Greenscene based in Kilpedder, Co. Wicklow is celebrating 40th anniversary in April. Here is their story.
"Greenscene was established in 1980 following a chance meeting between our founder and current Managing director Richard Stapleton and Alan Cornford and David Price of A.C.Rentaplant. Richard had been employed as General Manager of Marlfield Nurseries and Garden Centre (The largest Garden Center in Ireland at the time) when he was made redundant due to the untimely death of his employer. Alan and David suggested that he enter into discussions with an interior landscape company in Dublin who they had heard were finding things difficult in a country in recession.
"And so Greenscene was born, with a one hundred pound overdraft facility and no other funds as Richard had recently purchase his first house!!
"Greenscene landed a contract almost immediately to undertake a planting scheme at Shannon Airport where the Mona Plant System was first introduced to Ireland. This was shortly followed by a large contract for The National Institute of Higher education (Now Limerick University). These contracts were used as a calling card to Landscape Architects and Interior designers.
"Over the years the business has operated as a nationwide provider, however with an emphasis on the Greater Dublin area where the opportunities arose to supply Large trees to the many Atria being built in the capital. Contracts with Tallaght Hospital, Liffey Valley Shopping Center, Blanchardstown Town Center, The Customs House Plaza and many offices being built in the New Financial Services Center came Greenscenes way.
"A steady growth pattern followed until the last recession arrived in 2008, and like all landscape companies, a serious loss of existing business followed, together with the shelving of many projects for the foreseeable future. A program of overhead reduction followed, resulting thankfully, in only a single redundancy, the first in twenty-eight years.
"Since 2016 Greenscene has again experienced sustained growth with the signing of contracts with new companies arriving in Ireland such as Amazon, Indeed, Iconic Offices, Kennedy Wilson and Twitter amongst others, which includes a steady growth in business with the hotel sector, most recently with the contract for the exterior and interior landscaping for Dublin's newest hotel, The Marlin.
"Greenscene are now delighted to be celebrating its 40th anniversary together with Richard achieving 50 years in the horticultural industry."
Source: Plants at Work