HORTICULTURE MEETS TECHNOLOGY AT WEB SUMMIT 2014
We recently had the pleasure of covering this event at the RDS in Dublin, and were delighted to discover ‘Click & Grow’ who were promoting their ‘Smart Pot’ and ‘Herb Garden’. The technology includes software that controls plant growth. The ‘Smartpot’ refill contains a microchip with a unique growing program for each and every plant. The systems adjust the growing conditions accordingly. Unique growth sensors control irrigation, compensate for temperatures and control the daylight cycle. Everything is fully automatic. The company founders claim that their NASA inspired ‘Smart Soil’ ensures that the root zone has superior aeration, pH levels and fertilisation at all times, making the system foolproof.
More at www.clickandgrow.com ✽
CELTIC WORM COMPANY EXCITED ABOUT GROWTH POTENTIAL IN 2015
CELTIC WORM COMPANY EXCITED ABOUT GROWTH POTENTIAL IN 2015The company launched its probiotic growing medium last year. “We have created a unique organic product that has already received wide acclaim from both wholesale and retail customers” according to CEO, Tony Grubert. “It has proved itself to be wonderfully effective for a wide range of consumer and commercial plant crops. It’s all in the blend. Our specially bred worms are fed on fully composted cow manure which in itself is a good fertiliser, but once it passes through the gut of a worm, it adds beneficial plant hormones and enzymes. This transforms it into something spectacular for gardeners and commercial growers alike. But it’s the ratio of worm casts that counts, as a small percentage either way and it just doesn’t work. We also add other natural and organic materials to ensure that once activated, the hormones and enzymes continue to thrive and multiply.
It has taken over three years of trials at UCC by the company’s researcher Tara Duggan under the guidance of Professor Peter Jones to get the recipe right. Historically people using our growing medium have seen an increase in growth of between 70% to 170% when compared with other growing mediums. Fruit and vegetables taste better, the plants are stronger and thanks to beneficial enzymes are more resistant to disease. The medium will sustain the plant for six to eight weeks without any addition of fertiliser. During this time the plant root will be greatly enhanced and ready to take up a larger quantity of nutrients.” Plans for the future include expanding the product range, which will also see an update of branding and packaging based on retail and consumer feedback from the 2014 season.
More at www.celticworm.com ✽
IN BRIEFAQUAFLOR LAUNCHES NEW APPS FOR ONLINE FLOWER ORDERINGThe wholesale florist and garden centre flower and plant supplier has recently launched apps for the Android and iPhone platforms, to complement their existing desktop webshop offering. Arjan Van Veen has seen the demand from his customers for online ordering expand rapidly in recent months. For those not yet fully comfortable with ordering online, Arjan and the Aquaflor team have set up a test ordering site that allows new users to get used to the ‘easy to use’ platform before they do a live order. More at www.aquaflorflowersdirect.ie ✽ CHP AT TEAGASC PROTECTED CROPS CONFERENCEThere was a packed house at this recent event that covered a wide range of topical issues, which were supplemented by many practical questions from the floor. The most interesting presentation for HC on the day was by Matt Foley, a tomato grower who walked us through his own experience of the various stages from planning to the construction of a Combined Heat & Power Plant (CHP) at his glasshouse facility in Rush, Co Dublin. More at www.teagasc.ie ✽ GARDEN SHOP OPENS SECOND OUTLETThe Garden at the Powerscourt Shopping Centre has opened a new outlet at Cow’s Lane, Temple Bar just in time for the busy Christmas period. Proprietor Mark Grehan has seen his original business offering at the Powerscourt Centre, grow significantly over the last few years. Mark also demonstrated his floristry and design work at the recent Bord Bia ‘A Taste of Christmas’ event where section managers were on hand promoting the best of Irish horticulture and food products. More at www.thegarden.ie ✽ |
IRELAND’S TOP DESIGNERS GET BUSY AS BLOOM 2015 GATHERS PACE
While the rest of us are busying ourselves with holiday preparations, across the country, many of Ireland’s top design professionals are putting the final touches on their Bloom 2015 proposals. With the continued success of the annual food and garden extravaganza in the Phoenix Park and the tentative economic upswing finding the firmer ground, Ireland’s design community is refocusing attention on the marketing opportunities afforded by the show. At the recent information day for potential designers, there was a palpable sense of excitement about Bloom 2015 with organisers and designers looking beyond the challenges of the last few years and towards the opportunities presented in the future. And while the atmosphere was one of excitement it was tempered with the sobering reality of the work required to deliver a world-class show garden. “Yes, today is about building momentum, but it’s also about focusing on the tangible requirements, the process of design and technical issues, not to mention the garden construction and what happens at the event,” explained Bloom show manager Gary Graham.
