302: Tara Moloney, White Dove Nurseries. The Sodshow, Live at Bloom Fringe

Peter Donegan chat with Tara Moloney of White Dove Nurseries, Limerick. @sodshow - twitter. facebook - The Sodshow Live from Powerscourt Townhouse Centre as part of Bloom Fringe, Tara does what was unknown to Peter pre that, her first interview ever. In this case it was live, in front of an audience. In late 2012, Tara moved to Co. Limerick from Surrey in the UK. Having both worked in the South East in professional horticulture, for more than 15 years, we had an idea that we might pool all of our green experience into one resource, and set about buying an old worm farm and turning it into a plant nursery in Templeglantine. Of note: Tara has a weekly stall at Limerick's famous Milk Market, where they sell locally grown plants, plant curiosities and our range of heirloom seeds for flowers and vegetables. Alongside Tara is Mark Lewis; an experienced Retail Horticulture Manager and Print Photographer with extensive plant knowledge and has worked for one of the UK's best known garden chains, Squires, for over 10 years. Mark now runs the Nursery at the farm. Tara Maloney has worked in various niche roles in Retail Horticulture and Garden Management for over 10 years. Starting out at Squires in Twickenham as a part time assistant and then leading a region for Notcutts Tara managed some of the South East's best Planterias and worked as a Regional Horticulture Manager for Wyevale. In 2009, she designed and built a garden for the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, winning a Silver-Gilt Medal for 'The Dinosaur Den'. Tara studied Garden Design and RHS qualifications, and worked for various private homes and A List clients in the central London area as a gardener, florist, and sometimes, as the clients demanded, a housekeeper! Tara also worked for the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, alongside Quincy Leon Head of Licensing and Product Development and as the plant buyer, sourcing plants for the gardens and shop, as well as providing an opportunity for engagement between the public and the gardeners at Kew. Prior to moving to Ireland, Tara took on a year's consultancy with the staff of the aspirational Petersham Nurseries, in Richmond, Surrey. Working closely with Lara Boglione, Managing Director and Lucy Boyd, Culinary Director, Tara managed the team through a period of change at the Nursery - overhauling and re-organising the plant shop's business systems, horticulture practices and renovating and co-ordinating the re-design and opening of the last derelict Victorian Glasshouse into a fully flexible on site public arena for events, meetings as well as an aspirational indoor retail space. This year they are working to set up an outdoor Cut Your Own Flower beds, and hope to be in some sort of running order by the end of July 2017. In the meantime, we have our permanent market stall at the Milk Market and are looking forward to another great year with our seed collection. In the heart of the Cafe and Fashion Quarter, we offer a selection of houseplants, outdoor plants as well as in season cut flowers and planted gifts. Links: Twitter: @WhiteDoveLMK Facebook: WhiteDoveNurseries