Contents
NEWS
03 HORTICULTURE NEWS
GENERAL
06 FOUNDATIONS TO BUILD ON
Mike Neary, Manager of horticulture with Bord Bia, details the host of programmes, initiatives and activities you can use to build a stronger business in 2014
RETAIL
10 SALES MADE EASY
Leading retail consultant Liam Kelly details how you can increase sales by incorporating seasonality into your plant merchandising with the help of the 5 Es
DESIGN
14 DESIGN LEGACY
Gary Foran, Chairman of the garden & Landscape Designers Association, records the historical evolution of Irish design and the pivotal role played by the association in raising it to international standards
NURSERY
18 BACK TO THE FUTURE
Barry Lupton revisits an interview with Philip Moreau carried out in 2007 to pin down how things have really changed
22 SINGULAR VISION
Respected Nursery-man and industry commentator, Pat FitzGerald, sets out a 10 point strategy for protecting the future of commercial horticulture in Ireland
24 EXPORTENTIAL
Neville Stein brings us up to date on how Irish growers can exploit the UK retail market
IN PICTURES
28 AWARD-WINNING GARDENS AND LANDSCAPES
Photos of the Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland (ALCI) 2013 Award Winners
CONSTRUCTION
30 FROM SPECULATION TO RE-EVALUATION
Landscape quantity specialist, Colm Kenny explains how contractors can improve profits with smarter pricing
32 13.5…THE LUCKY NUMBER FOR 2014
ALCI President Peter O’Toole outlines how work undertaken by the association to secure landscape work as part of the Home Renovation Incentive Scheme could have a huge impact for Irish contractors
LANDSCAPE
34 CHANGE UNDERFOOT
Dr. Christy Boylan examines how Ireland’s parks and green spaces are evolving to meet new challenges
37 TRENDS IN THE LANDSCAPE OF MAN
ILI President Tony Williams explores how issues impacting Landscape Architects are of concerns to us all
INSIGHT
40 TAKE 2014 FOR GRANTED
Grant writing expert, Dr.Theodora Lola-Luz details how you can improve your business by accessing the right funding
COMMERCIAL/SPORTS SURFACES
44 DON’T GUESS IT, SOIL TEST IT…
Sportsturf specialist, Colman Warde details how effective soil sampling and testing can be utilised to underpin an efficient turfgrass fertilising programme
