Dublin and was attended by 95,000 visitors. The visitor satisfaction rate for the show remains high at 93%. Bloom provided a highly engaging shop window on Irish amenity horticulture receiving widespread media coverage and stimulating in excess of €6.5m spend over the five days. The wider economic impact will be measured in the weeks to come and it is anticipated that Bloom will stimulate significant spend on garden related activity. There is a detailed report on Bloom carried in this publication. ✽

POTATO PROMOTION WITH SPUDLOVE Spudlove is a joint collaboration between GIY Ireland and Bord Bia which was launched in May and has two key activities – Spud Off competitions and the Spudlove reconnection campaign. The Spud Offs are community organised potato grow and taste test competitions. The aim is to award Ireland’s Golden Potato prize at GROW Fest (GIY’s annual festival) in September. Spudlove is the social media element of the campaign, which is designed to engage a younger demographic in a dialogue about cooking and eating potatoes. The call to action is that people can browse content from www.potato.ie and upload their favourite recipes to social media using the hashtag #spudlove.

Each week GIY will bestow the title of Spud Lover of the Week to the funniest or best potato related post and they will receive a digital certificate. Bord Bia is sponsoring this initiative, which will create many potato ambassadors around the country as they re-engage people with the important nutritional role of potatoes in the diet, which will help to increase consumption. ✽

SEED POTATO PRODUCTION A seminar organised by Teagasc and sponsored by Bord Bia focusing on seed potato production, and in particular on Blackleg disease, took place in Dublin in March. A large attendance of both specialist seed and ware potato growers heard Dr Barry O Reilly from the Department of Agriculture, Food and & the Marine, address the seminar about the new EU regulations governing seed certification and also the standards seed must pass to qualify in each seed category and grade. The seminar was also addressed by Dr Jan van der Wolf from Wageningen University in Holland, an international expert on the potato disease, who outlined the importance of Blackleg in an Irish context and gave recommendations to help farmers deal with the disease. Dr Denis Griffin from Teagasc outlined how growers should focus on specialised seed potato production, rather than dual cropping, and summarised the major steps to achieving this. Poster sessions included information on virus and potato cyst nematode and blight. ✽

MARKET ASSISTANCE FOR HORTICULTURE COmPANIES Each year Bord Bia makes funding available under the Market Assistance Programme (MAP) to assist companies with their marketing activities. In addition in 2015 a new Step Change Programme (SCP) was introduced to assist a limited number of companies embarking on a new project, to take their business to the next level. In 2015 a total of 39 horticulture applications were approved under the MAP and SCP programmes with the amount approved for Horticulture companies totalling €181,000. ✽

GARDEN LANDSCAPE AmENITy SPORTSTURF (GLAS TRADESHOW) The fifth annual GLAS trade show takes place on Thursday 23rd July in the exhibition centre at the CityWest Hotel in Saggart, Co Kildare. The show which is organised by the Kildare Growers in conjunction with Bord Bia, the main sponsor, continues to grow each year. It is now the premium national tradeshow for amenity horticulture and sportsturf.

This year there will be over 110 exhibitors at the show. In 2014 98% of visitors found the day at the show worthwhile while 78% indicated that they would be spending with exhibitors after the show (GLAS Exit survey 2014). For further information go to the website www.glasireland.ie ✽

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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

03 /EVENTS

2015 EVENTS DIARy ✽ 23 JULY

✽ 14-16 SEPT GLEE

An unbeatable networking opportunity for Ireland's horticulture, sportsturf and related industries. GLAS is a one-day opportunity to meet all the suppliers / specialists relevant to your business.

Venue: CityWest Conference & Exhibition Centre, Saggart, Co. Dublin www.glasireland.ie ✽

Glee 2015 show features are designed to help you find the brightest and best products, quality suppliers & provide guidance and advice to help your business flourish.

Venue: NEC Birmingham , UK www.gleebirmingham.com ✽

GLAS IRELAND

✽ 08-09 SEPT ✽ 26-29 AUG

PLANTARIUm

It is the leading international tree nursery trade fair. Participants from 15 diff erent countries and trade visitors from 48 countries underline the international nature of the fair.

Venue: Plantarium building International Trade Centre, Italiëlaan 4, 2391 PT Hazerswoude-Dorp/Boskoop www.plantarium.nl ✽

FOUR OAkS TRADE SHOW

Four Oaks is a commercial horticultural show now in its 45th year.

The venue is a 23 acre nursery site in Cheshire UK, close to the Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope. The exhibition covers an area of 17,000m2 under glass with additional outdoor areas.

Venue: Farm Lane, Lower Withington, Macclesfi eld, Cheshire, SK11 9DU, UK www.fouroaks-tradeshow.com ✽

✈

DON’T MISS!

✽ 23-25 SEPT

FLORA TRADE SHOW IN RImINI (ITALy)

FLORA Trade Show, the international event for the relaunch of the floriculture sector will be staged at Rimini Fiera from 23rd to 25th September 2015 simultaneously with MACFRUT. Venue: Rimini Fiera S.p.A. Via Emilia, 155, 47900 Rimini, Italy www.floratrade.it ✽

✽ 30 SEPT-02 OCT

GROOTGROENPLUS

DON’T MISS!

International nursery stock trade fair. GrootGroenPlus off ers the visitor a huge number of suppliers and other participants and off ers excellent networking opportunities.

Venue: Trade Fair GrootGroenPlus, PO Box 369, 4880 AJ, Zundert, The Netherlands grootgroenplus.nl ✽

HORTITRENDS LEADING TRADE VISIT TO GROOTGROENPLUS, HOLLAND HortiTrends will lead a group of buyers from Ireland and the UK to the anniversary edition of trade fair GrootGroenPlus. The offering ranges from seed to ornamental plants, standard trees, topiary and horticulture supplies. The event is of interest to nurseries, landscapers and garden centres among others.

GrootgroenPlus2015 is held from 30 September till and including 2 October, in Zundert, in the south West of the Netherlands. Interested buyers, please contact Joseph about travel arrangements on 087 9212044 or email joseph@horticulture.ie. Find out more at www. grootgroenplus.nl ✽

✽ 04-05 NOV

SALTEX

Sports Amenities Landscaping Tradeshow The UK's national event for grounds care, sports, amenities, estates and green space management. Free to visit, SALTEX is the UK's biggest event for the grounds care sector.

Venue: NEC Birmingham , UK www.iog-saltex.com ✽

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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ieSummer / Summer 2015 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

04 / REVIEW

NATALIE McGETTIGAN

T

McGettigan reviews ‘THE IRISH Natalie ‘The Irish Garden’ by Jane with photographs GARDEN’ Powers,

by Jonathan Hession

his handsome book features almost 60 Irish gardens, from Powerscourt and Altamont which need no introduction, to the less familiar Oakfield Park in Co Donegal and Heywood in Co Laois.

Although all the gardens covered are worthy of note, Powers laments the fact that low visitor numbers, the inevitable consequence of a small population, make it difficult for owners to fund maintenance of their plots. Her contention is that Irish gardens are unlike any others in the world. The older ones, made while Ireland was under British rule, contain elements of Englishness, yet are specific to this island.

It is impossible to touch on all the gardens she mentions in this review, but some details she picks up on are worthy of note.

Farmleigh, although respectful of its original nineteenth century origins, also contains work from contemporary sculptor Brian King. Chelsea Gold Medal winner Mary Reynolds has made Bunchloch (‘Foundation Stone’), a grassy landform with a granite bowl at its centre and concentric ripples representing the pathways of nine granite ‘planets’ In Cork, despite Bantry House’s temperate climate, it provides a challenging site since the ground rises steeply from the coast into a rocky hillside. From 1820, Viscount Berehaven turned the challenge into a triumph, employing hundreds of men to reshape the land into seven terraces. On the other side of the house, he overcame the challenge of the steep gradient with the construction of a run of stairs known as the Stairway to the Sky. However, these embellishments were designed for instant ‘wow factor’, with insufficient foundations, with the result that much has not survived the test of time and the current head gardener faces a constant battle to hold back the encroaching West Cork vegetation. Although the garden has inevitably changed from the Viscount’s vision, the imposing geometry

(Frances Lincoln £40.00)

is still impressive as it becomes furred over with a coating of moss and ferns.

Birr Castle is home to the world’s tallest box hedge. In addition, it boasts over 40 champion trees and the current owner, the 7th Earl of Rosse, is aiming for 200 new plantings each year. This garden has seen over 100 years of constant and knowledgeable planting.

The Earl's wife was the daughter of Colonel Messel of the renowned Nymans garden in West Sussex and links between the two gardens are strong with regular plant exchanges.

A garden which was put together over the space of only two years in the 1990s, yet looks as if it has been there for centuries, can be seen in Fanore, County Clare where Carl Wright has made Caher Bridge Garden. In it, Carl has chosen to echo the arches of the bridges which span the river, so circles and semicircles appear throughout, giving the garden coherency.

In the chapter on Follies and Fancies, Powers singles out Larch Hill Arcadian Garden, near Kilcock in County Kildare, once the flax farm of the estate. In 1780 a ferme ornée was created, an ornamental farm set in a utopian landscape.

Domestic animals which would ordinarily have been accommodated in basic conditions were housed in decorative gothic pens. Although it had all but disappeared down the ages, the current owners were able to restore it and its many follies with help from the Great Gardens of Ireland Restoration Programme, among others, and once again, cattle and sheep are in evidence.

Corke Lodge, between Shankill and Bray in County Wicklow, is a delightfully theatrical garden. It was created by the architect and furniture designer Alfred Cochrane. Although it does boast a massive cork tree, the garden gets its name from the Irish word ‘corcach’ which means ‘marsh’. The land here was originally waterlogged, but has since been laboriously improved. Taking the existing woodland as his starting point,

the present owner has designed the space to look as if there was a much more ancient and classically formal garden being consumed by the rampant laurel trees. Plants were chosen solely for visual effect – bold-foliaged Phormium, bamboo, Gunnera and ferns and showy-barked trees such as birch, Luma apiculata and Acer griseum.

In the chapter entitled ‘Fields of Dreams - where gardens grow from fertile imaginings’, the author has special admiration for Lorna MacMahon’s Ardcarraig in Co Galway, which she deems to be the hardest-won garden of all those she features. This two hectare parcel of land has a thin skim of poor, acidic soil over glacial granite. In the lower parts, the plot dips into spongy bog which regularly floods. Despite the challenges, Ardcarraig is peppered with interesting trees and shrubs, including a rarely-seen Tasmanian Athrotaxis selaginoides conifer.

In ‘Paradises Reinvented’, Powers singles out Co Donegal’s Oakfield Park. In a picturesque landscape which appears to borrow from the period of Humphrey Repton, yet was created just 10 years ago, businessman Sir Gerry Robinson and his wife have planted many thousands of trees including over 160 varieties of oak. Sir Gerry, whose father was a carpenter, is keen for the demesne to live up to its Oakfield name once again. He has inherited his father’s woodworking skills and has made numerous constructions around the gardens, including a summerhouse, a boathouse, several bridges and all the boardwalks that run over the wetlands. In the previously-neglected walled garden, paths have been reinstated using old Ordnance Survey maps.

The wonderfully atmospheric photographs taken by Power’s husband, Jonathan Hession compliment his wife’s writing and together they make up an extremely handsome volume that chronicles what are currently the best of Irish gardens. ✽

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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04 / REVIEW

NATIONAL LANDSCAPE FORUm 2015

TERRY O'REGAN (LANDSCAPE ALLIANCE), MINISTER JIMMY DENIHAN, MARTIN COLREADY, (DEPARTMENT OF ARTS, HERITAGE AND THE GAELTACHT), URSULA MACPHERSON (PRESIDENT OF MOUNTAINEERING IRELAND) CONOR NEWMAN (CHAIRPERSON OF THE HERITAGE COUNCIL)

Terry O’Regan shares the keys points from the recent National Landscape Forum

O

rganised in a short timeframe to promote interest in and energise the implementation process for the recently launched National Landscape Strategy, the National Landscape Forum 2015 featured some 20 presentations and provided the key decision-makers with much food for thought.

Willie Cumming of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DAHG) opened proceedings with an overview of the content of the strategy noting its relationship to the European Landscape Convention, the objectives and proposed actions scheduled for delivery within a 10 year timeframe. Willie also integrated references through his presentation to the Europa Nostra award-winning project Survey of Historic Gardens & Designed Landscapes which is publicly accessible on the ‘buildings of Ireland’ website. (www.buildingsofireland.ie) Conor Newman of the Heritage Council informed the meeting that the Heritage Council is currently examining how the work of the council might best be integrated with the NLS implementation strategy, and further information on its deliberations will emerge over the coming months.

