ICL has announced the addition of two new hand-held spreaders to its range: the ShakerPro and the HandyPro. These compact tools are designed for turf managers and landscaping professionals looking for a convenient solution for small-scale applications. ‌The HandyPro is a hand-held rotary spreader. It allows for the easy application of ICL fertiliser or grass seed with just a turn of the handle. Its design focuses on ease of use and comfort, making it an excellent choice for quick and small-scale spreading tasks. Its portability and straightforward mechanism make it a valuable tool applying p ..read more

The annual Garden Landscape and Amenity Sportsturf (GLAS) trade show, which attracts top producers, growers, manufacturers, and key opinion leaders across the Irish horticultural sector, is set to return on Thursday 18 July 2024. Brought to you with the backing of Bord Bia, GLAS presents an unparalleled occasion for trade buyers and sellers within the amenity horticulture and sportsturf sectors. Get ready to meet, network, and explore a comprehensive array of cutting-edge products and services available on the market. GLAS is an essential destination to explore firsthand the products and ser ..read more

European Turfgrass Laboratories organic matter profile testing has been added to Turf Rewards as a new reward for 2024. This service will provide invaluable insights into soil health and turf performance. For just 20 points, Turf Rewards members can now claim organic matter profile testing through European Turfgrass Laboratories’ A2LA-Accredited laboratory. This new reward permits the analysis of three greens at four different depths, delivering a detailed overview of the organic matter levels within your soil profile. Detailed testing This information is beneficial for the effective managem ..read more

Peckish, the UK’s leading wild bird food brand, is inspiring the public to make their gardens a haven for nature this year by growing wild birds a home with a free packet of wildflower seeds with every purchase of Peckish wild bird food.  Consumers will be encouraged to visit their local garden centres from Easter to collect their free packet of Peckish Wild Bird Habitat Wildflower Seeds, which are a mix of easy to grow wildflowers selected to provide nutrients and nesting material for birds. The free seeds can be directly sown into gardens throughout April and May, which will bloom int ..read more

Bord Bia Bloom has announced two winners of its Cultivating Talent initiative sponsored by Westland, which aims to support emerging talent within Irish Horticulture. Sarah Buckley from Dublin and Nòra Tombor, originally from Hungary and now living in Dublin were both selected as garden designers that will have the opportunity to design and deliver a prestigious Show Garden at Bord Bia Bloom 2024. The winners will join a host of new and returning Bloom Show Garden designers that are developing gardens based on themes of health, children, sustainability and heritage.  Bord Bia Bloom will ..read more

The Royal Horticultural Society has awarded the Lawrence Medal to Billy Alexander from Kells Bay, Co. Kerry. The medal was awarded for his Gold Medal and Best in Great Pavilion winning exhibit, The Ferns of Kells Bay Gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023.  The Lawrence Medal is awarded for the best exhibit shown to the society during the year. The Lawrence medal is the highest honour an exhibitor can receive for their display. Billy, who has restored and developed Kells Bay House and Gardens on the Ring of Kerry since he bought it in 2006 also won a Chelsea Gold Medal in 2021.&nbs ..read more

Designed by Peter Donegan and built by Semken Landscaping, ‘A Moment in Time,’ presented by Daisy’s Garden Supplies has been awarded the People’s Choice Award for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show 2024. The nine day build featured show garden is story of an Air Force veteran who returns to a place he hoped to be able to recall home and aims to show what is when there is no head stone to one who has not fallen and, though a body is not lost, there remains a mind that can never be the same as it was prior. The garden features a fragmented path winding to an aged, grassed roof w ..read more

Husqvarna is a Swedish global brand with a 300+ years history of industry-leading innovation. They offer a wide range of commercial landscaping and lawn care equipment for all types of jobs. From their long experience of working with landscaping and green care professionals, Husqvarna knows that the key to productivity is the efficiency of the operator. That’s why all Husqvarna commercial products are purposefully designed around the user. Husqvarna offers one of the market’s widest ranges of landscaping and lawncare equipment paired with dedicated service offers – supplying municipalities w ..read more

The GIMA Awards are back for 2024 and entries are now open for this year’s edition of the annual event. The GIMA Awards is known for recognising excellence in new product development, marketing initiatives, and export achievements within the past 12 months. The results will be announced at the Gala Dinner taking place on 7 November at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales.  If you’ve introduced a ground-breaking gardening product or executed a standout marketing campaign between June 2023 and May 2024, it’s your moment to shine. There are 17 categories to choose from, each off ..read more

At Growtrade, we’re running an interview series titled ‘Small Talk’, where we talk to various influential members of Ireland’s horticulture trade. This month’s conversation is with Niamh Tully from Tully Nurseries. How did you get your start in horticulture?   After getting the travel bug out of my system, my brother Padraig asked me to join the family business Tully Nurseries where there was a huge opportunity at the time to brand our plants giving them a sense of identity and market them better in Ireland. Up to that point, Tully Nurseries was very much production led.. What was ..read more