Origin Green Ireland - Working with Nature Promo Video

Origin Green is a unique programme which will allow Ireland to become a world leader in sustainable high quality food and drink production. The Origin Green programme is built upon the Origin Green Sustainability Charter which will commit participants to engage directly with the challenges of sustainability.

Read more: Origin Green Ireland - Working with Nature Promo Video

Delight and Dismay Over New AEOS Scheme by John Murphy (Annaveigh Nurseries)

Following the Minister Coveneys announcement about a new AEOS scheme on Tuesday last at the Ploughing Championship we were delighted with the Government. However late last night rumours started to arrive that the Tree and Hedgerow elements of previous schemes had been excluded. Following lengthy enquiries today we eventually realised our worst fears.

Read more: Delight and Dismay Over New AEOS Scheme by John Murphy (Annaveigh Nurseries)

Irish Wildlife Rehabilitation Conference

This is an opportunity for anyone with an interest in wildlife welfare and/or conservation to learn more about treating wildlife casualties; wildlife natural history & conservation; post release monitoring; and wildlife crime. This year we have an additional special session on badgers, a timely and topical session on red squirrels, and a detailed hedgehog session.

Read more: Irish Wildlife Rehabilitation Conference

National Conifer Week – Conifers are Making a Comeback

With National Conifer Week just around the corner, the British Conifer Group (BCG), supported by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) is encouraging the nation’s gardeners to celebrate this versatile and often colourful and overlooked plant. As part of the HTA’s Plan it, Plant it this Autumn campaign, National Conifer Week, which is held between 29 September 2012 and 7 October 2012, aims to change perceptions of conifers and give them the recognition they deserve.

Read more: National Conifer Week – Conifers are Making a Comeback

HortiTrends Weekly Comment & News Digest September 28th

There will be shock and sadness in the garden centre sector in Ireland as Hosford’s Garden Centre Operating for 32 Years Enters Liquidation. It will have a negative ripple effect for the whole sector, not to mention John himself, his family, employee's and suppliers. There should be more information available after the creditor’s meeting that has been scheduled for today in the Castle Hotel, Macroom. We will bring you a press release after the meeting has taken place.

Read more: HortiTrends Weekly Comment & News Digest September 28th

50% of all Aldi Produce Now Local

Aldi Ireland has launched a new marketing campaign, which focuses on its 'buying Irish' credentials, after growing its total sales by 25.2 per cent in the past year. The 'Love Ireland, Like Aldi' campaign, which commenced recently on television and in the press, will emphasise its use of Irish suppliers.The discounter says it has tripled its annual spend on Irish products over the past five years, and that over 50 per cent of all grocery sales at Aldi's Irish arm are now generated on products bought from Irish suppliers.

Read more: 50% of all Aldi Produce Now Local

Gold and Silver for Ireland - Entente Florale

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D. today congratulated Abbeyshrule, Co. Longford who won a Gold Medal Award and Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, who won a Silver Medal Award at the European Entente Florale Competition. The Minister said that both the village of Abbeyshrule and the town of Clonmel should be immensely proud of their achievement.

Read more: Gold and Silver for Ireland - Entente Florale

New Lease of Life for Sam Smyth and Urban Plant Life as Retail Therapy Kicks In

Like so many businesses through this recession, Sam Smyth’s Plant Life rental business was faced in recent years with making some tough decisions about what direction it needed take to survive, and indeed to grow, in the future. Sam had run Plant Life very successfully for many years, renting and maintaining plants in corporate offices, on film and TV sets, as well as conferences, exhibitions, etc.

Read more: New Lease of Life for Sam Smyth and Urban Plant Life as Retail Therapy Kicks In

Communities Benefit from the Neighbourwood Scheme

Communities in seven counties will benefit from grants under the Neighbourwood Scheme. It is operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and is an exciting package that supports the develop-ment of ‘close-to-home’ woodland amenities for local people, designed and managed through partnerships involving local communities and local authori-ties.

Read more: Communities Benefit from the Neighbourwood Scheme

New Disease Could Spell the End for the Common Ash

Woodland Trust calls for an immediate compulsory ban on imported ash trees.  The UK’s leading woodland conservation charity is calling for an immediate mandatory ban across the UK on importing ash trees in a last-chance bid to help prevent the destructive disease dieback of ash becoming established in the UK.