Tony Williams of the Irish Landscape Institute (ILI) noted that the landscape institutes on both sides of the border in Ireland are progressing provisional

plans for an independent landscape observatory modelled on the established and respected observatory in Catalonia.

For my own presentation, I stressed the need for the strategy to be actively implemented at all levels and called for a dedicated research, training and awareness unit in the DAHG and landscape officers at local authority level.

I also highlighted the need for a national landscape character map - to landscape character type level - to be produced within 12 months. More detailed characteristics being dealt with at local authority level. Previous experience in Kosovo has shown that the landscape circle approach is an effective mechanism in this regard.

I concluded my talk highlighting that a national landscape action plan with landscape objectives and guidelines must be prepared and followed by similar plans at local authority level; there should be an annual state of our landscape report to monitor and report on progress in implementing the national landscape strategy; and finally, the openings created by the forum for collaboration with colleagues in Northern Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland should be followed up and a joint working group established as soon as possible.

The morning sessions continued with Brendan O’Sullivan of the MPlan course in UCC, who reflected on

how landscape is challenged by the Irish love of one-off houses in the rural landscape and is safeguarded in varying degrees by the planning process. But he suggested that there is a need for a much more in-depth approach to landscape management and that the NLS could possibly facilitate the same if it is implemented effectively.

Brendan was followed by Linda Maher of the UCD Earth Institute who gave an overview of the different studies in progress on landscape in UCD and specifically her own workin-progress study on understanding and assessing the landscape setting of historical and landscape sites. Linda’s preliminary conclusion is that the value of many historical properties lies not just in the building and/or collection of buildings, but rather that their unique character derives from their relationship with the wider landscape.

Reflecting on the long-standing record of An Taisce in defending both our heritage and environment, Ian Lumley followed Linda’s presentation with a wide-ranging overview on the challenges and threats facing our landscape from both local and global forces for change. Ian saw the NLS as providing one potential framework to address some of those challenges.

Helen Lawless of Mountaineering Ireland then took us to the uplands and peaks of our landscape, convincingly noting that uplands (over 300m

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

15

contour) only occupy 6% of the land area, with just 0.35% being over 600m. As they not only provide the best vantage points for viewing the wider landscape and are among the last remaining remote areas where stressed citizens might escape to, she advocated that they should have special status within the framework of the NLS implementation process.

Tony Carey of Crann ‘Trees for Ireland’ then posed the question “Could Ireland benefit from a co-ordinated planting programme of selected tree species such that in 10-20 years the autumn colours along our roads and streets would begin to resemble those of New England?” Crann envisages a north/south study group being formed to carry out a feasibility study on the proposal.

Landscape Architect Aidan ff rench closed the morning session by taking us by the hand a landscape of place, as distinct from the treasured iconic scenic landscapes of tourist brochures, to ordinary places with the potential to become equally iconic and treasured if designed for deeper human purpose and need. Aidan argued that a well-planned and managed landscape is an expression of faith in the future – a pact between generations.

“There should be an annual state of our landscape report to monitor and report on progress in implementing the national landscape strategy” The afternoon session opened with an address by Jimmy Deenihan, Minister for Diaspora Affairs and up to last year Minister for Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht. He outlined his longstanding interest in and commitment to landscape policy and the European Landscape Convention, culminating in his work in the DAHG to advance the National Landscape Strategy.

Mansil Miller of the Northern Ireland Department of Environment then provided us with an overview of the current landscape strategy position in Northern Ireland. As such, they don’t have a landscape strategy but they do have quite an integrated approach, having completed a landscape character assessment some years ago which they are now about to update, focusing on landscape character types rather than areas. And they have a landscsape charter which is open to all to commit to. Mansil also briefly referred to the seascape assessment work already in progress in NI. Maggie Roe of Newcastle University and the Landscape Research Group provided the forum with a detailed and wide-reaching overview of landscape strategies and strategic thinking in England, taking us from the ELC to landscape partnership projects in Durham, Teesdale and Northumberland and on to green infrastructure planning.

She noted that recent strategic activity has included a landscape advisory group established by Natural England in association with partners, and concluded her presentation by sharing with us the themes and questions that emerged from a symposium held earlier this year at Newcastle

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PHOTO BY JOSEPH BLAIR

04 / REVIEW

STUDENTS OF LANDSCAPE DESIGN FROM BLACKROCK FURTHER EDUCATION INSTITUTE, NATHALIE MARKIEFKA, LURENE FITZPATRICK AND TARA SKAKIE WERE ON HAND TO HELP DURING THE DAY

University under the proactive title “Landscape Forward: Policy, Practice & Research”.

Gareth Roberts, also of the Landscape Research Group, outlined the history of the evolution of interest in the Welsh landscape and recent developments in Wales. Christopher Gallagher, independent garden and landscape consultant, gave us a fascinating overview of Historic England’s Register of Parks & Gardens of special historic interest in England, established in 1983. Work on the register was accelerated by the destruction that accompanied the ‘Great Storm’ of 1987. 1,600 sites were assessed and graded, but there is no statutory protection unlike listed buildings. Similar registers now exist in Wales, Scotland and NI and Christopher was also very involved with the process for the Survey of Historic Gardens & Designed Landscapes in Ireland referred to earlier.

Completing the shared outside perspective I outlined a presentation prepared by John Thomson, former Scottish Natural Heritage director on ‘Landscape Policy & Practice in a devolved Scotland’. This described the evolution of landscape policy and practice in recent years in Scotland and clearly demonstrated the extent by which many landscape issues and challenges are common in varying degrees to both islands. John’s presentation usefully concluded with a scorecard of the positives and negatives of the current situation which could as easily been written for Ireland.

In advance of the final presentations a much-needed if far too short open forum session took place, when issues that had not been aired previously were given voice – issues such as concern re the proliferation of wind turbines on land and off shore, concern at the inadequacy of public consultation and engagement processes, lessons to be learned from more in-depth analysis of landscape issue than is provided for in current planning and development processes and so much more besides.

The final session brought us back to the local landscape with Dorothy Smith’s presentation on her community arts project in association with Phizzfest (Phibsborough Community Arts Festival) where she invited the local community to take photos of themselves in the context of issues in their locality that they would like to see addressed – effectively selfies of people and place. The response provided an overview of many serious issues regarding citizen safety and security in the public realm – an exercise of engaged democracy that also had an added value of people critically assessing their place and their living role within that place – a very effectives landscape awareness raising exercise.

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

04 / REVIEW Des Gunning, life-long community activist in a narrative presentation, ‘Every journey begins with a single step’ took the forum on an odyssey through a diverse landscape beginning in the disappearing bogs, the tree-needy landscapes of Leitrim and Offaly, out to the exposed limestone landscape of the Aran Islands, back to the elevated realms of Belfield’s UCD, to talk of oak glens and landscape policies and forums. The odyssey continued in interlocking circles that returned to landscape strategies and forums in 2015.

The final presentation from Jim Cowman, another landscape forum veteran who explored the design and construction conundrums of public seats and other public realm furniture in Ireland, linking nicely back to Dorothy Smith’s unhappy citizens negotiating the default design hazards of the public realm. Jim highlighted the reality that in the landscape as in so much of the affairs of men and mice, the devil is in the detail or more pertinently in our continuing failure to recognise that managing our landscape requires people who know where they are going, know how they are going to get there and have the necessary knowledge, skills and wherewithal to undertake the journey in a responsible fashion.

mOVING FORWARD This landscape forum demonstrated once again the breadth and depth of the topic of landscape and the challenges involved in committing to the realisation of the

aims of the European Landscape Convention with regard to “landscape protection, management and planning, and …

European co-operation on landscape issues”. The forum in a small way provided some signposts for the way forward and brought together some of the partners, players and stakeholders who must be involved. The forum should have been over two or three days, speakers should have had more time, above all there should have been more time for discussion and decision. Only so much could be achieved in eight hours, the forum once again might have punched above its weight – but patently there is a urgent body of work involved if the National Landscape Strategy is to deliver on its implied objectives. ✽

TERRY O’REGAN is an acclaimed landscape architect and is one of Ireland’s most active landscape advocates. In addition to running his award winning landscape company BHL Landscapes, Terry is also an author and industry commentator. For more information on his practice, visit www.bhllandscapes.com

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Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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The (sort of) Butterfly Effect at work in the garden retail sector

R

etailing at its most basic is about the product, the display, the people and the price. The smallest alteration to any of those can lead to all sorts of changes down the line and can ultimately lead to lost revenue – or increased sales.

The Butterfly Effect – poetically paraphrased as ‘Does the flapping of a butterfly’s wings in one country eventually affect a tornado’s path on the other side of the world?’ – is a concept put forward by a meteorologist called Lorenz when he discovered that minute changes in air pressure caused larger changes further down the line in weather systems.

It might not be as simple as that - or indeed, as accurate but you’ve no doubt heard the theory and grasped the notion.

This premise can be applied to garden retail too, where one link in your business can lead to losing a €1.99 sale, or more importantly missing out on a €500 one.

SO, HERE’S A STORy… “Johnny likes plants. He hasn’t much room in his garden, as a large trampoline currently occupies much of it, along with a

18

rather contrary dog called Buster. Buster’s raison d’être seems to be the removal of every non-human, living thing from Johnny’s garden, but Johnny is resourceful enough to always find a way to do a little gardening, which up to now is mostly limited to a few herbs on the kitchen window and the odd pot and hanging basket at the front of his neat, modest house.

He buys his plants at the local supermarket and he’s proud that he has managed to keep these alive. He loves to cook and the idea of growing something edible has started to appeal to him. So Johnny decides to try to grow some tomatoes, since they are one of his favourite vegetables. And anyway, how hard can it be?

Johnny sets off to the local garden centre. They’ll surely help him; they’ll know what to do and show him how to grow a few nice juicy toms - the thoughts of picking them and eating them straight off the tree is making his mouth water.

The garden centre isn’t busy when he gets there and there’s a bored looking girl sitting at the checkout. He manages to catch her eye and politely asks where he can find out about growing tomatoes. She sighs and points him towards the back of the garden centre.

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

PHOTO BY PONGSUWAN

S mAL L CHANG E

05 / RETAIL ‘Da way,’ she says impatiently and returns to the important task of looking at her phone.

Johnny is a little taken aback but continues on past all of the lovely displays of houseplants, the rows of garden care products and garden furniture, and continues on out to the plant area. Loads of blossoms greet him, the colours and scents bombarding his senses. He wonders why he’s never come here before? After a bit of searching he eventually spots a person almost camouflaged amongst the plants apart from the word ‘Horticulturist’ – whatever that means - printed on the back of their green top.

Johnny clears his throat and a dour faced individual, clearly annoyed by having been disturbed from his work looks up at him. ‘Yeah?’

Johnny starts to explain that he wants to get a tomato tree and that he’d like to grow other vegetables after that but he has a few questions first…but before Johnny can get any further he’s interrupted by a snort of laughter.

‘They’re a fruit actually… and they don’t grow on trees!’

Johnny is mortified, but he stumbles on still buoyed by his enthusiasm. He explains that whatever they are called he’d like to grow some and asks how would he go about it.

‘Well they take a LOT of work’, the dour man says. ‘You need to have ideal weather conditions and given our precipitous climate that can be an issue…and you need to know how to look after them and how to remove the internodal shoots and leave just the flower trusses. Oh, and you’ll have to watch out for blight and whitefly.’

Johnny’s confidence starts to fail, as he doesn’t know what the man is talking about. He asks if he could perhaps grow some small ones on his windowsill? Or in a basket? Can that be done?

‘Oh I guess you could I suppose...but we don’t have any like that at the moment,’ the dour man says, his face straining under the false smile he has plastered on it. ‘Sorry,’ he says without conviction. ‘There might be some in next week...’ And with that he turns back to his work.

Johnny feels dejected. He turns and walks back through the store. On the way back he spies things called growbags.

Surely you plant tomatoes in those? Then he walks past a greenhouse, part of a display near some packets of seeds.

Could you grow tomatoes in one of those? He thinks about going back out to ask the dour man again but decides not to disturb him. After all, he seemed to be very busy.

Johnny has some money, and he spends it carefully and wisely. How much would that greenhouse cost to set-up he thought? A few hundred maybe? That would be a good investment, and Buster wouldn’t mind sharing the garden, but there was hardly any point. It sounds too much like hard work and you’d need to be one of them horticulturists to do it right, he thinks.

He dismisses the idea. Anyway, he only came in for a tomato plant, or bush or whatever they’re called. Imagine going home with all that stuff ? It was crazy and laughable.

Still…

Johnny leaves the shop and makes his way home. Buster will be waiting to be fed and the kids would be home from school soon. He had hoped to have something new to teach them or show them, as they were like sponges for information.

But he had learned a valuable lesson: gardening properly must be really hard.

So how do you make the butterfly flap his wings the right way? This tale would have had a different outcome by having the right staff and training them firstly to be focused, and secondly to be effective salespeople

REmEmBER...

