Small Talk with Kinta Oakes of the Garden Landscape Designers Association

Kinta Oakes talks about the greatest challenges facing the industry today and actions people should take to tackle them

Horticulture

6 November 2025

In association with ICL

At Growtrade, we’re running an interview series titled ‘Small Talk’, where we talk to various influential members of Ireland’s h orticulture trade.

This month’s conversation is with Kinta Oakes, chairperson at the Garden Landscape Designers Association (GLDA).

How did you first get involved in the horticulture?

At the age of 9, I was the gardener in our house, mowing lawns, weeding, picking, and eating apricots from our fruit trees. My first career was in television producing television commercials in Australia. I moved to Ireland after meeting my husband in Melbourne. We purchased our first home in Dublin 8, once the renovation was complete, we then turned our focus to our garden outside. We wanted to create a welcoming outdoor space to link with our indoor space. This was my first taste of designing and I loved it. This led me to the RHS Horticulture course, part time with Dublin School of Horticulture. I really enjoyed the course with like-minded people, and this spurred me on to learn more about horticulture, garden and landscape design.

What was one of the proudest moments in your career to date?

Graduating as a landscape architect in UCD. I was delighted and excited that my portfolio was accepted into the UCD Landscape Architecture degree course. It was daunting as I was quite a mature student with three children and a very supportive husband. I really engaged with all the learning in college and really enjoyed everything about the course. Getting my degree was certainly rewarding. Presenting my portfolio to the GLDA and being accepted for membership. This gave me the opportunity to connect and engage with like-minded people.

What was one of the greatest challenges you’ve faced in your career to date?

When I graduated from UCD, it was in the middle of one of the worst recessions, and little work was available. My husband is an architect and works for himself, this bought personal challenges also. Having had an architectural practice, to shed staff and move home to the gradual growth again since 2013 has been exciting as a developed a landscape and building design business together.

Could you give us an example of a recent success you had in your work?

I was appointed a chairperson of the GLDA last year having been on Council for 6 years. This is a voluntary position and can be quite demanding, again it brings me in contact with lots of aspects of my career and to connect with like-minded people. I am happy to be able to work in a profession every day that I am passionate about. Continually engaging and learning about what is going in the world of gardens, landscape and the environment.

What are the greatest challenges facing the industry today?

The obvious greatest challenge in horticulture today is climate change. Invasive species are also threat to our native species particularly as the climate warms up. Our waterways are also not up to standard, and this has been an issue for a long time. Another challenge is to make people aware of the damage the pesticides are doing to our bee population. There were a lot more insects around this summer, was this due to a warmer longer summer or was it an awareness around pesticide use. I was horrified to hear that someone had sprayed glyphosate in a rural area in Co. Clare on the entire front lawn. Glyphosate kills weeds, plants organisms that keep our soil healthy. There also seems to be a lot of waste in the horticultural industry, would it be possible for the industry to find a replacement for the plastic pot!

What are the greatest opportunities facing the industry today?

The approach to climate change events such as how people are solving intense rain events through nature-based solutions as SuDS. Our insect population is in decline and there is an opportunity to create habitats to bring back our native and pollinating plants for our insects. We can educate our clients about nature and the importance of our native plants and insects. To create a habitat for our insects we need to create a food supply, water, shelter and space. We also have the opportunity through Artificial Intelligence to let us know what is happening in our gardens. Is the soil lacking nutrients? Is the soil too dry? These theories have been recently tested in our garden shows. There is also an opportunity for our nurseries to grow plants that are adapted to the Irish climate and this could help make the industry more sustainable. I do a lot of planning applications, and it is interesting to see the county councils steering towards nature-based solutions with SuDS and insisting on native trees and pollinator plants being used in housing estates, private gardens and commercial projects.

What advice would you give to someone just starting their career?

I would advise people starting out in the field to do a basic degree in horticulture. This will give you an opportunity to learn about all the basics of the industry. Once you have the degree you build on this for further education to go to a deeper level of understanding in which direction you choose to go. Decide on an area of horticulture which really interests you and specialise in it. Visit your local garden nursery, visit nurseries around the country that are growing their own plants and talk to growers. Home Grown on RTE, is a fabulous programme that connects with so many areas of horticulture, their successes and stories. Attend college open days, talk to as many people as you can, there are so many options today.

What are your hopes for the future of Irish horticulture?

I am optimistic that the industry will grow and garden shows such as Bord Bia Bloom will give everyone fabulous access to horticulture, which engages with garden designers building show gardens and Irish food producers. The importance of pollinators and where our food really comes from.

Garden Landscape Designers Association, the home of Ireland’s garden designers, horticulturists and landscape architects.

Small Talk is produced in association with ICL, a world-renowned leader in agriculture, food, industrial products, and a top global producer of specialised fertilisers.

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