Despite facing several pressing challenges, Ireland has an exceptional horticulture sector, with a well-trained workforce and a strong reputation, which puts us in an excellent position to accelerate its growth in 2023.
The GLAS tradeshow has evolved to become the premier event in the horticulture calendar.
Fully supported by Bord Bia and organised by Mediateam on behalf of Kildare Growers Group Ltd, GLAS showcases the best of Irish horticulture, attracting quality trade buyers to a key event in the industry calendar.
GLAS 2023 was held in the National Basketball Arena, Tallaght, on Thursday July 20th last and saw strong participation from industry exhibitors with an enhanced exhibition area both indoor and outdoor. In turn this was supported by strong visitor numbers from across all sectors of the industry- garden centres, landscape contractors, landscape architects, garden designers and county council/local authorities.
Bord Bia welcomed Minister Pippa Hackett, Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to the event. During her visit Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole, Director of Horticulture and Farmer Engagement Mike Neary and Carol Marks, Sector Manager for horticulture accompanied the Minister to meet key industry stakeholders, nursery owners and staff from DAFM and Teagasc.
The show has set the standards for Ireland’s only trade horticulture show and established itself as a key date in the diaries of all those working within the industry.
A key highlight at the event since its establishment is the Best in Show Awards. The awards highlight excellence in four categories: Best New Plant - Ball Colegrave for their Begonia Hula, Best New Product - Wildflowers.ie for its “Raised Bog Restoration Seed Mix”, Best in Show Horticulture Stand Award 2023 - O’Dowd Nurseries, Best in Show Trade Supplier Award 2023 – Evergreen and as voted for by the visitors, GLAS Supplier of the Year Award 2023 – Moasure.
This year the Bord Bia stand highlighted Bord Bia’s services for the industry, including the Thinking House at Bord Bia, showcasing the facilities available for the industry to access to the latest global trends, research, consumer insights and industry innovations. Alongside personnel from the horticulture department, the library staff were on hand to assist visitors’ access reports and studies on a specially formatted touch screen, while the results of the most recent Bord Bia research studies were presented throughout the day.
The Bord Bia Learning Theatre hosted several presentations from key industry experts on a number of pertinent topics.
John Mulhern, Principal of the Teagasc Amenity Horticulture College gave an overview of the new horticulture apprenticeship scheme recently validated by QQI. The scheme is a collaboration of Teagasc and the Horticulture sector resulting in the design of new apprenticeship programmes that would be suited to present employees with experience and new applicants to the sector.
Joe McNamara, from DAFM presented and update on the recent findings of Oak Processionary Moth in Ireland and its possible implications for the sector.
Tamsen Harward, The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) gave an overview on the recently launch National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027 and separately the details of the early-stage Producer Organisation scheme that the amenity sector can avail of.
Greening The City – Emerging Practice was Presented by Daibhí Mac Domhnaill, a Landscape Architect and Urban Designer with a specialist interest in urban greening, nature-based solutions and future-proofing cities for climate change.