INSPIRE PASSION A love for gardening should be encouraged and nurtured, especially within your store.

LOOSE THE JARGON Don't blind your customer with big words and negative comments, start with simple responses and gauge their knowledge.

NEVER ASSUmE Be aware that someone coming in to your store to buy one small item can often afford the big-ticket items, they might just need a reason to buy.

ALWAYS BE ‘ON’ Stay focussed on the customer at all times. Listen, respond and remain attentive right up to the point of handover at the checkout or their exit from the store.

BE A PROmOTER Selling to your customer needs to be a win-win for both the business and the customer, after all they have made the decision to come to your store so chances are they want to buy. ✽

LIAM KELLY was general manager of one of the largest garden centres in the country, where he was instrumental in transforming it into a large lifestyle store. He established Retail Services & Solutions in 2007 and has since worked with many garden centres, nurseries and hardware stores in Ireland. He has experienced every aspect of garden centre work from maintenance to sales, and purchasing to management. This combined with his problem solving ability; honesty and hands-on work ethic make him unique in his area. He can appreciate the nitty-gritty of the day-to-day running of a garden centre better than most, as he knows the products, mindset and ethos of the Irish garden retail sector.

Liam Kelly, Retail Services & Solutions, 118 Dolmen Gardens, Pollerton, Carlow. 086 8221494 or 059 9130176 lksolutions@ eircom.net, www.lksolutions.blogspot.com

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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PHOTOS BY: KORALEY NORTHEN

IN PICTURES

BLOOm IN THE PARk 2015 Who can believe that it nine years since Ireland’s horticulture community got a show that many are still proud of. It may not appeal to the design purists, but it generates significant business and follow-on footfall for garden retailers across Ireland. Do you remember what we had before Bloom? Exactly. Always room to improve, but roll on Bloom’s decennial in 2016.

ANDREW WILSON & PAUL MAHER (BLOOM SHOW GARDEN JUDGES)

AUTHOR FIANN O NUALLAIN (HOLISTIC GARDENER: BEAUTY TREATMENTS FROM THE GARDEN}

RUTH LIDDLE (THE GARDEN OF SCULPTURES)

JANE MCCORKELL

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NATHALIE MARKIEFKA (LANDSCAPE STUDENT AT WWW.BFEI.IE)

MATT LOHAN (WOODSTOCK NURSERIES)

JOAN MALLON

ALAN RUDDEN

ANNEMARIE BOWRING

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

LORELY FORRESTER

PHOTOS BY JOSEPH BLAIR

IN PICTURES

ANTHONY RYAN (HAYES RYAN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE - GOLD MEDAL WINNER IN CONCEPT GARDEN CATEGORY)

BRIAN BURKE (SUPER GARDEN WINNER 2015) WITH CLARA DORAN (GARDENGUIDE COMPETITION WINNER)

ITB HORTICULTURE & FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES ACCEPT SILVER GILT & BEST IN SHOW IN SMALL GARDEN CATEGORY

PADDY GLESSON WITH THE KILDARE MEDAL AWARD FOR SERVICES TO HORTICULTURE & JOHN JOE COSTIN

NIALL MAXWELL (GOLD MEDAL WINNER, DESIGNERS & PEOPLES CHOICE)

DERMOT O'NEILL (CELEBRITY GARDENER) & RACHEL DOYLE (ARBORETUM & BOARD MEMBER OF BORD BIA)

GREG BIALEK & IGOR CHPAK (KEELINGS)

JOAN HAMILTON, HARRY FIFBELS & FRANK DOUGLAS (SLÍ EILE)

PEADAR GILSENAN (GARDEN ENTHUSIAST)

ANDREW MCDONNELL (NEW AGE STONE)

INGRID SWAN (SILVER-GILT AWARD WINNER)

NEWLANDS GARDEN CENTRE IN PLANT VILLAGE

MONICA & ORIEL MCMAHON

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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IN PICTURES

AN EVENING AT BLOOm One of the best ways to see the show gardens at Bloom without the hustle and bustle of the crowds is to know someone who knows someone and get an invite to what has become the major social event on the horticulture calendar. Along with Ireland’s leading designers, retailers and nurserymen, an abundance of politicians and horticulture decision-makers attended Bloom's gala evening on 28 May. The opportunity to connect and influence in the relaxed setting was a rare and welcome one.

ANNMARIA FAGAN (BORD BIA) & JOE YOUNG (YOUNG NURSERIES)

ROZ O'SHAUGHNESSY & MAIREAD MCGUINNESS (MEP)

AIDAN CAMPION & KEN O'BYRNE COMMERCIAL MANAGERS AT BORD NA MONA)

SHEILA CAREW WITH ROSS CAREW (ALCI)

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AIDAN COTTER (CEO BORD BIA), MINISTER ALEX WHITE & PROFESSOR MARY CORCORAN

LESLIE MOORE (GUEST JUDGE/DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL), SUZANNE SANDFORD & MARCELLA MOORE

KIERAN DUNNE, FIONA LYONS, DAVID BROGAN & SCOTT DUNNE

TUNDE SZENTESI & MIKE NEARY (BORD BIA)

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

GARY FORAN (CHAIRMAN OF THE GLDA)

BRIAN CAFFREY (OPW) & KAREN O'HALLORAN

PAUL MAHER (BLOOM JUDGE) EDEL MCDONALD & FAMILY

IN PICTURES

MINISTER JOAN BURTON, MARGO KENNY(SODEXO), RONAN DOUGLAS(GIY) & MICHAEL KELLY(GIY)

BREFFNI MCGEOUGH (SILVER-GILT WINNER)

PETER O'TOOLE, AUDREY CARROLL, KAREN O'BRIEN & CIARAN O'BRIEN

ROZ O'SHAUGHNESSY, AINE LAWLOR & NEPHEW RORY CASSIDY

BLOOm FRINGE

SUPER GARDEN MENTOR LEONIE CORNELLIUS & SUPER GARDEN JUDGE RÓISÍN LAFFERTY

PHILIP MOREAU & ROZ O'SHAUGHNESSY (BORD BIA COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER)

NATHALIE MARKIEFKA & NUALA YOUNG

MEGAN REILLY, MINISTER JAMES REILLY & EMILY PALINN

Now in its second year, Blooms little brother is blossoming into a fun day all of its own.

This event looks set to get bigger as more garden designers and enthusiasts are drawn to its ‘anything goes’ themes lack of form filling and away less stress that it takes to get a garden to Bloom. Definitely worth a day off from Bloom.

THORNTONS SKIP REMODELLING SODSHOW LIVE WITH PETER DONEGAN WAS A CROWD STOPPER INTERVIEWING DESIGNER HELEN JAMES

KEVIN DENNIS (CITYSCAPE GARDENER) & EMILY NAYHREE (ARTIST)

BLOOM FRINGE AT THE GARDEN, POWERSCOURT TOWNHOUSE

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

23

PHOTOS: JOSEPH BLAIR

IN PICTURES

GARDEN SHOW IRELAND Northern Ireland's Premier Garden Show was once again deemed a success at its spectacular new home of Antrim Castle & Gardens. With its major new sponsor Allianz on board the marketing, signage and overall presentation of the event was well received by exhibitors and visitors alike.

CLAIRE FAULKNER (GARDEN SHOW IRELAND DIRECTOR) & CHERRIE MCILWAINE (BBC RADIO ULSTER GARDENERS’ CORNER)

OLIVER BOND (HAMMOCKOLOGY) GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT AT GARDEN SHOW IRELAND ROSEMARY & ALISTAIR CAMPBELL

TRACY DINEEN & LOU MATHERS

LEFT: PAUL PARKINSON (BALLYROBERT COTTAGE GARDEN & NURSERY) RIGHT: RICHARD HASLAM DEMONSTRATING THE ART OF FLORISTRY BELOW: TIM AUSTEN GARDEN DESIGNER

ABOVE: BBC RADIO 4 GARDENERS QUESTION TIME, TOP RIGHT: PAUL ROBBINS (GARDEN PLANTS IRELAND) & NEIL CUMMINS (HTA), BOTTOM RIGHT: RAY MCCULLOUGH (RAYFX)

24

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

IN PICTURES

IRISH FORESTRy, WOODLAND & BIO ENERGy SHOW This bi-annual event took place on 9-10TH May at the home of the ‘Electric Picnic’ in Stradbally, and in HC’s opinion is just as much fun, when you get to a certain age. It brings together an eclectic mix of people and businesses from the wider forestry community. We were also lucky enough to get a private tour of of Stradbally's house and gardens.

THOMAS COSBY (OWNER OF STRADBALLY HALL, CO LAOIS)

ADRIAN COSBY (FORESTER) & DAVID WILKINSON (EVENT PROMOTER)

NIALL MILLER & EOIN DONNELLY

DONACH GARTLAN & THE TEAM AT LC PACKAGING

JAMES GRACE

DES DREW (JULIANSTOWN FOREST OWNER), SÉAN & ROSEMARY LENIHAN (KESTREL FORESTRY)

KITTY SCULLY & COLM O'DRISCOLL

HAZEL & ORLA WOODS (KILMURRY NURSERY)

The event was set-up and supported by Bord Bia to ensure that the gardening public has an opportunity to purchase rare and difficult to source plants, while at the same time visit a garden of note that they may not otherwise visit.

MANFRED WANDEL & ELMER KOOMANS (FRUIT HILL FARM)

LYNN STRINGER (BOTANICAL ARTIST)

MARY BULFIN

PAUL FARRELLY

AIRFIELD

RARE & SPECIAL PLANT FAIR

HELEN, MICHAEL, NIAMH & THERESE DUFFEY (NIGHT PARK NURSERY)

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

25

07 / INTERVIEW

SOD CAST

BARRy LUPTON INTERVIEWS PETER DONEGAN

PHOTO: KORALEY NORTHEN

G

26

enerally speaking, most industry folks agree that gardening coverage on TV and radio in Ireland is pretty poor and this has a negative impact on the market for goods and services.

Ask those within media circles why it is so, and it all comes back to the same factors: production costs, scale of the potential audience and the need to generate ratings using the lowest common denominator. If you want gardening on TV, it better come with sex, violence, emotion, upset and scandal.

But all is not lost. The downward pressure has produced a knowledge vacuum and a necessity. Necessity precipitates creativity. Thankfully, one industry figure is adressing the issue.

Peter Donegan is well known in the fields of horticulture, construction and design. Owner and operator of Donegan Landscapes, he established his name with a series of dramatically imaginative show gardens in the early days of Bloom in the Park. Like many in the design and construction sector, Peter felt the full force of the recession and took steps to contract his business to see it through the lean years. But he didn't just hunker down, he saw an opportunity to redirect his energy online and to address the poor level of gardening media coverage.

The Sod Show was created in 2010 following a suggestion from a friend that he build on his existing gardening blog with a weekly radio podcast through Dublin City FM. And the rest, as they say is history. A burgeoning audience, multiple awards and an interview list which includes people from every corner of horticulture, the SodShow has become an important component of Irish gardening media. One which continues to grow in both audience and influence.

I was delighted to meet up with Peter recently to get the back story on his success with the Sod Show and his plans for the future. ✽

B. What inspired you to become involved in horticulture?

P. I used to grow plants under my bed when I was five, and after moving them to the top shelf of my Dad’s old garage they started to lean towards the light. That summer I spent an entire month’s pocket money on a packet of radish seeds that I sowed in trenches two foot deep, as the book said.

They logically, says he a little older and bolder, never saw the light of day. I wanted to find out more and the answers the grown ups were giving simply didn't do it for me, I guess. I was always that child that kept on asking ‘why’ far too much.

I should add that I am one of eight children so cutting grass was a great way of making pocket money to buy more plants.

By the time I was six, I knew what phototropism was, I landscaped my first garden age 10 and if you'll pardon the cliché'd pun it kind of grew out of hand from there.

Studying horticulture at college seemed to be the next logical step to take.

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

07 / INTERVIEW B. Where did you pursue formal horticulture qualifications (and why there)?

Most of my horticultural studies were done at Kildalton College in Kilkenny. It was, and still is, such a fantastic place to study and learn. I already had a great hard work ethos and they had that fine balance between the right amount of practical work and theory pretty much spot on. At the time Mick Conlon (now deceased, and I still miss him) was the Head Don there.

Fair to say he and pretty much all of the staff kept an eye out for me. In hindsight, I don't think I had eased on the amount of times I asked ‘why’.

B. What is your most memorable educational experience in horticulture?

I'm sure I'll kick myself later for this one and remember an even better story, but bear in mind we didn’t have Google when I was in college.

