Exciting times for ALCI

The 2017 Bog Oak trophy winner for overall best all-Ireland entry, Saxa Landscapes for Arthur Cox Office, Dublin. Photo: ALCI.

Ross Carew, Executive Secretary with ALCI, discusses a potential landscape operative apprenticeship programme for 2019, ALCI success at Bloom, and the upcoming ALCI Landscape Awards.

Landscape

18 July 2018

What’s happening in the ALCI

The ALCI is busy on various fronts as its members nationwide report strong customer demand currently from both the private and commercial sectors. The biggest issue members report is the difficulty in recruiting and retaining suitable staff as the economy approaches full employment. The ALCI is currently working with Teagasc and other stakeholder groups to develop a landscape operative apprenticeship programme from 2019, which it is hoped, will develop into a productive source of workers for the industry.

ALCI Members’ Success at Bloom

ALCI members Kevin Dennis (Cityscape Gardener) and Alan Rudden (Outdoor Options) won gold medals in the large garden category at Bloom 2018. Kevin’s “Fruit Juice Matters Garden” was also winner of the coveted Designers’ Choice Award, where the garden designers vote for their favourite show garden. Alan also won the Best in Category planting award. He has just finished up displaying his “Life is Rosé by Santa Rita ́Living la Vida 120 ́”garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

Alan Rudden’s Bloom 2018 Gold Medal winning garden. Photo: ALCI.

Mark Mohan of Co Monaghan company, Silverstream Landscapes, constructed his year’s best large show garden – the “Sustainable Seafood Garden” sponsored by Bord Iascaigh Mhara – and the best medium garden winner – the Enable Ireland Beyond Boundaries Garden.

Entries open for 2018 ALCI Landscape Awards

Entries are open for the 2018 ALCI Landscape Awards. There are 13 categories covering private gardens, landscape maintenance, residential and commercial developments, and sportsgrounds. Judging will take place in August and the judges this year are Gary Graham, Bord Bia and Kerrie Gardiner, landscape architect and Bloom show garden manager. The winners of the 2018 ALCI Awards will be announced at the Awards Gala event in Titanic Belfast in November.