GLAS 2025 has arrived!
Proudly supported by Bord Bia, GLAS trade show returns today at the National Basketball Arena in Dublin. GLAS is the place to be for Ireland’s horticulture and sportsturf professionals, don’t miss out!
Print17 July 2025
Proudly supported by Bord Bia, the Garden Landscape and Amenity Sportsturf (GLAS) trade show makes its much-anticipated return today at the National Basketball Arena, Dublin.
Running from 9am to 5pm, this one-day event offers a valuable networking platform for professionals across Ireland’s horticulture, sportsturf, and allied sectors.
This year’s GLAS show promises even more to discover, with over 80 top industry suppliers showcasing their latest innovations, products, and services—both inside the arena and in our newly expanded outdoor exhibition space.
Bord Bia
As the headline sponsor of GLAS, Bord Bia will be on hand to showcase the latest insight reports for the amenity sector. Bord Bia’s Thinking House offers unrivalled support and industry insight to members of the trade.
Today, Bord Bia staff members will be on hand to demonstrate the facilities available to the industry – to obtain the latest research, global trends, consumer insights and industry innovations – on touch screens formatted especially for the occasion.
“It is wonderful to see the GLAS Tradeshow growing each year in this venue, the National Basketball Arena, with an increase in indoor and outdoor exhibitors again this year,” said Emer Gallaghar Hall, senior manager, Horticulture Division, Bord Bia
“This showcase for the amenity horticulture sector, which Bord Bia is delighted to support, has become a key annual business and networking event for the sector and a critical platform for growers, service providers and supporting Agencies to exhibit and engage with visitors, and particularly for nurseries with plant buyers to secure and build future sales.
“While the unprecedented spike in consumer activity and spending in the Gardening Market sector during Covid 19 has levelled off, the market has experienced steady growth suggesting that our heightened focus on our outdoor spaces during the pandemic has left a legacy on our attitudes towards our gardens and outdoor spaces. This year we welcomed over 100,000 visitors to Bord Bia in the Phoenix Park. The engagement with the event from the public was extremely positive and the demographic is visibly growing with more young families attending. The sale of plants at the show was very strong, clear evidence that the interest in gardening and plants is being maintained.”
Learning Theatre – Free Talks
10am – 10.30am Managing future pest and disease threats to the Nursery sector
Presented by Michael Gaffney, Teagasc
_____________________________
11am – 11.30am The Growing Awareness of the Value of Good Garden and Landscape Design
Join members of the GLDA and Cairn Homes, for a lively and insightful discussion on the growing awareness of good garden design and public realm landscaping and the value it brings to individuals and communities.
Presented by Ingrid Smyth, MGLDA, Ingrid Smyth Garden Design.
Deirdre Prince, MGLDA & ILI, Dublin City Council.
Frazer McDonogh MGLDA, Rock & Waterscapes/ Frazer McDonogh Designs
Oisin Griffin, Head of Landscape & Urban Design, CAIRN Homes.
_____________________________
12pm – 12.30pm An overview and update on the 2025 Horticulture Apprenticeships in Teagasc
Every horticulture business needs to look at the apprenticeship programme and evaluate if it will be able to offer a skills solution in the medium to long term.
This year we will see the completion of the programme for the first cohort of Horticulture apprentices that started the new Horticulture apprenticeship in 2023. That group, which were all Landscapers are all working in the industry and have completed their College based part of the programme. These young people are now ideally placed to grow their careers in the Hort sector and add innovation and energy to the sector.
The Teagasc College of Horticulture in conjunction with the industry is now entering the third year of intake of Horticulture apprentices at the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin. Currently there are up to 100 horticulture businesses across the country registered in full or in part, to take on apprentices in Horticulture.
If you want to find out more information and chat directly to staff involved in the programme then please visit us at the Teagasc stand at GLAS 2025.
Presented by John Mulhern, Teagasc
_____________________________
1pm – 1.30pm How Biochar is changing the game in the horticulture and sports amenity world!
Recent and ongoing trials using Biochar in the Irish and USA horticulture and sports amenity sectors are delivering promising and interesting results. With the largest operating biochar facility in Europe based in Arigna, Co. Roscommon, its CEO Cathal Fitzgerald is well placed to highlight the trials, the results, and the opportunities it presents. Come and learn more about this game changing product and how it can benefit horticulture.
Presented by Cathal Fitzgerald, CEO ARIGNA Group
_____________________________
2pm – 2.45pm Panel Discussion – Beyond Peat – Another year on
Last year we discussed the growing media industry’s position, in light of peat alternatives, in response to the peat crisis issue in Ireland with large scale extraction of peat ceasing in 2020. This year we invite a new dynamic by including a grower, DAFM, and a retail growing media producer onto the panel. We will also retain last year’s professional growing media and Teagasc representatives. A year further on we examine what is the current situation from different viewpoints. As last year we encourage audience participation.
Moderator:
Anna Kavanagh, Horticultural Expert and former Head of Technical, Quality and Research Development with Bord Na Mona.
Speakers:
Grower – Billy Kelly, Kelly’s Nursery
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine – Deirdre Fay
Retail Growing Media Producer – James Spillane, Westland Horticulture
Teagasc – Dr Eoghan Corbett
Professional Growing Media Producer – Brendan Howell, ICL
_____________________________
3pm – 3.30pm Total Solutions for Peat Reduced Growing
Presented by: Andrew Wilson, Technical Manager, ICL
Discover the cutting-edge innovations behind ICL’s sustainable growing solutions. Join Technical Manager, Andrew Wilson, as he unveils the latest advancements in Levington Advance growing media – including results from this year’s extensive trials – and explores how ICL’s integrated ‘Total Solutions’ package combines nutrition, water management, and sustainability.
GLAS 2025 Awards
Our awards are always worth looking out for too. Today our esteemed judges will be crowing the winners of the Supplier of the Year award, the New Product New Plant showcase and Best in Show Awards. Stick around to see who takes home gold!
GLAS is for practitioners in the horticulture, garden retail, sportsturf, grounds maintenance and related industries. Admission is free by registration at the door. The show kicks off at 9am, with free parking at the National Basketball Arena.
Follow us on social media to keep up to date with all of the action from GLAS 2025: @glasireland and @growtradeirl
Fans 0
Followers