A lot of who I am now comes down to lecturers and college staff for taking time with me. I knew which plants were which but a lack of botanical Latin in my early years was maybe a downfall. It being an international language I knew I would need it if I wanted to travel. I wanted to be expert and at it, and at everything else. It was Fred Townsend who told me I should first teach myself to identify plants that surrounded me, versus an image in a book. I used to know every single plant in every front garden and every single tree in Piltown throughout every single season.

It’s the most logical thing I was ever advised to do - learn horticulture along the way, on the two mile walk to college.

B. What does a typical working day for Peter Donegan involve?

P. A typical working day, yesterday for example, starts just after 6am with a return to home just after 9pm. My business is creating gardens for a living. Or as I like to call it, getting paid to make people smile. Nothing is too much trouble and client is king. A little homework gets done first thing in the morning and a little more during the evening plus maybe a garden visit, and garden-making happens during the day.

In this industry, you realise quite quickly that your summer holidays take place in December, and also that eventually rain will give you some form of a day off. I won't say it's an easy ride, but I wouldn't swap it for the world.

B. Tell me about the rewards and challenges of working in the Irish contracting sector.

P. It might be a bit different for me because I work mostly in private landscaping as against commercial projects.

That said the challenges are always finding the right projects and essentially getting paid. Make no bones about it, the last six plus years were tough for everyone and I guess the challenge in that was to get through it and to try and keep that smile on your face. And though things seem to be very much improving I don't think the entire Irish hort scene is heading off to Barbados just yet. What I have learned is that Ireland is a very small place, and the horticultural sector is even smaller.

I have great friends in the industry, some of whom are just friends whilst others I trade with. The greatest rewards are people, the ones who stay with you through sun and rain.

B. Why did you start a gardening blog?

Actually, it was started by a series of mishaps. My website died the weekend of the pink boat garden at Bloom 2008, and stayed dead for three months.

I sought help from another great friend Adrian who resurrected it and introduced me to blogging as a way of getting my name back out there. In 2008, blogging was all very new, but it was a cheap spare time way of getting some news out. My blog was a finalist for the best Irish blog a few times, but something tells me I’m better at making gardens.

B. How did you overcome your lack of broadcasting training in the early SodShow days?

P. Don’t all laugh at once, but I found the easiest way to learn was to just keep on talking.

I’ve no trouble doing that! On a serious note, talk and record, listen, play back, take criticism, and learn faster. The SodShow started with another series of mishaps, involving great friends with great hearts. The truth it, the podcasts were originally done on my iPhone, in my back garden. Its current very high quality production standard comes down to another great friend, Brian Greene.

B. Tell me about your most interesting SodShow interview?

P. I interviewed Chris Beytes from Grower Talks trade magazine in the USA. We bumped into each other at the International Garden Centre Congress. I had always assumed that everthing was bigger and better in the States - at least that’s what I was brought up to believe! - but interviewing him was enlightening. According to him our industry is damn good at what we do.

B. What has been your most challenging interview to date?

P. That's a real easy one to answer. Niall Maxwell at the Pieta House garden, Bloom 2015. I've known Niall a long time.

Another great friend. It's the first time I ever cried listening to an interview that I had been a part of. I related to every single word he said, and we both knew that would happen. It was very personal and very tough. You’ll know exactly what I mean if you’ve been there too.

B. What are the rewards of delivering the SodShow?

P. One day I'm chatting to James Wong, the next I'm chatting to the girls from Bloom Fringe. All singing from the same heart.

All very lovely people. All gardening on very different levels.

All good. One should bear in mind we've never ever been paid in any way for doing this garden podcast. The reason to keep doing it is always because it makes sense and makes you smile.

What is gas is that we have won Ireland’s Best Podcast two years running and are still, four plus years later, Ireland's only full time garden radio show.

B. What are the key challenges of the show?

P. You work in print, me on the airwaves, both actions support the industry and in turn, require its support. The main challenge is remaining viable. Those on the front lines understand this and support each other without question but collaboration doesn't pay the bills. That’s the main challenge.

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

27

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HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / April/May 2014

07 / INTERVIEW B. Greensax have provided great support for the show over the years. How and why should other enterprises get involved?

P. That's an interesting one. Greensax are fantastic guys and also great mates at this stage and we love having their name on our club jersey. But Greensax only sponsor the radio show.

We still have sodshow.com and all that goes with it and the podcast version of the show where we can take another name or two on board. If other enterprises wish to get involved, just drop me a line, make a suggestion and let's see how we can make something great happen alongside each other. There's a Jerry Maguire story in there somewhere. Pick up the phone or drop me an email - the coffee pot is on.

B. There are lots of horticulturalists who would like to follow in your footsteps. What advice do you have for them?

P. Just give it a go. Try it. And really, what's the worst that can happen. Some laughed when I started Donegan Landscaping and when I started The SodShow. You learn. And if you need any help just drop me a line.

B. What next for the SodShow?

P: We just did our first live show this year as part of Bloom Fringe at the very beautiful Powerscourt Townhouse Centre in Dublin. I guess the step after that is to find the next challenge. I'll let you know once I get the next garden I'm working on finished.

B. How do you think gardening media coverage could be developed to appeal to the lost generation?

P. Some people just don’t get the podcast generation. Not to knock the Sodshow in any way, but I honestly don't know any 17 - 44 year old that sits by the wireless at 3pm every Friday to listen to us. Don't get me wrong there is very much a case for both - in our case radio and podcast, both available online I should add. It’s like Horticulture Connected being in print and online, It’s there, and it exists to promote our industry.

If we want it to develop, like a football team or club maybe, it’s really simple - it just needs a bit of support. A tenner says there are garden lovers out there that don’t know the SodShow exists, either on radio or podcast. We all have a role to play.

B. How do you see Bloom in the Park evolving over the next few years?

Bloom has just passed year nine, heading on to the year ten year milestone. And the average attendance of 100,000 plus visitors went through a downturn that lasted for six of those years. It's young still. It has new media on its side, something that didn't exist when you and I were building there in 2007.

We really should be very proud of what it has come from and what it has become.

B. What are the key factors holding back the Irish horticulture sector?

P. I pay very little attention to the negatives in my life and I really seem to just glide on past them. I honestly believe there are people out there who really want to make a difference within our industry.

I think I am one of those people. I hope I am.

B. What changes would you like to see in the Irish horticulture?

P. To be fair there are positives already taking place. And I know I might sound like an old broken record but we've got one trade magazine and one garden podcast radio show that up until not too long ago did not exist. As an industry we're just starting to stabilise. I’d say the answer is, keep those two going and ask me again in 12 months time.

B. Will we see another imaginative garden creation at Bloom anytime soon?

P. All I really ever wanted to do my entire life was to make gardens and as Donegan Landscaping I get to do that nearly every single day. I was privileged to get to create, design and build what was essentially a picture inside my sometimes funny little head, twice at Bloom, (the pink boat is now owned by Electric Picnic). I’m aiming to go back to Bloom in 2016, and I have a plan. The challenge is to get it built - and if anyone is looking for a journey with a mild difference now is the time to throw your hands up in the air. Or as I like to say it, if you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship don’t ask which seat it is, just get on board. ✽

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All the latest jobs on www.jobsInHorticulture.ie

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

29

BUILDING LANDSCAPES PHOTO BY HIMSELF100

AND RELATIONS

A

s the general economy has improved over the last number of months, hopefully all established landscape contractors are finding themselves busier than they have been over the last few years, with more enquiries coming in and a higher rate of conversion of these enquiries into actual projects. Though this level of increased activity is welcome, in order to ensure that small to medium sized landscape contractors remain sustainable in the long term, each business owner must ensure that all aspects of the business are undertaken to the highest standard possible, with 100% client satisfaction being the ultimate goal.

No fancy research methods are needed to prove to all in the landscape industry that one happy customer could potentially lead to another 10, and these 10 could lead to another 10, and so on. This powerful ripple effect of past customer referrals is not just confined to domestic clients telling their families and friends, professional people do talk to each other too. In fact, landscape architects, designers and other professionals in the wider construction will have a higher referral rate as they are dealing with other industry professionals on a daily basis. A large number of my friends are in different sectors of the industry and I wouldn’t hesitate to contact them if I needed a reference for a contractor I had not

30

Landscape cost estimating specialist, Colm Kenny explores the rarely discussed domain of landscape customer service and shares some expert insight on best practice worked with before, and likewise they would contact me to do the same.

It goes without saying that each contractor should strive for a 100% satisfaction for the actual physical works and end product of a landscape contract. It’s often the bit in between and the flow of stages from the initial contact to the end product where many contractors fall short and fail to impress their clients. With the constant emphasis on customer service, I’m sure a lot of us can recall unsatisfactory experiences with businesses, both within and outside the landscape industry, where an appropriate sense of urgency doesn’t exist. One area that seems to stand out is responding to initial customer enquiries. When a prospective client takes the time to contact a business they are looking for some type of assistance. Due to the nature of the business it often involves you calling out to look at the project on site.

Unfortunately, most businesses do a mediocre job, at best, of responding to customers in a timely manner. I am aware that the majority of landscaper contractors don’t have the luxury of having a full time office based secretary who will look after the phone and organise a staff member to go and visit the potential client. It is often a mobile number that is on the company website and when the only number a potential client has to contact you rings, it’s either sitting in the van away from you or you don’t answer it as you don’t recognise

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

the number or there is a panic on to get out of a job. If you do answer it, you may not be in a position to record the details correctly. Either way, the majority of initial enquiries are not dealt with correctly.

The initial contact is important as it is often from this brief conversation that you make a judgement on the level of interest in their potential project. What sort of job is it? Where are they based? Are their expectations realistic? If you think the job is one that wouldn’t suit you, politely tell them that you are unavailable but to keep you in mind for the next time.

Don’t give them an empty promise of calling to see them, references can be generated from people you never met. Remember also, the client will be making a judgement too, on you. Once a client has contacted you and you are interested, don’t delay in paying them a visit in person. Certainly don’t let it go more than a week without arranging an appointment. Any longer and a potential client will go back to Google, ringing the next firm on the list, and that list seems to me to be endless.

The initial site visit is important too as potential clients meet you in person for the first time, and as my mother has always told me ‘first impressions last’. I know from my own experience that the majority of these site visits occur when the homeowners have arrived home from their day’s work. You too have been working on the job all day and the

08 / CONSTRUCT last thing you want to do is spend time away from your family, hobbies, or Coronation Street, travelling to and from client’s houses and talking to them about their project and how little money they have to spend on it. However, this time needs to be invested, at your own expense, in order to get the next job so that your company can continue to grow and stay in business.

When you are putting in the effort to visit a potential client, get the most out of your time on site. Take measurements and photos, making sure you record all measurements. It wouldn’t be a good advertisement for your business if you have to return to double check measurements. Listen to the client’s brief to ensure you understand their requirements, asking questions to ensure you comprehend what they are asking of you. Give the potential client an indication of when you will be back in touch with their quotation or design, or both. Be practical and realistic in the length of time it will take you to sit down and put together a proposal. Again, a week is a good benchmark to try and aim for. If it slips past a week, contact them to let them know that you’re working on it and will be back as soon as possible.

Everyone has their own way and technique of presenting their quotation. Some people give the full breakdown of the works line by line, while others give little detail and a figure at the end. My own preference is to present the quotation like a Bill of Quantities. This way everybody knows the exact cost of all elements. The detailed descriptions ensure that any changes to the proposal can be done easily with the knowledge of what impact they will have upon the overall figure. Also, giving enough information leads to lower numbers of disputes once the job starts on site.

Getting a job over the line, especially one for private domestic client, is often assisted with supplementary information that can convince clients to hire you. A company profile, mission statement, past project images and details along with previous client references can all improve your company’s professional image. If needs be, meet with them face to face and talk them through the quotation answering any questions they may have. It will also present an opportunity to talk them through past projects, tell them your qualifications and let them see that you are capable of undertaking the project to a high standard.

Successful completion of quality audits such as ISO 9001 and participation in Bord Bia Quality programmes give added weight to your status among both industry professionals and domestic clients. Also being a member of relevant trade bodies such as the Association Of Landscape Contractors of Ireland (ALCI) can be the deciding factor in winning a competitive tender, especially if the tender is awarded on careful analysis of the most economically advantageous tender, where not just the price is considered but also where previous project history is examined along with a company’s resources, experience of management and the like.

Ross Carew, Executive Secretary of the ALCI, is finding an increase in awareness of the association both among the private clients and amongst other trade bodies, and comments: "As awaremess of the ALCI and what it stands for has grown in recent years, our members increasingly report that ALCI membership helps to differentiate them from other landscape contractors and is a recognised endorsement

of their quality workmanship and commitment to high standards. Being an ALCI member is a significant advantage when it comes to competing for landscaping contracts, be they in the private, commercial or public authority sectors”.

