RTÉ's Home Grown series returns with Waterford host

Home Grown returns to RTÉ One this Spring with a second run of the popular seven- part series celebrating Irish horticulture.

Industry advocates and presenters Kitty Scully and Colm O'Driscoll once again travel around Ireland in search of stories celebrating Irish Horticulture and exploring our increasing interest in growing our own vegetables and plants. 

Home Grown series 2 sees Kitty and Colm meeting people involved in greening public spaces, growing exotic mushrooms, community gardening initiatives, outdoor salad leaf production, restoring historic gardens and learning how bees play a vital and integral role in large scale fruit production. 

Colm, Head Gardener in Lismore Castle Gardens in Waterford says:  “Once again it was a privilege to meet some of the industry leaders and get an insight into the hard work, determination, and innovation that it takes to succeed in this sector.  

“It was encouraging to see the huge role environmental sustainability plays across all sectors of horticulture and its importance to all of the enterprises we met. 

The adoption of new technology was also apparent across the sector as companies strive for innovation and efficiencies that enable them to compete on a global scale. 

"Horticulture has struggled to attract young people into the industry but by embracing technology and improving the environmental credentials of the industry I believe it can become a more attractive proposition to future generations."

Kitty, Head Grower on a private estate says: "Last year was a really challenging growing season with unprecedented levels of rainfall in March, followed by drought before a wet and cold July/August.

“It was worrisome but yet inspiring to witness first hand the resilience and determination of growers as they navigate our ever changing climate, and reiterated the importance of buying Irish when it comes to plants, produce and inputs.

"The capacity of growers to rethink, reimagine, adapt and act in times of crisis never fails to amaze me.”

Programme four of Home Grown will see Kitty heading to Offaly to meet mushroom producers Joe and Dolores Gorman. Mushrooms are one of Ireland's big export successes, and now the Gormans are trying something new - the much more difficult to grow exotic mushrooms that are becoming more popular in our kitchens.

She then heads to Schram Plants in Kildare, as she follows the journey of a plant from seed to sale and discovers how much work goes into getting plants onto garden centre tables. 

Colm is set to visit Keoghs Potato Farm in North Dublin. Surely the potato crisp must be Ireland's contribution to the world's greatest snack foods? In a crowded market, Keoghs Crisps have made a name for themselves with their interesting flavours, leading to sales all over the world.

Colm is also in Connemara, taking a step back into a bygone era of beauty and elegance as he visits the Victorian walled garden at Kylemore Abbey in Galway. Some strict rules apply: only plants that were available in Victorian times can be planted here, presenting the gardeners working here today with an interesting challenge.

Home Grown returns Wednesday March 6, at 8.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.