Vol. 7, Issue 2 | June 2015

Update from Ireland

By Fergal Doyle

Against Irish retail figures for Q1 2015, the garden centre sector is seeing growth of +22% (Overall Retail +4.37%) revelling in a period of sustained mild weather. The mood in the greater retail space is that we have arrived at a point in the economic cycle where like for like gains are becoming the norm, but caution is required on the part of Government as the potential for return to negative growth cannot be ignored. The Retail Excellence Garden Group will continue to play its part in supporting the specific needs of our industry. We are working with government and related departments to influence change in Horticulture ref ‘Being Retail Ready’ this will likely introduce a retail module that we will have input in creating.

Gro Mor. get out, get healthy, get growing was launched by members of the garden centre industry at Bloom in Park which despite the weather attracted over 100 thousand visitors over the weekend. The Gro Mor campaign continues to help beginners to find fun and easy ways to get involved in growing!

Fergal Doyle
Arboretum; Chairperson, REI Garden Group

Eamonn Wall from Arboretum demonstrating at the Bloom festival in Dublin

GroMór has officially launched! Minister Tom Hayes, along with REI Chairman of the Gardening Group, Fergal Doyle and Bord Bia’s Mike Neary recently officially started our growing movement to get Ireland back in their garden and to get out, get healthy and get growing!