Irish-owned fresh produce brand Keelings previewed their ‘Love that Keelings Feeling’ Garden at Bloom with a surprise performance by iconic girl band B*Witched. The garden, celebrating the taste & enjoyment from Keelings fresh produce, will be open to the public until Monday, 3 June. Edele and Keavy Lynch, Lindsay Armaou, and Sinéad O’Carroll, known collectively as B*Witched, joined Keelings to kick off Bloom 2024. Their track “C’est La Vie” now features in a brand new Keelings advert, airing across TV channels, capturing the fun of that ‘Keelings Feeling’ when enjoying delicious, fresh ..read more

Westland Horticulture has announced its sponsorship of the Cultivating Talent category of show gardens at this year’s Bord Bia Bloom.  Bord Bia Bloom, taking place in Phoenix Park, Dublin, from 30 May to 3 June, is Ireland’s largest gardening festival. It celebrates horticulture, culinary delights, and sustainable living. The family-friendly event draws in more than 100,000 visitors every year.  Westland is dedicated to nurturing emerging talent in horticulture. Their Rising Stars programme supports potential future stars in garden centres, while the New Horizon Fund donates £1,000 ..read more

St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby suffered a devastating fire in October 2020, demolishing the site. A new multi-million-pound school has now risen from the ashes to become the UK’s greenest school. St Mary’s is the country’s first biophilic school and has been built as part of a pilot project for the Department for Education (DfE).  Biophilic design focuses on connecting those inside, with nature, to promote physical and mental health. The goal for St Mary’s is to be net zero carbon in operation where the amount of carbon emissions added is no more than the amount taken ..read more

Bord Bia Bloom returns to the Phoenix Park, Dublin, this June bank holiday weekend (30 May 30 – 3 June) and promises attendees a great day out with its colourful collection of show gardens, tantalising displays of Irish food and drink, inspiring talks and demos, and live interactive entertainment for visitors of all ages. Now in its 18th year, the festival expects to welcome more than 100,000 visitors over five action-packed days for another experience that is rooted in sustainable living.  Jim O’Toole, chief executive officer, Bord Bia, said, “We are immensely proud of how Bord Bia Blo ..read more

Husqvarna have partnered with Tom Massey, a garden expert in biodiversity, to bring nature back into your garden through diversity to help your garden thrive in a natural way. Leaving an area of your lawn to grow long will be beneficial to wildlife and have a positive effect on biodiversity. However, there are ways to speed up the process and further boost biodiversity in your garden. Here are Tom’s top 10 tips on how to give an immediate boost to biodiversity in your garden. 1.) Maintain your zone Removing all clippings after cutting will reduce fertility of the soil, encourage flowering sp ..read more

Garden enthusiasts and plant lovers are gearing up for an exciting event as the Irish  Specialist Nursery Association (ISNA) announces a plant fair at Teagasc Kildalton College,  Piltown, County Kilkenny, on Sunday, 19 May from 11am to 4pm.  Hosted among the lush green setting of Kildalton Agriculture and Horticulture College, this event promises to be a  haven for anyone looking for unusual and interesting plants to add to their own garden.  Irish Specialist Nursery Association plant fairs are widely known for their array of specialty  plants, unusual botanical ..read more

Significant progress has been made in recent years in reducing the impact of pesticide use on drinking water sources. There has been a reduction of more than 50% in the number of pesticide exceedances recorded since 2018.  While progress continued in 2023, there were still 52 pesticide exceedances in public drinking water supplies in Ireland last year. These exceedances were detected as part of Uisce Éireann’s public water supply monitoring programme from a total of more than 33,000 samples. The National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group (NPDWAG) is again reminding users of any ..read more

Boost, the All-Purpose Liquid Plant Feed from Westland Horticulture, is back on TV this April in the ROI and the UK, driving awareness and preference ahead of the peak season.  Following the success of Boost, which is the fastest growing* plant food on the market, Westland is investing in a media campaign for Boost for the third consecutive year. The 20” advert will be aired on high viewership channels, including Channel4, ITV3, ITV4, and Sky, surrounded by contextually relevant programming for the home and garden. Launched in April and running until early June, the campaign is phased t ..read more

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