Any company that has survived the last number of years and is still in business must have a high satisfaction rate with their clients'. While there is an increased demand for work, competition remains high between contractors. The quality of workmanship is constantly improving to deal with clients' higher expectations. Companies who wish to grow and continue to expand need to up their game, particularly with off site activities to give clients a better customer experience. While the finished job is the one that will be shown to family and friends, an excellent customer experience will generate positive ripples which will lead to more jobs on the ground. ✽

NINE TOP WAYS TO BUILD SOLID CUSTOMER RELATIONS First impressions last Company image is formed from the first point of contact, be it in person, by email or on the phone.

1. Procrastination kills Do not delay in communicating with potential clients, otherwise they will move on.

2. Avoid false promises Be honest about what you can deliver.

3. Clarity is key Give clear written quotations, itemising each element of work.

4. Experience sells Offer to present a sample portfolio and customer references before you are asked for them.

5. Open communication Once a job goes to site, keep in constant contact with your client.

6. Stay on the same page Give your client clear key target dates to complete the project.

7. Being prompt pays Deal with client complaints in a timely manner.

8. Always leave them satisfied Make sure your client is 100% satisfied with the end product of the job.

COLM KENNY, B Ag. Sc. (Land. Hort), M.Sc. Quantity Surveying. Colm is a landscape estimating specialist. He provides cost and implementation advice to landscape industry professionals, technical advisors, contractors and facility management companies. He can be contacted on 087 288 5016 or by email info@landscapeqs.ie

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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PHOTO BY: TAMEEK

09 / INSIGHT

NATIONAL DESIGN SURVEy Barry Lupton shares data from the recent survey carried out in conjunction with HortiTrends.ie

S

incere thanks to all who took the time to complete the national survey of Ireland's design and design and build sectors. As anyone in the domain will attest, getting reliable data from design professionals is a difficult task. It is a notoriously secretive profession. Why? There are a variety of potential reasons: our tendency toward business secrecy, fear of competition, and of course, professionals don't want to reveal their data, because to do so would require admitting they are not running a viable business. So thanks again to all.

Less than a hundred professionals completed the survey.

This number may seem small, but when viewed in context with the scale of the sector, barriers and awareness of the survey, it still represents a reasonable sample. It is not our intention to provide a detailed insight into the sector. The data and opinions shared here are intended to provide a start point, a talking point and a point of reflection for the wider business community. Some percentages do not total to 100% and this reflects some outlier responses.

LANDSCAPE AND GARDEN DESIGN IN IRELAND The design of outdoor space for the leisure purposes of the general public is a relatively new phenomenon in Ireland. As such, the profession is still finding its feet, figuring out its identity and trying to find a stable place in the perception of the Irish mind. The profession does not have a firm footing, it lacks historic understanding, appreciation and value in the

32

THE BREAkDOWN ✽ 60% male, 40% female ✽ Location: 69% Leinster, 17% Muunster, 11% Connacht, 3% Ulster

✽ 72% are employers, 28% are employees ✽ Scale of business: 64% small, SME 22%,

7% large, 7% other made up of start ups, a carpenter and separate design and construction businesses

✽ Type of business: sole trader 54%,

limited company 35% and others made up of partnerships and education sector respondents

✽ 30% design only, 70% design and build ✽ Years working in the sector: 23% 1-3

years, 15% 3-6 years, 15% 9-12 years, 38% 18 years plus, one respondent said they'd been working for over 38 years

mind of the Irish population. It has a limited educational base, no recognition or regulation, and the market is saturated by poorly informed, trained and under-experienced designers.

Highly trained and experienced designers are in the minority, fighting to differentiate themselves with crowds of horticulturalists who find themselves with little else to do but set themselves up as designers, or contractors, or both.

It's not all bad. The newness of Irish design affords opportunity, creativity and an explorative, experimental environment unburdened by centuries of tradition. Irish design is starting to define itself, helped in no small part

by Bloom in the Park and other regional events. Designers’

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

09 / INSIGHT names are becoming familiar, almost household. Their personalities and creations are helping to shape how we see ourselves and what makes us.

But the sector remains something of a mystery. We hope the collected data will assist it to evolve into something we can be proud of and ultimately profit from.

INCOME AND qUALIFICATION Not surprisingly, only 40% of respondents answered questions related to sole incomes and qualifications. Of those that did, 30% said it was their sole income, while 54% said no. 77% said they had a qualification, while 15% said no.

Qualification levels were split as follows; 30% certificate, 20% BSc, 30% Masters.

Most were attained in the UK, with the rest split between UCD, Trinity, CFE Dundrum and the Botanic Gardens.

Responses in relation to qualification were unsurprising because many people operating in the sector have no formal design qualification. How could they? Unless they trained abroad, they would have had little opportunity to gain a qualification of merit. To move forward, Ireland needs more formalised training. We need to move away from one module insert on basic horticulture courses, towards a holistic approach immersed in design.

The reasons for the low level of sole income operators are pretty straight forward. Landscape and garden design as an independent profession in Ireland simply doesn't exist, with the exception of a small handful of designers catering for top tier clients. The rest of the market is saturated by part timers, hobbyists, the unemployed and horticulturalists trying to figure out what to do. If design is looked down upon, the lowly horticulturalists is barely visible.

PROFESSIONAL REPRESENTATION 54% said they were members of industry associations, while 31% said they were not. Membership was split between the Irish Landscape Institute (22%), The Garden & Landscape Designers Association (77%) and 20% between the Institute of Horticulture and Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland. It was positive to see such high numbers for

association membership, both in terms of the survey and also the wider sector.

Professional associations are the key to strengthening our design foundation.

They rely on the tireless hard work of volunteers, and personally speaking, I think all designers should be required to be accredited association members.

Those professionals - for whatever reasons - who chose not to be, should seriously reconsider their choice.

SERVICE PROVISION All respondents said they offered a full range of design services from consultation to full detail design, with the exception of planning permissions, with 50% offering this service. No surprise there. Given the level of training, experience required, and the inconsistency of planning requirements between councils, most steer clear.

There is an opportunity here and one that will no doubt increase over the coming years.

80% of respondents said they focus on small to medium domestic gardens, while the majority will take on any project with the exception of larger commercial schemes.

17% said they used a form of contract in their work. This is reflective of the sector's age, market realities and a culture which does not warm to form filling. This will change in the coming years, driven by a need to professionalise, an increasingly litigious landscape and a desire to find more ways to differentiate professional services from cowboys. All designers should be exploring the use of contracts, as a form of protection, and also as a marketing tool.

PROFESSIONAL FEES AND TURNOVER This has always been the difficult subject for designers. It cuts to the heart of design as a business. I venture if the vast majority of designers compared actual hours spent against profits made, they would be on cents per hour.

Almost half of respondents work from home, while 23% work from a design office and 30% from a dedicated home office. 10% employ design staff. Again, no mystery with this data. Only larger design operations can really afford to rent or purchase an office.

38% of respondents said they had a turnover of between €10,000 - €20,000, 15% between €20,000 - €30,000 and 10% reported a annual turnover of more than €80,000. The rest were below €10,000. One respondent reported a turnover of more than €300,000, but they did not separate out different parts of their business in that figure.

In terms of how designers charge, 17% of respondents said they work on an hourly rate, 25% on a fixed rate and 58% on daily rates. An average fee for a standard 40x15m garden design ranges from, €450-500 (18%), €550650 (9%), €750-1000 (27%), the rest were made up of respondents who said it was too difficult to comment, and one who had a minimum fee of €1300.

A sketch proposal for the same garden was again split across the range with 18% charging €100-200, 9% €200-300, 18% €300-400 and 27% €400-500. Design consultations fees range from free (27%), €100-200 (9%), €400-500 (27%) with the rest split between less than €100 and fees being integrated.

The range of fees and approaches speak to the sector's immaturity, lack of structure, transparency and general confusion over the financial value of design input. A number of things need to happen If the sector is to evolve professionally: those offering professional level services should charge appropriately and properly audit their input, those part-timers and hobbyists should focus on their hobby and leave the profession alone. Their actions are hurting the sector. Better still, they should do their own personal skills audit and develop new and niche markets, which build on their talents.

Anyone who grasps the complexity of design understands it could never be a free service, so for those offering free services, please stop. You are damaging the whole industry and undermining a shared imperative: to create an environment where landscapes and gardens are truly valued, in terms of both human benefits and financial value.

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESS AND OPPORTUNITIES Respondents’ feelings about the sector are unsurprisingly mixed. There is a general sense that it is viewed positively,

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09 / INSIGHT as a creative profession with a personal touch. Respondents also commented on the range, quality and availability of plants, which can be sourced and grown in Ireland. Of the factors undermining the sector, they include the lack of quality TV representation, poor public understanding, contractors offering free services, no differentiation between good and bad design by the public and much of the sector, and of course, charlatans.

"Landscape and design will continue to become environmentally considerate and ecologically sustainable, considering water management, wind management and legacy planting".

Other less than positive factors included contractors doing design for free, time management, expectations and understanding of what's involved, and clients simply unwilling to pay. As to how respondents felt things could be moved on, again this was mixed with some stating we need to focus on native planting, ecology and heritage, others saying we need to move away from native species. Most felt we need to professionalise, creating more formalised processes, greater integration between design and build, development of landscape building standards and some new fresh faces representing the sector on TV. "The trade is going to expand and we will see many more non-Irish businesses coming into the marketplace".

IRELAND'S DESIGN AND BUILD SECTOR Originally this survey was intended to focus on design-only services, but the reality of the market is that such a survey would provide limited insight and would not reflect the actual sector.

Design and build is an emergent sector. It is different from pure contracting insofar as it encompasses professional design input. This might sound obvious, but many contractors see themselves as designers, simply because they advise on the location of plants and elements in a space. Those aware of both design and build understand the difference in skills, knowledge and experience required to do both to a professional standard.

INCOME AND qUALIFICATION Compared with design-only, a higher proportion of design and build respondents (41%) said their business was their sole income, while 38% said it wasn't. The other 21% were split between people offering maintenance services, educationalists, and curiously, two people in receipt of disability benefits. No surprise there. Generally the Irish consumer prefers a holistic service. They are often confused, scared and put off landscape serves because they don't understand how things should happen. Most people in the sector acknowledge that much of the first client communication centres around demystifying the process.

Years in practice were spread evenly between the ranges 1-3, 15-18 and more than 18 years (29%). This tendency toward more years in practice captures our ageing sector demographic, something represented across the horticulture sector. Although barriers to entry are low,it’s a tough

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profession to make a living. There are very few operators who encourage their children into the sector and it's not exactly an enticing profession.

64% said they were employers, while 23% said they were not. The rest were split between those using sub-contractors and family members. 78% said they have qualifications or have employed people who have design specific qualifications, while 15% said they did not. This is an interesting figure which raises further questions. Are design and build companies more likely to employ professionally trained designers? Are there more opportunities here for greater integration between the two fields of design and build?

PROFESSIONAL REPRESENTATION 47% of respondents said they were accredited members of a relevant professional association while 38% said they were not. Membership was split between the Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland (47%), Irish Landscape Institute (9%), Garden and Landscape Designers Association (GLDA) (39%), with the rest (5%), mentioning the Society of Garden Designers, The UK Landscape Institute and GLDA preregistration membership.

While 50% respondent membership might seem high, it should not be taken as a reflection of the wider industry.

Nationally, membership of professional bodies in the landscape construction sector - as a proportion of total companies - is small and remains a perennial problem. Those who said they were not members of a professional body said it was down to a perception that they were perceived as cliquey, protectionist, and that cost-verses-value doesn't stack up. One respondent noted that they didn't feel the need to have others judge their work. As mentioned previously, professional associations are the key to increasing professionalism. If you perceive associations as cliquey and protectionist, then get in there and change things from the inside. Whether you're a long term operator or new to the trade, get involved, help shape the future of the industry you're a part of.

SERVICE PROVISION AND FEES All respondent said they offered all services, but as with design-only, 50% offered planning permissions. 50% also said they used forms of contract, 30% said they did not, and 10% said contracts put people off so they're avoided. The 50% use figure is far higher than that of the design only providers (17%) and probably reflects the more complex nature of holistic services and the bigger risks involved. More detailed analysis and dissemination of the forms and procedures used would be worthwhile for the wider sector.

In terms of fee structure, 16% said they charge an hourly rate, 41% a fixed fee and 35% integrated all costs into one price. 77% said they were registered for VAT, while 19% said they were not.

Again, we have a mixed bag of approaches and in the interests of assisting the public it might be worth moving toward a more straight forward, transparent pricing structure.

The gardens being built by design and build companies range from €5-10,000 (32%), €10,000-20,000 (30%) , less than €5,000 (10%). The rest were spread across the ranges from €5150,000. Respondents noted that it was a difficult thing to pin down, but a fair average for an Irish garden was €15,000.

