Mark your diary for GLAS on July 16th

With something for every division of the horticulture trade, there is no trade show like GLAS in Ireland - be sure not to miss out!

Ireland’s leading trade show for the garden, landscape, amenity, and sportsturf sectors returns July 16, free for all trade visitors, pre-register now for fast-track entry

Horticulture

9 July 2026

Proudly supported by Bord Bia, the Garden Landscape and Amenity Sportsturf (GLAS) trade show makes its much-anticipated return next week at the National Basketball Arena in 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 100 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.

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 trade show growing each year in this venue, the National Basketball Arena, with an increase in indoor and outdoor exhibitors again this year,” Emer Gallaghar Hall, senior manager, Horticulture Division, Bord Bia, said.

She added: “GLAS provides a vital platform for growers, service providers, and supporting agencies to exhibit, connect, and engage with visitors. In particular, it offers nurseries an important opportunity to meet plant buyers, helping to secure and build future sales.”

“In 2026, we are also seeing a clear acceleration in key industry trends – particularly the increased demand for biodiversity-friendly planting, and a stronger focus on climate-resilient landscapes,” Hall said.

Learning Theatre – Free Talks

10:00 – 10:30 The future of horticulture – what does a future-ready horticulture sector look like?

A strong determination to shape the future of our sector – itself a showcase for the green industry. Embedding horticulture’s societal importance. New technologies, innovative products and modern sales concepts to position businesses sustainably and for the long term. Building resilient supply chains. How the likes of AI can help and impact your business, and the industry at large.

Moderator:
Dr Owen Doyle, Chartered Horticulturist. Co-founder and Managing Director Bio-Logic Ltd. Technical Consultants in the horticulture, agriculture, and environment sectors

Speakers:
Michael Gaffney, Teagasc
Pat Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Nurseries
Sinead Mulcahy, Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine

10:30 – 10:45 Q&A

The future of horticulture – what does a future-ready horticulture sector look like?

10:50 – 11:20 Regulatory compliance – Plant Health Rules – what you need to know

The horticulture industry faces strict regulations around operator’s registration/authorisation, associated requirements for record keeping, your regulated pest obligations and trade requirements. Adapting to these regulations requires investment in training and compliance monitoring.

Presented by:
Mary Canty, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

11:25 – 11:55 Innovations in design and landscaping

There is a growing emphasis on designing landscapes that can withstand both extreme weather and temperature fluctuations. For Irish horticulture, this means shifting toward more sustainable, climate-adapted plants and improving water efficiency in garden designs. Embracing these strategies not only addresses immediate weather-related challenges but also opens up new market opportunities in an evolving environmental landscape.

While technological advancements are driving change in the design and landscaping industries – battery-powered equipment, regenerative gardening & urban landscaping. These innovations not only improve efficiency and environmental sustainability but also align with government targets for carbon reduction.

Moderated by:
Kinta Oakes, GLDA

Speakers:
Deirdre Prince, Executive Landscape Architect and Parks Officer, Dublin City Council
Frazer McDonogh, Garden Designer, Rock and Waterscapes
James Comiskey, Landscape Architect and Garden Designer, About Your Garden and AYG Landscape Consultants

12:00 – 12:30 Training for the horticulture industry

A timely session as Growtrade.ie’s annual Industry Sentiment Survey reveals careers and career development as the industry’s leading concern.

Presented by:
John Mulhern, Teagasc

12:35 – 13:05 Fertilisers for the Future

Join Andrew Wilson as he explores next generation of fertiliser solutions. Discover the latest trial results, innovations in biodegradable fertiliser technology ahead of upcoming European regulations, and how ICL is developing products that deliver outstanding plant quality whilst supporting a more sustainable future for growers.

Presented by:
Andrew Wilson, Technical Manager for ICL UK and Ireland

14:00 – 14:30 Beyond Peat – The Crisis Continues

On the 4th June 2026, the European Commission decided to refer Ireland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive.

Under the Directive, Member States are required to carry out an assessment of the environmental impacts of projects likely to have a significant negative impact on the environment, including peat extraction projects. These assessments guarantee the preservation of peatlands, which play a vital role for both ecological balance and climate mitigation.

Back for a third year the panel discuss this and the predicament in relation to growing media for the Irish horticultural industry.
Audience participation in this discussion will be highly encouraged.

Moderator:
Anna Kavanagh, Horticultural Expert and former Head of Technical, Quality and Research Development with Bord Na Mona

Speakers:
Dr Eoghan Corbett, Teagasc.
John Neenan, GMI (Growing Media Ireland)
Dr Alex Sentinella, GME (Growing Media Europe)
James Spillane, Westland Horticulture
Rachel Wisdom, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

15:00 – 15:30 Biochar at Work: Transforming Turf, Trees, Sports Pitches and Soils

A review of the various biochar trials that Arigna has ongoing. The short presentation will cover the results to date, the lessons learned and Arigna’s view of the opportunities and challenges for biochar as an input in sports amenity, landscapes and horticulture sectors.

Presented by:
Cathal Fitzgerald, Chairman, Arigna Group

GLAS 2026 Awards

Our awards are always worth looking out for too. Next week 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.

Judging begins at 9am, with the winners of this year’s New Product New Plant Awards – including Best in Show Trade Supplier, Best in Show Horticulture and Supplier of the Year – all revealed at a special presentation at 12.30pm.

GLAS is a trade only event for practitioners in the horticulture, garden retail, sportsturf, grounds maintenance and related industries. The annual trade show takes place at the National Basketball Arena in Dublin on Thursday 16 July – open from 9am to 5pm.

Admission is free to attend with plenty of free parking.

Register here for your badge, click here to download your ticket, or you and your colleagues can register on arrival for this unmissable one day event.

For information on exhibiting contact us HERE.

Read more: GLAS 2025 in a nutshell