As the day unfolded, it was clear what Gary meant. The creation of a show garden is no simple task. “I’ve heard many designers say that the design is actually the easy bit”, said Gary. “The high standards achieved at Bloom are a combination of hard work by designers and contractors and also the rigorous systems and processes we have in place.” He’s not wrong; at first glance, the drawing and documentary requirements for participation in Bloom might seem a little overwhelming, especially for someone new to the process, but Gary insists that potential designers should not be put off. “We’ve learned a lot over the last eight years and more than anything we’ve learned that we need to have a robust support system for participants. While we demand the highest level, we also provide participants with a high level of support including the provision of days such as today, continual feedback from the Garden Advisory Group, sponsorship support, direct funding for certain projects and we’re always on hand to provide advice as gardens develop.”
Bloom will be taking place in the Phoenix Park Dublin over the June bank holiday weekend, from Thursday 28th May until Monday 1st June. Bloom 2014 showcased 30 exquisite show gardens from the very best of Ireland’s landscape gardeners and designers, as well as over 120 Irish food producers. ✽
KILDARE GROWERS TO EXTEND REACH AT HARDWARE SHOW 2015As part of an ongoing range of creative initiatives, The Kildare Growers Group are putting their combined energy behind exhibiting at the 2015 Hardware Show, which takes place in CityWest on the 15-16th February. Their participation in the show marks a departure for the group which has traditionally focused on exhibiting through more traditional routes such as trolley fairs, Bloom and Glas. “Think about it, almost every hardware in the country has some plant element. From a simple trolley of bedding plants outside the front door to purpose-built in-store garden centres. Hardware providers understand there is money in plants”, explains Kildare Growers Chairman, Kieran Dunne. Although they might understand the value of plants in terms of sales, hardware retailers typically have little knowledge of plants themselves and participation in the show will afford a brilliant opportunity to connect and network with retailers and also to share knowledge. “We are going to feature a huge range of available stock and will have five trained horticulturalists on the stand to communicate the nuances of plant merchandising, sales, care and promotion. It’s a win-win for all involved”, added Kieran. The Hardware Show is an event organised by the industry for the industry. Its organisation is being driven by an influential and informed trade show committee, which has already begun planning on making it an unmissable event for both merchants and suppliers. There will be four key streams to the show, HOME – GARDEN – BUILD – DIY, mirroring the layout and content within the vast majority of successful merchant stores throughout the country. The 2015 event aims to be much more than just a trade show, with key speakers and presenters focussing on up and coming trends. The addition of the dynamic Kildare Growers stand and personnel will no doubt strengthen the event’s focus. For more information on the show and how you can participate, visit www.haishow.ie ✽ |
FITZGERALD NURSERIES ‘MYPLANT’ FACILITY SHORTLISTED IN IRISH LABORATORY AWARDS
Another company successfully applying technology and science to horticulture is FitzGerald Nurseries. The awards recognise excellence and achievement in the industrial Irish laboratory environment and include entrants from across a wide range of business sectors.