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

“People perceive garden design as a luxury expense. Young people are too busy to maintain or think about having their garden designed” An average design fees for a 40x15m garden ranged from 40% (€350-500), 26% (€500- 750), 16% (€750-1000) and 6% (€1-1500), others said they charge approximately €250 or it was too variable to comment. The majority, at 60%, would charge €250-350 for a sketch of the same garden, while 7% said they would charge less than €100. Given the range of fees, and that represented by design-only services, it's no wonder the public is confused. There is serious work to be done on addressing design fees, and making it clear to people what they are paying for and why. I suspect that comparing the design input from providers would be enlightening. The associations need to do far more to articulate what the public will get for investing in a design service. And this should extend far beyond the hard products such as drawings and into the complex benefits professional designers can offer.

85% of respondents charge for mileage, 6% said they did not, while the rest do charge, but over a certain range.

Of those that do, the average rate was 75 cents per km.

STRENGTHS, WEAkNESSES AND OPPORTUNITIES Design and build respondents would seem to have a more negative view than design-only operators with several stating they are restricted by the limited availability of materials, the closed nature of the Irish mind to design and build, weather and seasonality, administrative burdens and finding reliable staff. All familiar and reasonable points. Design-only operators often work on their own with very little paperwork, infrastructure, staff responsibilities and overheads. Design and build is a far more challenging business model.

Respondents also noted the public seems to think that all landscape contractors will work for cash, a factor which needs immediate attention.

The low entry point non existent regulation of the sector means its

blighted by cowboys operating for cash only, with no insurance or any of the other overheads of legitimate businesses. Efforts of the ALCI to have landscape works included in the VAT return scheme were successful, but the scheme seems to have lost impetus.

Other factors holding the sector back include: include paving suppliers eroding design value with their cheap or free 'design' services, qualified designers supporting such services, contractors offering free services, lack of regulation, and cash flow.

There are positives. Respondents felt that designers were bringing a new sense of enthusiasm to the sector and that Ireland is waking up to the value of landscapes. The emergence of public gardening events and social media are all helping to positively shape perceptions.

As for the future, respondents said they would like to see increased recognition, a legitimate and independent regulation body, increased incentives, more media promotion, accreditation being a requirement, lists of registered and approved contractors like that in related building fields, common forms of contracts, and greater collaboration between the various stakeholders. One respondent noted, 'The GLDA is starting to move forward again, but the industry remains splintered. Landscapers must learn to engage and respect designers and their position in the food chain. They should not be giving free and misrepresented back-of-fag-packet designs'.

SHARED THOUGHTS ON BLOOm Both sets of respondents were asked about their opinion on participating in Bloom. Both groups shared similar responses. On the positive side respondents noted that it was excellent for your CV, but that all involved have to work hard to capitalise on media exposure. One respondent noted that they participated for two years, with no measureable return in year one. It

09 / INSIGHT took the second year to gain a return on their investment. On why they had not exhibited or not returned, respondents noted that existing demand on time, particularly at that time of year, were simply too great; there is too much focus on designers; costs being too high and having to put up personal savings to realise gardens. One respondent noted that Bloom gardens are too temporary and do not reflect realities.

OUR SECTOR However you choose to interpret the data featured here, or the opinions shared, there are a number of basic assumptions we can all agree on: ● There is a very small market for designonly services, a limited market for design and build services, but both of these areas have huge potential for growth if handled intelligently. ● There is huge disparity between the level of fees charged and the services offered. If this issue isn't tackled it will continue to hold the sector back. ● People are spending far more on gardens now than they did ten years ago. ● The lack of regulation is hurting public perception, undermining quality, reducing profits and leaving the sector open to abuse by charlatans. ● Membership of professional bodies is increasing, but much more work should be done to encourage more professionals to participate. ● Industry ignorance about design and its value needs to be addressed. The GLDA needs to do more. ● Free services hurt everyone. Bloom represents a risk, but as our national show it is imperative we get behind it. ● More work needs to be done to strengthen our design education base. Everyone needs to start charging appropriately. ● There is a need for greater transparency, professionalism and formalised processes and procedures. ● The sector needs to get behind garden orientated media and promote that which places the sector in an appropriate light. ● Everyone has a role in addressing problems with public perception.

This feature will be shared via Hortitrends.com and we'd love to have your feedback and comments. ✽

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09 / INSIGHT

OmAN

BOTANIC GARDENS Dr Darach Lupton writes on creating an oasis for native plant conservation in Oman

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hroughout their history botanic gardens have had a variety of changing roles. From the early medicinal and pleasure gardens to the vibrant gardens of the botanically fervent Victorian age to the modern, ultra high tech visitor attractions we see around the world today, botanic gardens have traditionally attracted visitors, gardeners and scientists through exotic plant displays, often showcasing collections from far flung corners of the globe. Although this is still the case in many places the overall scope and design of botanic gardens has shifted greatly from their early days.

In more recent times botanic gardens have become key players in both the conservation of plants and in the education of the people who come to see them. For example, they play a role in mitigating the effects of climate change and habitat loss. Botanic gardens are in some cases the last refuge for threatened plants, they often hold vital collections and knowledge as to the storage and cultivation of the world’s most fragile plant species. It is clear botanic gardens have moved and continue to move towards the frontlines of plant conservation and environmental education. It is these very issues that initiated and drive the design, construction and remit of the nascent Oman Botanic Garden.

Oman, a country of approximately 300,000 sq km lies on the south-eastern shores of the Arabian peninsula. It is a desert country, steeped in tradition and environmental beauty.

The climate is harsh with summer temperatures in excess of 48C and an average annual rainfall of 100mm. One could be forgiven for assuming that an ultra-arid, baking hot county like Oman would possess a native flora dominated by only a few hardened, parched plants, wizened by their years beneath an unrelenting sun. This is a common misconception held by locals and visitors alike. Images of scorched landscapes, devoid of plant life, prevail in the minds of all but a few people.

However, those of us privileged enough to spend their days in

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the mountains, deserts and wadis of Oman immersed in the bountiful wildlife can paint a very different picture. A picture of stunning, often unique plant life, where strange natural forms, colours and aromas combine to produce a wealth of plants and plant communities unparalleled in the region. There are ancient trees, giant succulents, parasites, lush ferns, thorny shrubs, enormous grasses, minute herbs and numerous regionally and globally endemic (found nowhere else) plants. To date over 1,200 native plant species have been recorded in Oman, however ongoing research by Oman Botanic Garden indicates that this figure may be a significant underestimation.

So how can an ultra-arid country like Oman contain such floral diversity? The answers to this question are complex and dependent on the interaction of a host of factors. It is perhaps better to think of the answer in terms of an intricate web of prehistoric land movement, historic plant migration and evolution, geological and landscape processes, climate, habitat formation and human environmental interactions.

The interaction of these processes and conditions contribute significantly to Oman’s inimitable botanical diversity.

Journeying from north to south or east to west one begins to grasp the wealth of habitats throughout Oman’s landscape. In northen Oman the Musandam peninsula, with its high mountains and plateaus, provides a home for a dazzling array of herbaceous perennials and several important tree species. Plants of note include, the Arabian almond (Prunus arabica) [photo 1], the miracle tree (Moringa peregrina) and numerous beautiful bulb species, e.g. Moraea sisyrinchium Gladiolus italicum [photo 2], Ixilirion tataricum [photo 3], and Leopoldia longipes.

Moving south from Musandam, the magnificent Al Hajar mountains rise from the coastal plains forming breathtaking peaks such as the renowned Jabal Al Akhdar (2400m asl) and Jabal Shams (3000m asl). The mountains abound with wadis, high altitude alpine ridges, expansive plateaus and

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Left to Right; Photo 1-The majestic Prunus arabica flushed with new growth following rains in March 2014, Photo 2-A stunning Gladiolus italicus in full bloom, Musandam 2014, Photo 3-Ixiolirion tataricum, a beautiful bulb species in Musandam

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09 / INSIGHT

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Left to Right: Photo 4-Adiantum capillis veneris growing under shaded rocks in Northern Oman, Photo 5-Anogeissus dhofarica woodland in Dhofar. Desnse fog cloaks the abundant ground flora, Photo 6-The brilliant white flowers of Gladiolus candidus with the pink blooms of Balsam (Impatiens balsamina) in the background. Photo taken in the Dhofar mountains during the Khareef, Photo 7-Boswellia sacra, the Frankincense tree growing in Wadi Aful, Dhofar, Southern Oman

rolling slopes in on which many plants live and flourish. The soaring slopes and ridges of the Western Hajar are home to beautiful, though sadly diminishing stands of ancient Juniper (Juniperus servachanica) and Olive (Olea europea) trees. In addition the Al Hajar mountains contain an extraordinary range of manmade agricultural terraces, growing everything from apricots to wheat. The ancient terraces with their intricate web of water channels (al falaj) irrigate the abundant crops and fruit and inadvertently provide moisture and shade to many opportunistic plants, including some delightful ferns (e.g.

Adiantum capillis veneris) [photo 4] , orchids (e.g. Epipactis veratrifolia).

The mountains of Dhofar in Southern Oman unquestionably contain the real jewels of Oman’s botanical diversity.

These elegant massifs with their precipitous cliffs and cavernous wadis are drenched by the impenetrable fog of the summer monsoon (Khareef), which from June to September transforms the seaward facing slopes into dense canopies of deep green woodland and lush understory vegetation. It is in Dhofar where we see the true uniqueness of the Oman’s flora. The mountains are home to numerous enigmatic species, many of which have affinities with East Africa.

The south eastern slopes are blanketed by the graceful Anogeissus dhofarica [photo 5], which is a highly attractive and hugely important deciduous tree.

Beneath the dense stands of Anogeissus the ground is thick with lush swathes of Balsam (Impatiens balsamina) and the brilliant white flowers of Gladiolus (Gladiolus candidus) [photo 6]. The beautiful Frankincense tree (Boswellia sacra) [photo 7] with its russet coloured peeling bark and distinctively dissected leaves oozes a highly fragrant sap, which has permeated cultural and religious practices for millennia and is still an important part of contemporary Omani

life, grows very happily in the drier wadis throughout the mountains.

Currently under construction the Oman Botanic Garden (OBG) aims to capture and showcase Oman’s native plant diversity. Growing and displaying only native plants on this scale is a rare and challenging undertaking. The OBG site is 420ha, about 20% of the site will be utilised to create and display Oman’s rich flora. The remainder of the site will be maintained as semi-managed wilderness. Currently there are two state of the art biome structures being designed. They will house the plants of Dhofar and the plants and crops from the high mountains in northern Oman.

The remaining plants will be displayed in carefully created external habitats designed to closely mimic Oman’s most spectacular landscapes, including, wadis, sand deserts and escarpments.

The project is very challenging, though endlessly exciting. Plants which have never been cultivated before must be first collected as seed (or cuttings in some cases) from the wild.

Extensive location, taxonomic and environmental data are recorded with each plant collected. To date thousands of accessions have been added the garden’s collection. Through endless experimentation and some trial and error tens of thousands of plants have been grown from seed and are currently flourishing in the Garden’s burgeoning nursery. OBG contains a meticulously managed herbarium and seed bank, both of which contribute significantly to plant conservation and education in Oman and beyond.

OBG is the fi rst of its kind in the region and hopes to lead the way for plant conservation and environmental education in Oman and the wider Middle East. The project and its staff are growing in strength rapidly and are well on their way to achieving their aims and aspirations.

As with all gardens Oman Botanic Garden is continually evolving and developing. New ideas and novel approaches to collecting, growing and displaying native plants are emerging on a daily basis. It is a hugely ambitious project and ground-breaking in many respects.

It is a real privilege to work on such an enormously challenging project.

The learning curve is steep and at times frustrating but the rewards and experiences are second to none. ✽

DARACH LUPTON PhD., B.A. (Mod.) Bot. Dip. Hort. Darach’s career began as an Amenity Horticulture student at Glasnevin and the RHS Gardens at Wisley, Surrey. Once finished his Dip. Hort. Darach continued his studies, undertaking a bachelors degree in botany at Trinity College Dublin.

He then went on to complete postgraduate research, attaining a PhD in the study of rare orchid conservation in Ireland.

Darach Lupton is currently a senior botanist and plant collection curator at the Oman Botanic Garden. He has held his current position since early 2011. Prior to moving to Oman Darach was a research botanist at the National Botanic gardens of Ireland, Glasnevin, where he worked on a wide range of Irish native plant conservation projects.

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10 / DESIGN

PHOTO BY: BINIK

TWO POINT PERSPECTIVE

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his year's Bloom gardens were an eclectic mix of the well composed and constructed, the artfully underpinned and the hastily assembled. There were examples of beautifully nuanced planting but there was also evidence of the ill considered, poorly planned and hurriedly executed.

