Chairman of the Irish Hardy Nursery Stock Association, Val Farrell, discusses the importance of the More Green Cities campaign from a grower’s perspective.

What is the importance of the More Green Cities Campaign from a grower’s perspective?
From an Irish grower’s perspective, we need to promote Irish plants grown in our local climate that are planted around our cities for the future of our children and grandchildren.

Is there an economic imperative favouring locally grown plants?
Yes, economically it benefits Irish nurseries as it’s a very labor intensive industry and plants grown here in Ireland substitute import plants which is better for our economy. It also provides local labour, mostly in the countryside, and helps the environment.

What has your experience been as a grower working on and supplying plants to large scale building projects?
In large contracts when the plans are laid down, there’s a massive landscape scheme. When it comes to the actual planting it’s often the case that the scheme is halved or less than half of what the original was so that’s disappointing from the supplier’s and the landscaper’s point of view but also for the industry and the environment because they’re not fulfilling their full potential of the design.

What would you like to see as a grower?
I would like to see more enforcement on the planning when the landscape plan goes in. When the site is finished it is inspected that it has carried out the plan and the plants are there. Preferably Irish growing plants that are planted in the proper positions and proper varieties that are suitable for our climate.

Are you hopeful for Ireland’s green towns and cities?
I’m an optimist all the time and I travel quite a bit of Europe to nurseries and nursery conferences and I see the incentive they have all over Europe and hope to bring the same incentive to Ireland so that we will go green. I think with the green initiative now people will be more in tune to what’s going on and more akin to green in their city.