FitzGerald Nurseries was the only plant production company to enter the awards. The ‘MyPlant’ laboratory was developed in 2004 by Pat FitzGerald of FitzGerald Nurseries to produce new and unusual niche market plants from tissue culture. The laboratory is primarily used to propagate plants in the Irish Primrose and EverColor ranges. Production from the laboratory now also includes mother plants for sweet potato varieties developed by Louisiana State University. Pat, who is the exclusive European head licensee for the University’s sweet potato programme, is predicting production of more than a million units in Europe for 2015. Pat told us: “It’s taken a long time to establish a leading micropropagation laboratory in very challenging times so it is very satisfying to be short-listed for such an award and to be recognised by those outside the horticultural industry for our technical excellence. Innovation in horticulture needs to be recognised and rewarded if we want to develop a strong and dynamic industry.” FitzGerald Nurseries produces 1.2 million of micro-propagated plants annually in the ‘MyPlant’ laboratory and exports to 27 countries. Pat believes there is a further opportunity for the application of micropropagation in ornamental horticulture, adding: “These awards will hopefully increase awareness of our new plants and production methods.” ✽
ARBORETUM WINS ‘NATIONAL STORE OF THE YEAR 2015’ AT RETAIL AWARDSRetail Excellence Ireland recently announced the winners of the 2014 Retail Excellence Ireland Awards in association with Barclaycard. Among this distinguished group is Carlow retailer Arboretum Lifestyle & Garden Centre, in Leighlinbridge, which won the coveted National Store of the Year award. David Fitzsimons, the CEO, stated “This retailer represents all that is best in the retail industry in Ireland. Arboretum has shown a consistent commitment to excellence in meeting and exceeding customer expectations in terms of service and product quality. To be recognised as the best amongst their peers is an incredible testament to the hard work that they have put in throughout 2014. “Retail in Ireland is the largest industry by employment numbers and continues to fuel economic growth in Ireland. These stores are well placed to capitalise on positive sentiment post Budget 2015 to meet customers’ needs over the Christmas season. The fact that they have been recognised on the national stage will support them in their efforts to attract new customers eager to sample their stores”, he concluded. The word on the street is that the Doyle family is eager to capitalise on the national awareness of the Arboretum brand and that the opening of a new branch is imminent, which will launch the company into the greater Dublin area. To round off a stunning year, the five-star lifestyle centre has also been shortlisted in this year’s Garden Retail Awards in the Best Business Development: New Build, Refit or Launch category’. ✽ |
BORD BIA & BLOOM SUPPORT THE GLDA’S 19TH INTERNATIONAL GARDEN DESIGN SEMINAR
Once again Bord Bia has come on board to support this must-attend event for aspiring and experienced designers alike. The title of this year’s event is ‘The New Perennial Movement: Transient Trend or Adaptable Style?’ The seminar will take a critical look at the contributions and shortfalls of this movement, as well as exploring how planting design may look in the future.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
Verney Naylor MGLDA is a well-travelled plant expert and garden writer, and one of Ireland’s best known and most admired garden designers. www.glda.ie/designers/verny-naylor
Thomas Rainer is a landscape architect, teacher, and writer living in Washington, DC, well known for his influential and irreverent blog, Grounded Design, which has gained an international following. www.groundeddesign.com
Keith Wiley has created one of the most exciting and innovative gardens in England, at The Garden House, a 10 acre garden on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon where he was Head Gardener. www.wileyatwildside.com
Sylvie and Patrick Quibel’s four-acre garden Le Jardin Plume in Normandy has been described by Stephen Lacey as a paragon of modern garden making, and one of the most seductive gardens of recent times. www.lejardinplume.com. More at www.glda.ie ✽
GCSAI EDUCATION EVENTThere were over 230 attendees at the recent Golf Course Superintendents Association of Ireland’s education day in Croke Park. There were detailed technical presentations by various specialists in the sector, but the most entertaining for HC was from Dougie Robertson, Head Groundsman of West Ham United. With issues ranging from dealing with the pitch/training grounds availability expectations of manager and players, foxes eating the nets or emergency helicopters landing at random, it can be high pressure but rewarding job. Also taking up much of his time at the moment is the planned move of West Ham to the new Olympic Stadium. ✽ |
