B&Q Cuts 220 Head Office Jobs

Kingfisher-owned B&Q is making nearly 20% of its head office staff redundant, cutting 220 of the 1,200 jobs based from its Hampshire headquarters in order to deliver a more "agile" service to its customers.

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Agastache ‘Blue Boa’: Colourful and Drought Tolerant

Agastaches of all kinds are becoming more popular these days. This is partly because most are drought tolerant once they're established, and also because they're dependable attractors for bees and butterflies. Their foliage is aromatic, too, and of course they provide a long season of intense flower colour.

Read more: Agastache ‘Blue Boa’: Colourful and Drought Tolerant

Horti Fair Continuing to Pursue New Course

The Flower Catwalk, the HortiSeminars and the Horti Fair Experience are just some of the highlights featured in Horti Fair 2012. This year's biggest international trade show for Technology, Innovation and Inspiration in Horticulture will take place in the Amsterdam RAI from 30 October to 2 November inclusive.

Read more: Horti Fair Continuing to Pursue New Course

Glee Visitor Numbers Drop as Industry Assess Show's Importance

The number of visitors to Glee 2012 dropped by almost 20% to 9,112 this year, after attracting 11,149 last year and 13,050 in 2010. But show bosses have defended the horticultural event, saying that in context of the industry's terrible summer, this year's Glee "performed ahead of current market trends."

Read more: Glee Visitor Numbers Drop as Industry Assess Show's Importance

Sinn Féin Welcomes Lough Neagh Discussion

Sinn Féin MLA Francie Molloy has welcomed the announcement by the Earl of Shaftesbury that he is willing to discuss the future of Lough Neagh with the Assembly. Mr. Molloy said: "The Lough is a huge eco system on which many people depend upon for their livelihood and indeed their life through the supply of drinking water so it important that it is managed properly.

Read more: Sinn Féin Welcomes Lough Neagh Discussion

Hortisculpture Partnership Opportunities for 2013

Hortisculptures are currently looking for sponsors for high profile events for 2013, where designs are still open to collaboration to incorporate sponsor input. Potential shows will include:

• Chelsea Flower show, RHS
• Hampton Court Palace, RHS show

Read more: Hortisculpture Partnership Opportunities for 2013

Conference – Reinventing Limerick – Sat 27th October 2012

Finance Minister To Launch New Business Cooperative In Limerick The Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Saturday 27th October 2012, from 10:30. The seminar, Reinventing Limerick the Cooperative Way, organised by Meitheal Mid West, will see the launch of Ireland's first multi stake holder cooperative in the high & low tech sectors. Renewable energy and intensive commercial horticulture are the initial target sectors with others to follow.

Read more: Conference – Reinventing Limerick – Sat 27th October 2012

Global Food Safety Conference 2012

A major international conference on food safety entitled "Global Food Safety: Solutions for today and tomorrow" is taking place today in Dublin. The conference organising team would like to invite you to attend a three day international conference, with associated workshops, which will address known and emergent chemical and microbial contaminants which affect food safety along the farm to fork chain.

Read more: Global Food Safety Conference 2012

Glow in the Dark Roses

You might be forgiven for thinking that our Glow in the Dark Roses are a premature April Fools, but they are in fact a genuine gift. By day these beautiful white Avalanche roses look quite unassuming, it's only once night falls or the room darkens that they glow an enchanting fluorescent green.

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Consumers are Becoming More Cautious

A recent research report highlighted that consumers are coming more cautious. According to research by Brainmales.

• 65% are saying Do I really need it
• 61% Looking for the best price
• 46% Are planning purchases

Read more: Consumers are Becoming More Cautious

Positive Winds are Starting to Blow - by John Stanley

Over the last three months I have been working with retailers across Europe and the Americas and I feel we are starting to see changes take place in retail land.I had the opportunity to spend some time in Ireland a country that has been particularly hit by the global financial crisis over recent years.

Read more: Positive Winds are Starting to Blow - by John Stanley

The Sodshow: Previously On The Sodshow – Tulip Naming

Listen to The SodShow, Dublin’s only garden radio show. Live every Friday @ 3pm – or after tea-time in podcast

» listen to The Sodshow: Previously On The Sodshow – Tulip Naming

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Halloween Shop Window Competition 2012

Our annual Halloween shop window competition is back by popular demand and we need your help to pick a winner. Every year we ask our florists to get into the spirit of the season and send us photographs of their Halloween inspired shop window displays.

Read more: Halloween Shop Window Competition 2012

Irish Landscape Institute Awards & Venue 2012

We are delighted to announce that the ILI Awards will be held this winter!  This year we are introducing a brand new award for Green Infrastructure – the first and only award of its kind in Ireland! Full details of this category will be released shortly.

Read more: Irish Landscape Institute Awards & Venue 2012

Sainsbury's is UK's Best Fresh Flower Supermarket of the Year

Sainsbury's in the UK was the winer of five awards: Supermarket of the Year Convenience, Store of the Year, Most Sustainable Retailer of the Year, Drinks Retailer of the Year and Fresh Flower Supermarket of the Year. It is the fifth time in the last seven years that the retailer has won Supermarket of the Year and the third year running that it has won Convenience Store of the Year.

Read more: Sainsbury's is UK's Best Fresh Flower Supermarket of the Year

AIB & Native Woodland Trust Trees for Secondary Schools Project

Under this project, every secondary school in the Republic of Ireland will be eligible to apply for a donation of 30 free native trees, to enable them plant a small native woodland on their school grounds. Schools will also be provided with a fully illustrated colour booklet produced by the Native Woodland Trust (NWT), which will give advice and information on how to choose the right location for planting the trees.

Read more: AIB & Native Woodland Trust Trees for Secondary Schools Project

Dublin Food Co-Op Hiring General Manager

The Dublin Food Co-Op was established in 1983. It is Ireland's only consumer co-operative which specialises in the provision of wholesome, nutritious food and ecologically acceptable products and services to its members. The Co-Op aims to deal in organically grown food, which is Irish produced where possible. When importing food, it seeks to discriminate positively in favour of countries which uphold basic human rights.

Read more: Dublin Food Co-Op Hiring General Manager

Euroskills Landscape Gardening Success for Aaron

Aaron Jamison, who recently completed his Extended Diploma in Horticulture at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount Campus near Antrim, has gone on to even greater achievement by achieving a coveted "Medal of Excellence" at the recent Euroskills 2012 event in Belgium for Landscape Gardening & Design.

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M &S Ireland Looking to Fill 440 Seasonal Roles this Christmas

Marks & Spencer Ireland said today that it's aiming to recruit 440 extra employees for Christmas this year. The retailer said that it is planning to take on an extra 20,000 employees across its UK and Republic of Ireland stores this Christmas – 5,000 more than last year.

Read more: M &S Ireland Looking to Fill 440 Seasonal Roles this Christmas

New Main Entrance to Dublin City University Competition

The RIAI is administering an open, one-stage competition for Dublin City University. DCU are currently seeking to reinvigorate the appearance and functionality of the campus. DCU are seeking to bring our vision and brand expression of Ireland's University of Enterprise to life across the campus through various means

Read more: New Main Entrance to Dublin City University Competition