Who's who in ALCI

 Aaron O'Reilly

Chairman

Aaron O'Reilly has over 20 years' experience in the landscape industry. He studied Landscape Construction with Business in Writtle College in the UK and spent a number of years working in Canada, Australia and the UK. Upon returning to Ireland he took up a role with SAP Landscapes and over ten years held many senior positions within the company. In 2014, he took a leap of faith and went into business with long time friends Wojtek and Dariusz at Saxa Landscapes as Managing Director. Over the years the company has gone from strength to strength and have built up a very strong reputation for delivering high quality finished landscape schemes and the ´´go to´ company for resin surfacing in Ireand.

I'm really looking forward to working with the Association and the membership in continuing to drive the ALCI forward."

Gary Graham

Interim Manager

Gary Graham is the brains behind the Bord Bia Bloom show where he led a dedicated team developing this hugely popular national event over 15 years. Recognising the importance of garden shows like Bloom and linked TV shows like Super Garden as powerful and inspirational communication platforms, he has diligently chaired the Super Garden judging panel since the show first aired on RTE1 fourteen years ago. He also judged the prestigious Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland Awards for a decade. His passion for ornamental and amenity horticulture and his understanding of its critical role in maintaining physical and mental wellbeing has put him at the forefront of raising public awareness around the joys and benefits of gardening and landscaping.

Over two decades Gary worked closely with Irish horticulture producers and growers developing co-operative programmes, building exports and world class businesses. Under the aegis of Bord Bia and Bord Glas he supported and championed Ireland’s food, drink and horticulture enterprises. He also spent a decade working with horticulture producers in the Irish Farmers Association, ably representing growers in Ireland and in Europe

He trained in horticulture in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin before completing an internship in Chicago Botanic Gardens. He also holds marketing qualifications, a post-grad diploma in executive coaching and a master’s degree in business.  During his career he has worked in garden construction, interior landscaping, garden centre retailing and in the management of a horticulture engineering enterprise. Currently he is a director of The Sanctuary in Dublin, The Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Garden and Waterford’s Treasures & Mount Congreve Gardens. He is a proud past director and past chairman of GIY Ireland.

In late 2021 he co-created Hortitude Ltd with his partner Eleanor Deegan so that they can assist clients to embrace and celebrate the critical role that horticulture plays in protecting our biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and supporting positive mental health. This work extends to government, local authorities, and individual businesses, charities, and social enterprises.