Read more: New Disease Could Spell the End for the Common Ash

Archaeology Month at Dublinia - October 2012!

'Under the Microscope' - a closer look at some remarkable discoveries made by archaeological science.

A series of FREE lunchtime lectures running every Wednesday throughout October.

(Lectures are tailored towards an older audience).

Read more: Archaeology Month at Dublinia - October 2012!

The SodShow: Elderflowers, Pumpkins and Irish Gardening

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

On This Weeks Garden Radio:

The SodShow - Elderflowers, Pumpkins and Irish Gardening

Read more: The SodShow: Elderflowers, Pumpkins and Irish Gardening

Coveney Announces €20M Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS)

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, TD., announced yesterday that he is re-opening the Agri-Environmental Options Scheme, AEOS, to new entrants. Minister Coveney said that “Despite the challenging budgetary constraints within the Department, I am delighted to be in a position to announce that I am providing €20m for the AEOS scheme which will open shortly for applications”.

Read more: Coveney Announces €20M Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS)

Shane McEntee TD Launches ‘Irish Forestry’ Online Resource

Shane McEntee, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for forestry, launched the Society of Irish For-esters online resource ‘Irish Forestry’. The Society of Irish Foresters, founded in 1942, is the representative body for the forestry profession in Ireland and focuses on the dissemination of scientific forestry knowledge and best forestry practice through its journal ‘Irish Forestry’ and its newsletter ‘The Irish Forester’.

Read more: Shane McEntee TD Launches ‘Irish Forestry’ Online Resource

Better-Than-Expected Outcome as Atlantic Homecare is Saved

The future of Irish retail chain Atlantic Homecare has been secured with the approval by the High Court in Ireland of a survival plan. There will be fewer store closures and staff redundancies The loss-making business, which is part of Grafton Group, entered examinership in June, and in August was granted more time by the court to try to find a solution to its problems.

Read more: Better-Than-Expected Outcome as Atlantic Homecare is Saved

The Global Horticulture Initiative - GlobalHort "Spice of Life" Promotional Video

The Global Horticulture Initiative is a worldwide program intended to foster more efficient and effective partnerships and collective action among the stakeholders. To be efficient, it is organized in a consortium, a group of a limited number of national and international institutions formally organized to collaborate in research, training, and technology-generating activities designed to meet mutually-agreed-upon objectives.

Read more: The Global Horticulture Initiative - GlobalHort "Spice of Life" Promotional Video

International Garden Centre Conference Report by Mike Neary (Bord Bia)

The 2012 International Garden Centre Association Congress took place at the end of August in the Cologne & Bonn regions of Germany. The 54th holding of the congress attracted delegates from garden centres from all around the world including Australia, Japan, USA, Canada, South Africa, Russia and many European countries.

Read more: International Garden Centre Conference Report by Mike Neary (Bord Bia)

GCAI & GIO Welcome WindyRidge as New Member

The GCAI are pleased to welcome Windy Ridge Garden Centre, Dun Laoghaire, to the Gardening Inside Out buying group. Brothers Paul & Justin Harvey will join the group effectively immediately. We look forward to welcoming them to the fold & to working with them to profitably grow their business for years to come.

Read more: GCAI & GIO Welcome WindyRidge as New Member

GIY Gathering “Wondrous Mixture of Political and Practical Gardening"

So, the GIY Gathering is all over for another year, and I’ve had a little time to reflect on the event this week. The first thing to say is how awesome it was to have nearly 450 GIYers at the event – though the tickets were incredible value (if you don’t mind me saying so) at just €20, it costs money to get to and stay at an event like this. So the fact that we had such an incredible turnout in the height of the worst recession we’ve ever had, points I think to the strenght of the programme and the continued incredible interest in home-grown food.

Read more: GIY Gathering “Wondrous Mixture of Political and Practical Gardening"

Sad News as Hosford’s Garden Centre Operating 32 Years Enters Liquidation

ONE of West Cork’s best-known businesses, Hosford’s Garden Centre located on the main N71 between Bandon and Clonakilty has closed down. The company, Hosford’s Geranium & Garden Centre Ltd has been placed into liquidation. A creditor’s meeting has been scheduled for the Castle Hotel, Macroom on Friday, September 28th next at 10am.

Read more: Sad News as Hosford’s Garden Centre Operating 32 Years Enters Liquidation