Our team have a wealth of experience about gardening and country living. We hope you enjoy our blogs as much as we’ve enjoyed writing them!
Meet the team
Fergal
Horticulturist, Bunclody
Growing up, my love of gardening came from my grandfather who was a big home gardener and grew all his own veg for his family. I studied for a BSC in horticulture from WIT and Kildalton College and I worked in the vegetable garden of Ballymaloe cookery school. I have a particular interest in perennial plants and helping customers plan their gardens so there is interest and colour year round. I love planting seeds and taking cuttings of plants, giving them a little bit of care and attention and watching them grow into mature plants.
Jean
Horticulturist, Ashford
I grew up on a farm where we always had a veg garden, so you could say that horticulture and agriculture is in the blood! I studied Landscape Horticulture in UCD. I have worked in landscape architecture and the garden centre trade. I love growing my own fruit and veg and I am always trying new varieties and ways of growing.
Malachy Doherty
Horticulturist, Dungarvan
I have been gardening since I was five when my mother gave me a part of our garden to have as my own. I studied horticulture in the National Botantic Gardens in Glasnevin and I was a winner of the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition. My special interests are wildlife, plant propagation and cacti.
Teresa
Horticulturist, Castlecomer
I studied horticulture in Kildalton college and I love helping our customers transform their own gardens and giving them inspiration and advice to bring their ideas to reality. I am especially interested in biodiversity and helping customers bring nature and wildlife into their gardens, especially bees and other pollinators.
CountryLife
Garden Centre, Nationwide
We are Ireland’s second biggest garden centre chain and we use our buying power to bring you everyday low prices on a wide and varied range of plants and garden products. Our dedicated plant centres open year-round, with a range of quality plants, friendly staff and expert horticulturists in every store. We aim to inspire, educate and equip you to grow your own garden, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or tackling a garden project for the first time!
Maura Clarke
Horticulturist, Bunclody,
Having pottered in the garden for years, my passion for Horticulture came late in life. It was my quest for knowledge that led me to do a BSc in Horticulture and then the follow on course BSc (Hons) in Land Management in Horticulture, in WIT and Kildalton colleges. My main interests are Herbaceous Perennials, Ferns, Hellebores, Plants for Shade, Plant Propagation, Nature and Wildlife. I think of the Garden Centre as my ‘Class Room’, where I can impart my knowledge to customers by giving advice, ideas and food for thought, and talking about plants, it doesn’t get much better than that.