GLAS officially set for July 18

Members of the trade both exhibiting and attending at GLAS 2018. Photo: Joe Keogh.

With something for every division of the horticulture trade and with two brand new features for 2019, GLAS will be unmissable.

Horticulture

8 March 2019

The organisers of GLAS – the premiere Irish Garden Landscape and Amenity Sportsturf trade show – have officially set the date for the trade show as Thursday, July 18; taking place at Citywest events centre and hotel in Saggart, Co Dublin.

The one-day trade show offers attendees world-class presentations from leaders across all sectors of the horticulture sector in two Learning Theatres, sponsored by Bord Bia and Teagasc; the very latest products and plant varieties showcased in a New Product, New Plant demonstration, with one product and one plant being awarded the coveted Best in Show New Plant and Best in Show New Product award on the day; an innovative retail merchandising display and information section; an expansive sportsturf village and machinery park area, showcasing an impressive array of the latest machinery available to the market in 2019; Bord Bia’s Thinking House, providing the horticulture industry with invaluable and unrestricted access to the latest global trends, research, consumer insights, and industry innovations; and of course, over 150 exhibits from some of the leading nurseries, product, and service suppliers on the market.

Photo: Joe Keogh.

To further expand on the offering, GLAS will have two brand new features for 2019: the Careers Hub, and The Landscape Show.

Careers Hub

Brand new to GLAS 2019, the Careers Hub is where attendees and exhibitors will meet their customers and even their potential employees of tomorrow. The Careers Hub provides for an informal networking opportunity for visitors and exhibitors to meet with final year students, graduates, and alumni. The focus will also be on the value of up-skilling those currently working in the industry.

The Landscape Show

Also new for GLAS in 2019 is The Landscape Show: a show-within-a-show that brings together all of the expertise from the landscaping sector – supported by the Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland (ALCI), the Irish Landscape Institute (ILI), and the Garden and Landscape Designers Association (GLDA) who will also be on hand to meet new and existing members. The Landscape Show at GLAS will feature exhibits from the leading suppliers, as well as informative talks in the Learning Theatres.

New Plant New Product Showcase

As mentioned above, the New Plant New Product Showcase will display the latest products and plant varieties. In 2018, Hydrangea Runaway Bride (Garland Hydrangea) from Rentes Plants won Best New Plant, and the NemaTrident range of Bioinsecticides from Bionema and Prograss won Best New Product.

Commenting on winning the Best New Product award at GLAS 2018, Dr Minshad Ansari, CEO and CTO of Bionema said: “We are very proud to have been selected for this prestigious New Product Award. Our focus within the programme is to develop non-toxic bio-based technology for control of major horticultural insect pasts which cause significant damage worldwide. Certainly, the award has provided recognition within industry and has helped raise our brand awareness.”

Commenting on winning the Best New Plant award at GLAS 2018, Roy Rentes, director of marketing at Rentes Plants said: “It means a lot to win this award. Quite often when we introduce a new product which becomes popular, the rest of the market follows suit, so we are always on the lookout for the next big thing to keep ahead of the crowd. Customer reaction has been brilliant with almost universal praise for this stunning new variety.

“While we don’t have Runaway Bride available for sale right now, we will have 3000 units available from mid-May, with expressions of interest already received for well over this number. The plant rights holder is anxious for good growers to spread the variety around Europe, and we aim to increase our volume with him by doing this new variety justice for 2019, and gain access to other special lines for 2020 and beyond.”

An endorsement from Gerry Daly

Gerry Daly, editor The Irish Garden and member of the GLAS New Product New Plant Awards Judging Panel, commenting on the show last year said: “Walking through GLAS last July, the sheer size, number, and quality of exhibits created the strong impression of a sophisticated, developed industry.

“This industry is the green industry, the one that creates and cares for our vital green leisure and amenity spaces. These spaces are a vital part of modern living, and the exhibitors and attendees at GLAS play a key role in supporting this important sector by their expertise, training, and determined dedication. And these facets of the industry are well represented too at the show.

“The diversity of plants, products, and services is remarkable, as the green industry seeks out ever-better products with less environmental impact and perhaps, even enhancement. This was highlighted when judging the much sought-after GLAS New Plant New Product Awards.

Photo: Joe Keogh.

“But GLAS is more than the excellent products, ever so well displayed, GLAS is about people, and the people were impressive. Here were people bursting with pride in their own achievement and in that of their industry colleagues, be they rivals or not.

“For its great show, influential attendance, and unique trade platform for the green amenity sector, yes, GLAS is impressive!”

Visit glasireland.ie and mark July 18 in your calendar. Registration for visitors will open soon, is free to enter, and is available only to the trade. Horticulture professionals looking to exhibit at the show should contact the team via email: eamonnmaguire@mediateam.ie or via tel: 01-2947765.

With the level of quality offering available at GLAS 2019, you must ask yourself, can you afford to miss it?