To gain a more in-depth insight into the planting at Bloom 2015, we asked two of Ireland's leading experts to share their thoughts.

As owner and custodian of Hunting Brook Gardens, Jimi Blake is one of Ireland's most highly regarded contemporary plantspeople. With an eye for spotting and forging new trends, he is a go-to plant lover for everything that is fashionable, creative and experimental in the world of plants.

Here, Jimi shares his thoughts on the gardens and some of the plants he thought stood out from the rest.

John Joe Costin is considered one of the founders of Ireland's nursery industry. He has been involved in commercial horticulture for over 50 years, has travelled the world, written extensively on horticultural matters and has a multi-generational insight into what grows well and what doesn't on this island. Here he lends his considerable insight into this year's planting and how things might move forward.

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Respected plantsmen, Jimi Blake and John Joe Costin present two perspective on the quality of plants and planting design at this year's Bloom in the Park

A FAVOURITE PERSPECTIVE, JIMI BLAKE May is the month when it all happens, and when the gardens at Hunting Brook are growing faster than at any other time and I make my flying visit to Chelsea Flower Show, the Rare & Special Plant Fair, and lastly Bloom Garden Festival in the Phoenix Park.

This year I attended Bloom with a mission to choose favourite plants from the show gardens. This task was more difficult than I had anticipated after I kept getting waylaid in the nursery marquee. Eventually, after meeting many gardening friends, I got to the show gardens and started searching out my favourite plants.

The May gap in flowering is when the garden moves graciously from late spring into summer, when gardens tend to be more green than colourful and more muted than textural. It’s a time when the beauty of the unfurling of new growth takes centre stage. Creating impact in May is a real challenge and the Bloom show garden creators have to work extra hard to realise any sense of theatre. I face the same limitations at Hunting Brook and am always on the lookout for new contenders to fill the May colour gap. The May palette is limited but it is not limited to foxgloves and lupins. See my recommend list at the end of this feature.

Among the lupins and foxgloves I did find some plants of merit, a few treasures worthy of use and exploration. Here are my eight favorites from the gardens.

1. Salvia nemorosa ‘Amethyst’ Salvias are the height of fashion at the moment with new varieties to choose from each year. I spotted this wonderful herbaceous Salvia in Jane McCorkell’s garden, grown to perfection by Kilmurry Nursery. The slender stems of lilac-purple add vertical interest to the summer garden. The main flowering starts in late spring / early summer. Salvias like to grow in full sun in fertile well-drained soil. Tender salvias are my latest obsession!

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

10 / Design 2. Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’

6. Wisteria x formosa ‘Issai’

Jimi's suggestions for filling

I remember a few years ago when I visited Piet Oudolf’s garden and purchased this new Mahonia. I was so excited bringing it back to Ireland where it had not yet been launched. I planted it in the woods where it sat doing nothing for a few years but then last summer it transformed into a graceful small shrub until a sheep broke it and ate half of it.

Apart from that, I highly recommend it for semi-shade. It’s ideal for a small space, even in a container, as was cleverly used by Nathalie Markiefka in her north facing balcony garden.

As I walked past Tünde Szentesi’s quirky garden, my nose met this deliciously scented Wisteria. This stunning variety of Wisteria it is a cross between Japanese and Chinese Wisteria. ‘Issai’ is a variety with mauve flowers with a central greenish-blotch. Wisteria flowers best in full sun without feeding, which will encourage more growth than flowers.

the May colour gap

I was delighted to see this new woodland plant used in a show garden. In 1996 the modern day plant hunters Bleddyn Wynn-Jones and Dan Hinkley found it for sale in Japan and reintroduced it to the trade.

This is a very subtle plant with small star-shaped, greenish white flowers with heart shaped, serrated leaves. Grow it in semi-shade in good garden compost.

I have always had problems growing it due to its popularity with the West Wicklow slug population but don’t let that stop you trying this woodland gem.

4. Polemonium ‘Sonia’s Bluebell’ As a child I remember Polemoniums, or Jacob’s Ladder as my mum used to call them, growing in our herbaceous borders at home. Many of the older cultivars were either invasive or died out easily. ‘Sonia’s Bluebell’ is originally from Carol Klein's Nursery at Glebe Cottage, and has soft pale blue flowers with a beautiful scent, lasting for weeks.

Polemonium like moist fertile soil in sun or part shade. Breffni McGeough had them beautifully planted on the edge of woodland in his show garden.

5. Iris ‘Edith Woodford’ is a tall bearded Iris with a mix of canary yellow and lilac ruffled flowers. Plant bearded Iris with the upper part of the rhizome partially exposed to get summer baking. They will not tolerate competition by other plants and water logged soil. Niall Maxwell used this Iris in his beautifully planted garden, growing through Stipa tenuissima.

Cow parsleys are at their prime of popularity. They stole the show at Chelsea, and were beautifully planted in Niall Maxwell’s garden under a canopy of Carpinus. They will grow in dappled shade to full sun in soil that’s not over enriched. What I liked most about this garden was that, unlike most show gardens, it wasn’t over-planted.

8. Podophyllum ‘Spotty Dotty’ has marbled, spotted foliage resembling a big old toad and blood red flowers hanging down under the leaves. It takes a few years to grow into a decent sized plant but is well worth the wait. Plant it in dappled shade and good rich garden compost. I saw this in Liat Schurmann’s garden, which was a breath of fresh air with its fascinating collection of plants put together so skilfully.

Next year I hope to see more garden designers stepping outside their comfort zone and creating exciting, cutting-edge and inspirational planting compositions, ones that will attract me and Ireland's population of plant lovers to attend. I believe that sponsorship deals for the gardens are often not secured until very late, leaving little time for them to source a wider plant selection and also time for the nurseries to grow them. This should be addressed.

Well done to all the designers who created gardens this year and especially those who took the risk and used some new and exciting plants. I hope next year will be the year that the Bloom show gardens are taken to a new level and I can go home inspired to use some of the plants and combinations in my own gardens at Hunting Brook.

RIGHT: POLEMONIUM 'SONIA'S BLUEBELL' (BREFFNI McGEOUGH GARDEN)

PHOTO: KORALEY NORTHEN

3. Bessia calthifolia

7. Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’

Geranium sylvaticum ‘May Flower’ Libertia grandiflora Sanguisorba menziesii Bupleurum longifolium ‘Bronze Beauty’ Geum Astrantia Valeriana pyrenaica Trollius Lathyrus aureus Corydalis Geranuim phaeum Nectaroscordum siculum Persicara polymorpha Meum athamanticum Camassia leichtlinii ‘Album’ Camassia leichtlinii ‘Electra’ Camassia quamash Viola cornuta ‘Inverurie Beauty’ Hesperis matranalis Saruma henryi Thalictrum aquilegifolium Polygonatum verticillatum Podophyllum hexandrum ‘Majus’ Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’ Dicentra ‘Bacchnal’ Maianthemum racemosum syn.

Smilaceana racemosa Lysimachia atropurpurea ‘Beaujolais’ Meconopsis Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ and all other Brunnera Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’ Euphorbia griffithii ‘Dixter’ Euphorbia jacquemontii Euphorbia palustris Euphorbia polychroma Papaver Gillenia trifoliata Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus Anemone coronaria ‘Mr Fokker’ Trollius x cultorum ‘T Smith’ Trollius x cultorum ‘New Moon’ Pulmonaria Lunaria annua ‘Chedglow’ Lunaria annua ‘Corfu Blue’

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LEFT: SALVIA 'AMETHYST' & ALLIUMS JANE MCCORKELL GARDEN RIGHT: BEESIA CALTHIFOLIA FAR RIGHT: NIALL MAXWELL GARDEN

THE LONG TERm PERSPECTIVE, JOHN JOE COSTIN Those of us asked to represent the nursery industry on the government appointed Bord Glas Advisory Committee in 1987 felt we had experienced heaven without the actual inconvenience of dying. It was the first time a department obsessed with food production had put ornamental plants on a par with food crops. It was a belated recognition that the production and use of garden plants offered food for the mind and spirit, and that gardening was more than just an expressive indulgence or exclusive hobby of the better off. It acknowledged for the first time, that this was a sector with growth potential, which could be harnessed sooner if some much-needed state aid was provided. When Bloom was launched in 2007, we finally had a professional realisation of a concept that there was unanimity on its necessity, which had been previously attempted by different enterprising bodies, but each attempt failed because of inadequate finances to fully realise that potential.

Gardeners flocked to Bloom, they were enthused by the ease of access, the magnificent location, superb facilities, excellent communications and marketing skills. It engendered a proud affirmative, ‘we are as good as you’. We no longer had to look enviously at shows abroad.

Bloom’s professional standards relegated all prior national garden shows to the third division. However, in the past four years especially, I detected a sense of dissatisfaction among keen gardeners.

Their initial enthusiasm has not been sustained and the promise, they now realise, is not being fulfilled. Their gripe is that there is not much to enthuse

40

the keen gardener at Bloom. Keen gardeners are found in every village and parish across the country. They are the go-to people in their areas and occupy positions where their opinions are sought and valued as members of local organisations such as the ICA, Tidy Towns committees and flower clubs.They are the local arbiters of taste. If their enthusiasm for Bloom is waning, Bloom is in crisis if they withdraw their approval.

Flower arrangers are a good weathervane. They have extraperceptory senses. They look for features in plants that others are not aware of. Give one a Danae racemosa or a Bupleurum fruticosum and watch their reaction. Last year, one shook her head at me in disbelief and dismay at what she was seeing. “Bloom is not a good show for plants.” The keen gardener at Bloom now goes away unchallenged and disappointed. Where is the expected plantsmanship to sate the eyes and minds of the enthusiast?

The media likes to believe its duty is to hold government to account.

That’s why it provides an almost daily platform for people from a wide range of organisations to air their grievances, and bemoan opportunities lost because the government had not provided the small amount of capital needed to synergise the said activity.

In the horticultural industry, the government has generously funded Bord Bia, who in turn invested heavily and created in Bloom, a showcase for our

PHOTO: KORALEY NORTHEN

PHOTO: KORALEY NORTHEN

10 / DESIGN

industry that nine years ago we could not have imagined in our wildest dreams.

No spokesperson in our industry could accuse the government of not having prodived everything that was needed, especially when severe cuts in a time of economic crisis could have been justified.

Instead, after the ninth Bloom garden festival, the government might well ask the industry why it has not grasped the opportunities provided.

There is disarray in the landscape industry. The word ‘designer’ is becoming what the advertising world calls a ‘weasel word’.

It connotes creativity and originality but is ambiguous on professional qualifications and can disguise what in medicine are called ‘quacks’. Bloom designers range from fully qualified landscape architects to those who have completed shortterm correspondence courses of varying repute. The gardens created reflect this imbalance. The education sector has questions to address.

A former director of the National Botanic Gardens stated that 20,000 species of hardy plants grow in Ireland.

Yet, visiting Bloom one gets the impression that the designers have little plant knowledge or that they are restricted in their choice to what is available in abundance. They are the authors of the crisis that Bloom is in now.

Gold medal standard requires precision in the build detail. I have listened to an anguished architect whose otherwise gold medal creation was downgraded to a

“After the ninth Bloom garden festival, the government might well ask the industry why it has not grasped the opportunities provided”

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

10 / DESIGN silver gilt because one riser in a flight of steps was built a fraction higher than the others. What I do not understand is, why the plant selections are not judged by similar exacting criteria. We might consider taking inspiration from shows like Chaumont which place more emphasis on the planting and horticultural components of a landscape design. It runs for five months compared to our five days. Plant performance can be evaluated over a longer period.

At Bloom, plants that grow in polar opposite habitats were planted adjacent to each other, perhaps to achieve a contrast in texture or flower colour. They would not survive in a five month garden festival or in a private garden if the arrangement was copied by a gullible gardener, who trusted that he/she could replicate what the ‘experts’ had done at Bloom. These opportunistic arrangements are misleading to the viewing visitors seeking inspiration. To see what is new or what is different are two very compelling reasons for people to attend Bloom. They

DIGITALIS PURPUREA

“Again, birch was overused and was planted in 12 show gardens. Every show garden seemed to have Digitalis purpurea ‘Pams Choice’, a woodland biennial” should not be misled. Why give any award to a designer who includes an olive specimen in his show garden? Olives detest humidity and will not survive in an Irish garden. There was no warning notice to that effect. Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula' will survive. It is a very attractive, elegant, weeping tree, the perfect alternative to the olive. It was not used.

The word ‘designer’ is freighted with meaning and has cachet or marketing values in the public’s mind. Creative, stylish, fashionable, refined and co-ordinated are some of the expectations clients have when they pay a fee to engage one. Most of all, clients with means expect exclusivity that will segregate their property from the DIY garden.

