Teagasc students find success at Swiss landscaping competition

The National Botanic Gardens is home to the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, located at Glasnevin, Dublin 9.

Niall O’Brien and Eoighan Mountaine took home the People’s Choice award

Landscape

Read More: Competitions landscaping Students Teagasc

1 June 2023

Two Teagasc students have been awarded the People’s Choice award at a recent landscaping competition in Switzerland.

The winners – Niall O’Brien, Kildalton Horticultural College, and Eoighan Mountaine-Barry, College of Amenity Horticulture, Botanic Gardens – are Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Horticulture students.

The pair were selected to represent Teagasc in the landscaping competition at the Valais College in Switzerland from 5 to 8 May.

One month before the competition, the participants received the specification for the garden design. The students developed and submitted a garden design, which they then built over the two days of the competition.

Teams from Switzerland, France, Hungary, Luxembourg and Ireland competed side-by-side as Europeans showcasing their profession.

Ivan Donnelly, Kildalton Horticultural College, and Louise Jones, College of Amenity Horticulture, Botanic Gardens, together with their colleagues from their colleges supported and mentored the two Teagasc students.

“The competition itself was exceptionally well organised from the outset and the horticultural and building materials supplied to students were of suitable quality,” said team leader Donnelly who travelled to the competition with the students.

“The students worked outstandingly well together under the given time constraints and, considering the unfamiliar temperatures, demonstrated high standards of teamwork throughout the visit. The hospitality shown by the college throughout the visit was second to none and overall, the trip itself was extremely beneficial from an educational perspective, whilst also providing an excellent opportunity to network and create valuable contacts within the horticultural industry.”

Anne-Marie Butler, Teagasc head of education, added: “Congratulations to Eoighan, Niall and their teacher Ivan on their wonderful achievements in Switzerland. This was the first time Teagasc was represented at the competition, and we are delighted for the team. International travel and new learning experiences are invaluable for our Teagasc learners.”

Read More: Competitions landscaping Students Teagasc