Small Talk with horticulturalist at Tirlán CountryLife’s Athboy garden centre – Alma Hayden

Horticulturalist at Tirlán CountryLife’s Athboy garden centre – Alma Hayden

"Horticulture has a strong chance to grow and play a vital role during the biodiversity crisis" - Alma Hayden talks about the greatest opportunities facing the industry today

Horticulture

23 September 2026

In association with Gardenworld Nurseries

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

This week’s conversation is with the horticulturalist at Tirlán CountryLife’s Athboy garden centre – Alma Hayden.

How did you first get involved in the horticulture sector?

Both my parents spent lots of hours in the garden with my mother tending to one half with trees, shrubs and perennials and my dad’s department was fruit and vegetables. So, I was used to being hands on, I picked up the practical knowledge quite easily. Some of my best childhood memories was spent together as a family planting dahlias or picking the spuds. Of course, days out were usually to visit a garden along with my aunty, another plant enthusiast.

I was always amazed at how ordinary people could create such fabulous gardens without any formal training. I went to TU Dublin in 2016 to study horticulture part-time to see if I liked it and the rest is history.

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

I was a bit of a late starter as I was in my forties when I started college, so with work and family commitments it was extremely challenging. Studying part-time meant it took longer and taking the year out with Covid I did not receive my level 8 until 2023. I made it to the end with energy to spare, but a total success for me to graduate.

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

As a new entrant, I found women remain underrepresented in areas like grounds maintenance, parks and gardens, and in landscaping, which I was hoping to work in. My experience was that employers view heavy work as male-only domains. For me, it really meant that there was a limited pathway, and I didn’t have access to the opportunities I had hoped would be available to me.

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

Sharing the stage with established garden designers Leonie Cornelius and Diarmuid Gavin this April at our branch in Athboy was a professional privilege. It was an exciting time for the branch, and it gave everyone a real boost. It drew a massive crowd and although it was a bitter cold morning it was a great success, and everyone enjoyed it. It was lovely to meet them face-to-face and listen to the behind-the-scenes stories.

What are the greatest challenges facing the industry today?

Finding a reliable alternative to peat is a challenge for growers. Finding a single material is looking very difficult. We see plants dry out too fast at times in the garden centre and other times too wet, so the watering routines have changed. We need to be more observant with everyday plants now and every supplier uses a different mix.

Many gardeners stick to what they know and are hesitant to switch to peat free mixes. While customers do care for the environment and understand the need to protect our bogs, the pressure is on to find a quality peat free compost that buyers can trust.

What are the greatest opportunities facing the industry today?

Horticulture has a strong chance to grow and play a vital role during the biodiversity crisis. Work in the garden centre offers us the chance to grow interest in sustainable living and biodiversity. It is a great chance to educate the public on topics, such as: organic pest control, peat free compost, and advising on pollinator-friendly and native plants etc.

We have seen most garden centres evolve into a broader lifestyle destination offering educational workshops, restaurants and landscape design consulting. The sector has had to tune into to market drivers, like native trees to help the nation meet national climate goals.

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

My advice would be to try as many areas as possible. Volunteering if you can afford to is a brillant way to test the waters. I spent time on days off first in Tullynally Castle and Gardens, which was amazing as I got a chance to tend to the perennial borders, pond maintenance, grass management, pathway maintenance, hedge cutting, plant propagation, and chatting to visitors.

Next, I volunteered for a year in a garden centre which was a completely different experience, mainly because it is customer focused so I got used to answering questions and got a feel for what people were interested in. My first job was in the Center Parcs in Longford tending to the tropical plants in the swimming pool that was a unique experience, which I loved. In the afternoons we managed the grounds, so I got experience in a lot of areas.

Maximising your knowledge really depends on your own resourcefulness and willingness to try and ask questions. It is up to you – ask the questions, show initiative, take note, read up about things and put in the hours so you can build knowledge.

What are your hopes for the future of Irish horticulture?

My main interest is in plants, and I am hoping we will see more gardeners share the spaces they have created with the public. It was a visit to Helen Dillion years ago that sparked my creativity and inspired me to bring some of her ideas back to my own garden. She made art with flowers and had a great love for every leaf and flower which left a lasting impression on me.

It would be very good for the horticulture sector to have more private gardens shared with the general public. People see new plant varieties and design ideas up close which will inspire new growers.

Supporting small independent specialist nurseries is essential as we move forward as they offer gardeners distinct varieties that commercial nurseries do not stock, but many are facing labour shortages, and it would be a huge loss to lose their deep knowledge.

Small Talk is produced in association with Gardenworld Nurseries, one of the country’s leading wholesale plant nurseries, specialising in high-quality specimen trees, hedging, shrubs, and perennials.

Read more: Small Talk