Bord Bia announced the winners of its annual National Amenity Horticulture Awards tonight (Fri 26th Feb) at an awards ceremony in Bewley’s Hotel, Dublin. Almost 200 representatives from the Irish horticulture industry attended the event. The Awards recognise and promote excellence across three key sectors of the industry - Garden Centres, Nursery Growers and Landscape Contractors.
Bord Bia presented 5 star ratings to seven garden centres on the night along with a number of special awards, including the overall category winners, as follows:
Bord Bia also presented Quality Awards to 54 horticultural companies who have successfully achieved the standards as set out by its Quality Assurance Programme. Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia said “Quality Award recipients pride themselves on delivering above and beyond consumer expectation. They have to make significant investments in training, infrastructure and procedures to attain a Quality Award and consumers can benefit greatly from identifying them before they plan a trip to the local garden centre or engage a landscape contractor.”
See the lists below for the full details of the Bord Bia quality approved horticulture businesses.
2009/2010 Garden Centre Award Winners
2009/2010 Nursery Award Winners
2009/2010 Landscape Award Winners
2010 Programmes and Events
Speaking at the event Mike Neary, Manager of Horticulture, Bord Bia said “Our most recent industry survey highlighted the need for all sectors of amenity horticulture to innovate, develop new products, build domestic share and explore new markets. Bord Bia is committed to doing all that it can to assist companies move forward profitably and we urge all horticultural companies to continue to avail of our numerous support programmes and promotional activities planned for 2010 and beyond.”
Bord Bia’s Horticultural Innovation programme, will be further enhanced in 2010, with a mix of workshops, study tours and mentoring sessions providing the opportunity to develop new products or processes. The brand services on offer for producers include website redevelopment, consumer brand audits, new product naming and packaging design.
Sustainability, carbon foot printing, energy and waste management continue to move up the agenda of leading customers and retail buyers. Bord Bia, in line with its key objective of promoting Ireland as the Sustainable Food Island, is currently organising a series of workshops and modules on energy and environmental management within the framework of its quality programmes. As well as further enhancing the positive ‘green’ image of the amenity horticulture industry and production, cost efficiencies are an added benefit of participation.
Next month, Bord Bia will launch a gardening campaign to encourage everyone to get a little green- fingered! Through a range of communications activities across radio, print and television the public will be encouraged to make the most of their gardens, particularly at a time when staycation (staying at home) is the new vacation.
Bloom, Bord Bia’s annual gardening and lifestyle show, also returns to the Phoenix Park, Dublin from June 3rd – June 7th. Last year, the event attracted over 60,000 visitors.