At Bloom 2015, few of the designers’ gardens acknowledged this raison d'être. Most seemed to have worked with the same limited palette of plants. Again, birch was overused and was

planted in 12 show gardens. Every show garden seemed to have Digitalis purpurea 'Pam's Choice', a woodland biennial. Topiary specimens of box, hornbeam and yew were ubiquitous. They are for warmer climates where the shape is replicated in the shadow on the ground in matching symmetry. Our own William Robinson in 1925 put the kibosh on that fashion, discrediting its use in Britain. Unthinkingly, we have unlearned what was learned. The solid rigidity of topiary looks alien here in a landscape of fluidity, the second windiest land in the northern hemisphere. Our forte should be wind responsive plants.

Topiary is now a jaded cliché at Bloom, and a contradiction of the promise of site sensitive solutions promised on designers’ websites.

How do judges judge? Are they inspectors of standards who measure levels of compliance? If so, the Best in Show was the correct adjudication. However, if they judged as consumers do, the winners’ list would change.

People attend shows to be inspired, to view the new and see potential. Digitalis in one garden is a delight but if planted in every garden it loses its allure. In a market where the spend is discretionary, consumers do not want what is ubiquitous. Proud property owners who garden, want it to reflect well on themselves.

Such branding is not about the commonplace, or the prosaic.

If the criteria for planting included the new, range and variety, then the Best in Show accolade would be placed elsewhere.

Clearly 20% of the exhibits were ‘space fillers’. The remnant of a New Age Community in Dunmanway might accept the gift of the shed made from recycled materials, but imagine the legal bill if one attempted to erect it in one of our more salubrious suburbs. The question has to asked, what contribution did they make to the show?

Participation should be more onerous. In 1984, I tendered for the supply of a range of ornamental grasses to the Liverpool Garden Festival. I received the entire order. When I asked how many competitors I had, they replied that ours was the only tender received. In 1987, I submitted a design to the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival organisers for an ornamental grass show garden. They observed that they were not aware of such a concept, and if it failed they would have an embarrassment on their site for the five months duration of the show. To participate, they placed the onus on us to perform and required that I provide a bond of £37,600 sterling (about €86,000 in today’s money) which would be cashed in, if the garden failed. We received the Gold Medal for the Most Innovative Garden. It was viewed by 4.3m visitors.

The organisers of Bloom might consider a similar idea.

For those who received bronze or no award this year, entries should not be accepted from them for Bloom 2016.

These spaces could then be allocated to nurseries to exhibit new plants, or societies to show educational collections. By doing so, the public could view a specific range of plants that succeed in one of a number of difficult habitats that they might be contending with. These might include heavy shade, heavy soils, well drained soils, seaside locations, hedging options, wall plants, collections suited to balconies and plants desired by flower arrangers, among others. It would be a better use of space and eliminate the obvious ‘space fillers’ that besmirched Bloom 2015. ✽

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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XX / DESIGN

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Log the points you’ve collected and claim your reward

PHOTO BY MIKKEL BIGANDT

11 / SPORTSTURF

mAXImISING

yOUR SURFACE Eamon Kealy, turfgrass specialist and lecturer in horticulture at the Institute of Tecnology Blanchardstown, details how return on investment in artificial playing surfaces can be maximised through simple care and maintenance

T

wo decades ago it was a rare sight to see an ‘astroturf’ pitch in rural Ireland. Today artificial surfaces are big business with every town and village having at least one, thanks to both the GAA and the government’s capital sports programme. Artificial sports surfaces provide clubs with more training space, consistent playing surfaces and availability throughout the year that natural turf cannot compete with.

Additionally, artificial surfaces allow natural turf to be rested at important times of the year while still providing space for training sessions.

Artificial surfaces have come a long way since their first inception as short pile carpets that did little for games like soccer and Gaelic football. Today’s modern artificial surfaces comprise of long pile carpets (65mm) with sand and rubber crumb infill designed to reproduce the conditions of natural turf.

They have been accepted (maybe not loved) by players of all standards and are definitely here to stay in some shape or form.

SAFETy Many organisations and companies have been at the forefront of developing and publishing standards for ensuring safer surfaces. Prior to opening a new pitch, the surface will often have been tested to conform to the

governing bodies standards e.g. FIFA one star or two star, FIH or the GAA’s Code of Compliance. This ensures that the surface is safe within the recommended parameters. As the surface ages, its performance degrades and in some instances can become dangerous. Annual independent testing can highlight areas needing additional maintenance.

At present there is no compulsory annual testing programme for sports surfaces in Ireland. A pitch can be tested on day one and never be tested again before it is ultimately replaced. This may change in the future.

In early 2015, Niall Yorke, a fourth year horticulture student at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, carried out testing of both natural and artificial surfaces as part of his final year project. His findings showed that surface hardness increased with the age of 3G artificial surfaces. Ball roll and ball rebound also increased beyond the recommended parameters.

No real surprise, however in one instance of an eight year old artificial pitch, the surface hardness readings (Clegg hammer) measured nearly five times that of the nearby natural turf pitch (273g vs 60g). Maintaining a safe surface requires keeping the infill clean and mobile. Once the performance infill (rubber crumb) becomes compacted and contaminated it must be addressed to keep the surface safe for players.

Jerry Tynan, a former laboratory technician and developer

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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11 / SPORTSTURF of the Bioclean pitch system, tested artificial surfaces throughout Ireland throughout 2010. E. coli, MRSA, Weil’s disease and numerous other dangerous bacteria and fungi were found in high levels on many surfaces. When maintaining pitches Jerry uses an ATP meter before and after treatment to measure the levels of bacteria and applies a Bioclean treatment every 90 days to prevent a potentially dangerous build-up.

needs an artificial surface before committing excessive resources to the project. Remember, the returns from artificial surface rental are not the same as they were 10 years ago as consumers have more options to choose from. Don’t rely on rental income to fund the maintenance programme. Such revenue may dry up when the surface needs it most, coming to the end of its usable life.

MANAGING yOUR INFILL

SELECTING AND WORKING WITH AN ARTIFICIAL TURF CONTRACTOR

PHOTOS: EAMON KEALY

When maintaining 3G surfaces, the stabilisation (silica sand) and performance infill (rubber crumb) are key to the satisfactory performance of the surface. Purchase a simple tyre depth gauge for measuring the depth of sand and rubber crumb. Dedicated more expensive infill depth testers are available but not necessary. Use on a regular basis to measure the depth of infill and identify areas requiring topping up. On average the weight of the artificial carpet for a 3G pitch will be 2.6kg/m2 (this can vary dependent on pile density) with the sand infill being applied at 26kg/m2 and rubber crumb at 14kg/m2 (total of 40g/m2 of sand and rubber). A full size artificial GAA pitch (including runoff areas 14,250m2) will require in the region of 360 tonnes of silica sand and 200 tonnes of rubber crumb if constructed correctly. There are massive cost savings for contractors who apply less material than specified or sands of inferior quality. Should this be the case the life of the pitch will be shortened and possibly the safety of the surface will be compromised.

Develop a maintenance plan based on the usage of the pitch. It is recommended that a ratio of 10:1 should be adopted. For example, for every 10 hours of play on the surface, an hour’s maintenance should be carried out. This may include litter picking, grooming, brushing and topping up infill levels. All these simple tasks will help to extend the life of your club’s investment.

LEFT: SIMPLE TYRE THREAD DEPTH GAUGE FOR MEASURING INFILL DEPTH. ABOVE RIGHT: TWO FIBRES TAKEN FROM THE SAME 3G 5 YEAR OLD ARTIFICIAL PITCH, THE LEFT FIBRE TAKEN FROM A LITTLE USED CORNER, THE RIGHT FIBRE TAKEN FROM THE WELL USED CENTRE OF THE PITCH SHOWING FIBRILLATION OF THE MONOFILAMENT FIBRE

Consider the following: Before selecting a contractor ● Does the contractor have experience in the type of project that you are constructing? For example do they specialise in 3G pitches rather than hockey pitches construction? How many years has the company been in business? ● Will they be responsible for the complete project or just the carpet and infill? ● Get references from design companies, testing companies and directly from clubs who have used their services. ● Visit completed projects and talk to the owners, managers and users of the pitches. ● What is the company’s existing workload and can they handle the project within a reasonable timeframe? ● Would they be in a position to purchase a construction bond to cover them for the length of the build? ● What is the company’s safety record? ● What will be the Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP) and the Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS)? ● Have they priced the bill of quantities as per the specification? ● Are there any pre-qualifications in their returned tender submission? ● Have they altered the bill of quantities in any way to return the lowest bid? ● Make the contractor specify the amount and type of sand and rubber crumb per m2. ● Is the contractor willing to supply the client with the specific particle size distribution for materials to be used in the subbase and base? ● Will the manufacturer/contractor provide a warranty for the surface and associated works? If so what does it cover? For how long? And what conditions (if any) are associated with the warranty? ● Ensure the contractor supplies all laboratory test reports showing the surface and infill complies to the regulations of the governing body.

After the construction is completed ● Independently test the surface upon completion. Do not

include this in the tender. ● Request ‘as built’ drawings for all drainage pipes including

depths and falls.

NEW BUILDS Constructing a new artificial turf pitch can be daunting and expensive. Employing a competent design team and a skilled and experienced contractor can take the hardship out of the process. Ensure that your club really

44

● Randomly measure the amount and type of sand and

rubber crumb per m2. ● Check that the seams have been either glued or

stitched correctly. ● Establish a sinking fund that will enable the pitch to be

replaced within eight years if necessary. ✽

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

11 / SPORTSTURF

EAMON KEALY M.Hort.Sc

ABOVE: THE GLUING PROCESS REQUIRES MINIMUM TEMPERATURES AND GOOD CRAFTSMANSHIP ABOVE RIGHT: GRADING THE FORMATION FOR AN ARTIFICIAL SURFACE

is a lecturer in horticulture, specialising in sportsturf management, at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown. ITB offers part-time and full time courses in horticulture. For more information see www.itb.ie or email info@itb.ie.

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PHOTO: KORALEY NORTHEN

12 / EDIBLES

FRESH FIGURES SHOW PROmISE AND OPPORTUNITy

MIKE NEARY, Manager of Horticulture at Bord Bia

Mike Neary, Manager of Horticulture with Bord Bia, shares findings from a recent Kantar research report into the retail fresh product market.

Kantar Worldpanel recently carried a measure of the retail fresh produce market on behalf of Bord Bia. It is the most important market channel for fresh produce. The total grocery market was valued at €9bn in the year ending March 2015. This was a 1.3% increase on the previous year. There was also a corresponding increase in the volume of grocery items purchased over that period.

The major retailers dominate this market channel. Tesco, Dunnes Stores and Supervalu have close to 75% share of the retail market. The discount chains of Aldi and Lidl have a combined share of 16% with the balance of the market shared between other multiples, symbol groups and other outlets.

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Fruit and vegetables including potatoes are important purchase items in the weekly shopping basket. In fact they are the most important, holding the number 1 and 2 positions in value terms across a range of grocery purchase categories making up over 14% of the total grocery spend.

HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2015

12 / EDIBLES The total fresh produce retail market was valued at €1.2bn in the year ending March 2015. This was a slight decrease of 0.2% on the previous twelve 12 months which was driven primarily by the potato category which saw lower prices at retail level in the second half of 2014 due to increased supply from increased production area and yields.

The fresh produce category comprises the fruit, vegetable and potato categories. These were valued at €565m, €514m and 143m respectively for the year ending March 2015. The value of the fruit category was up while the value of the vegetable category (excluding potatoes) was similar over the previous two years ending March 2014 and March 2015. The purchase frequency for fresh produce was measured at 154 times per year to March 2015 which was up 3% on the previous year. The volume purchased per trip was also up by 3% over the period.

The main fruits grown in Ireland are strawberries and apples.

In recent years the growth in the berry and currant category has been dramatic and is currently valued at €133m, of which strawberries are a significant element. Both the volume purchased per buyer and the unit price for the berry category was up in the year ending March 2015. In the apple category overall spend was back but there was a corresponding increase in volume.

The value of the potato category saw the biggest decline for the year ending March 2015, driven primarily by the volume available to the market. However this value at the supermarket shelf did result in an increase in the volume of potatoes purchased with the volume purchased per trip up by 10% over the period. Along with an increase of 2% in the frequency of purchase this resulted in a volume growth over the period of 13% though this was not enough to counteract the decline in the value of the category. Recent years have seen a decline in the consumption of potatoes but nevertheless it is still the number one source of carbohydrates for Irish households.

The vegetable category saw an increase in volume sales for the year ending 2015, driven by a lower unit price over the period.

The volume increase came from an increase in frequency of purchase (up 3%) and an increase in the volume purchased per trip (up 2%). Carrots, mushrooms and peppers are the top four contributors to the value of the vegetable category.

Summer 2015 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED

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