The Kildare Growers are in safe hands

The Kildare Growers trade show in Goffs 1990

The Kildare Growers – the group you all know well – is slowly being handed over to the next generation

Horticulture

3 July 2026

The Kildare Growers – the group you all know well – is slowly but surely being handed over to the next generation. From the old grey heads, you’ve learned to love (or put up with), to the vaguely familiar faces you may have seen as kids or teenagers on their annual outing to the Kildare Growers trade show: first in Goffs, then Punchestown, and now as GLAS in the National Basketball Arena.

The new crop of the Kildare Growers are more like seed-grown plants than the identical clones we get when we propagate our heathers. We are similar, but we have our own quirks, and we are keen to put our own stamp on our nurseries.

So, who are we, and what are we bringing? Let me introduce the new crop…

Doran Nurseries — Patrick Doran
It wasn’t until recently that I really committed to taking over at Doran Nurseries (to be honest, I’m not sure the day will ever come, seeing as Dad is unlikely to ever leave the place). Growing up, working in the nursery felt more like an obligation than anything else – if I’d been any good, I would likely have spent more time at the golf course. But it’s amazing, when you grow up in a nursery or on a farm, you really do develop an instinct for it.

I joined the nursery full time after finishing my engineering degree. Besides a few bumps in the road, it’s very special to be able to work alongside mum and dad (Mary and Larry). Over the last few years, we have been working hard to improve our quality, reduce our weed count, and bring the nursery to the next level. As we all know, there is nothing simple about this industry – it’s as much an art as it is a science. But in saying that, I’m very keen to bring Doran Nurseries into the next era of growing, and to turn it into one of the smartest nurseries in the world, never mind Ireland.

L&K Dunne Nurseries — Aaron Dunne
Aaron stepped into his full-time nursery role back in 2021 after finishing his horticulture degree at UCD. Aaron has rigged up sensors in his glasshouse to monitor the crop and installed drip irrigation to product the most wonderful hanging baskets and window boxes, over the last few years.

Aaron has always had the green fingers, and he has a fantastic understanding of plant production. Attention to detail is the difference between a 10% yield and a 98% yield and I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty – there is nothing easy about being a young plant producer, and L&K Dunne Nurseries are one of the best in the business. Those of you who are customers of L&K will surely have noticed the big strides taken by Aaron, Kieran, and Laurence in recent years. They are producing more plants, at a higher quality, than ever before.

Rentes Plants — Chris, Roy and Bryan Rentes
Weit “retired” at the ripe age of 69 and “handed” the reins over to the three lads – Chris, Roy, and Bryan. Unsurprisingly, Weit can still be found walking around the nursery pretty much any day of the week. Chris, Roy, and Bryan have been working full time in Rentes for as long as I can remember, and the brothers are doing an incredible job. Just look at the quality of their plants – fantastic. Roses, hydrangeas, trees, and much more, all exceptional quality. Weit built a fantastic reputation for quality, and the three brothers are polishing that reputation. As Weit said, “plants sell themselves” and the brothers truly carry that mantra on, producing some of the best quality plants in the country.

Schram Plants — Tim and Paddy Schram
After taking over from Flip and Mariann in 2018, Tim and Paddy have made serious steps to make the nursery the perennial powerhouse it is today. There is nothing easy about producing and shipping over 500 varieties of perennials across multiple sizes. The depth of the range is truly impressive and matching that range with quality is exactly what gives Schram’s the winning recipe.

Their wide range is made possible by their in-house propagation, which gives them control and the ability to produce varieties that aren’t available elsewhere or are exceptionally difficult to come across, never mind the actual work of propagating them. The bloodline runs deep, with Tim’s three Schram youngsters soon to be forced into that rite of passage that is the nursery summer job.

Woodstock Trees and Shrubs — Matthew Lohan
Starting from the very solid foundations set by Matt, Matthew took over the nursery only a few years ago (2022), and it has gone from strength to strength – Woodstock is now one of the most trusted tree suppliers in the country. Following tradition, Matthew is a real tree expert, growing a fabulous range of specimen trees, complemented by a fantastic range of perennials and shrubs that gives landscapers a one-stop-shop experience (they’ll even help you with a little planting scheme if you ask nicely enough).

Irish Born and Bred at Bloom
That shared success was on full display at Bord Bia Bloom 2026, where the Kildare Growers celebrated Irish Born and Bred plants in front of 100,000 visitors – many of them grown and raised in Kildare tunnels by the Kildare Grower families.

The young lads are a few steps behind when it comes to new varieties, but we have plenty of time to catch up yet. Bloom proved two things – Irish gardeners want Irish plants, and the Kildare Growers are ready to supply them.

The next era: working together
The founding generation built the businesses, built the friendships, and – without ever calling it that – built their own succession plan. They can be proud of what they are handing over, and confident in the hands now holding it.

On behalf of The Kildare Growers – Doran Nurseries, L&K Dunne Nurseries, Rentes Plants, Schram Plants, and Woodstock Trees and Shrubs – we thank you for being part of GLAS 2026. Here’s to the next 40 years of growing together.