Raking in the awards

Cork company Russell Landscaping has won big at a prestigious industry awards.

The business, which is based in the city, was recently announced as the winner of the Design & Build award at the Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland (ALCI) awards in the Titanic Centre, Belfast.

The all-island awards, running for over 30 years are often referred to as the 'Oscars of the landscaping industry'.

The landscape design and construction company received the award for their work on a private garden in Kinsale. It was also a joint winner of the Private Gardens €50,000-€100,000 category for the same garden.

Commenting on this year’s entries, judge Gary Graham, Bord Bia’s Bloom Manager said: “The ALCI awards are always a great benchmark for assessing trends in the industry. One of the continuing developments has been the extension of the garden season to one which is year round. We are seeing significant investment in outdoor dining facilities which in many cases comprise fully functional kitchens, properly designed with significant lighting and heating.

“The impact of extreme weather as a result of climate change is taking its toll on our gardens and this is where professional horticulturalists, such as ALCI members, really come into their own in using their skills to adapt the landscape to meet changing environments.”