Small Talk with Sarah Simpson of Teagasc

Sarah Simpson, a horticulture technician at Teagasc, College of Amenity Horticulture, National Botanic Gardens

Sarah Simpson, Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025 talks about the proudest moments in her career

Horticulture

15 January 2026

In association with ICL

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

This week’s conversation is with Sarah Simpson, a horticulture technician at Teagasc and Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025.

How did you first get involved in the horticulture sector?

I was sitting in the sun outside McMahon’s café shortly after moving to Dublin and saw a sign on the back of the college in the Botanic Gardens advertising ‘full and part time courses in horticulture’ and I said ‘what on earth is horticulture?’ I’ve never looked back since.

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

In May last year I won the CIH Young Horticulturist of the Year competition in Hillsborough Castle. It was an honour to represent Ireland in the competition and meant so much to also win on home soil!

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

I’m currently studying while also teaching horticulture full time in the Teagasc College of Horticulture in the National Botanic Gardens. It makes for a very busy schedule with lots of juggling, but I know it will be worth it in the end.

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

I am in my fourth year of teaching and each year seeing our students graduate, whether that’s from the SETU Horticulture degree course or from a part time module on the Level 5 Certificate course, it fills me with pride. I love teaching and imparting my passion for horticulture on our students.

What are the greatest challenges facing the industry today?

People’s desire for the natural world, which I believe includes our gardens and urban green spaces, to be neat and tidy. ‘Messiness’ leads to complexity which supports diversity.

What are the greatest opportunities facing the industry today?

I believe horticulture has a huge part to play in solving the biodiversity crisis. Through changes the public perception on what our landscape should look like, educating people on best practices and lobbying for better decision making around biodiversity, I believe we can make meaningful change.

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

Go down every one of the rabbit holes you find yourself in, your interests as well as what is the fashion in horticulture will change and shift throughout your career and the broader your knowledge is the better.

What are your hopes for the future of Irish horticulture?

I hope that the industry will make moves to become more focused on ecologically conscious and sustainable practices.

Small Talk is produced in association with ICL that is at the forefront of sustainable growing solutions, partnering with growers across Ireland to provide premium growing media, world-renowned fertilisers, and expert technical support.

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