This document summarizes an interview with Michael Caffrey, owner of Universal Floral, an interior landscaping company in Ireland. Some key points: - Michael grew up in the family business and learned horticulture from an early age through apprenticeship rather than formal education. - He pursued marketing in college but returned to the family business during the recession to help. He now applies his marketing skills to promote the business. - The business provides monthly maintenance services for interior plants in offices. It differentiates itself through high-quality, personalized service as a small, family-run business. - Michael discusses trends like green walls and expanding the business into the UK. He sees the next

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34 www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2016
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B. Horticulture courses often offer a small insight into the
complex area of interior planting but rarely provide the in-
depth knowledge to work effectively. How did you go about
learning your trade?
M. I grew up in the trade so my exposure to horticulture
started from home when I was at a young age. I spent my
summers going into offices servicing plants and learning from
my colleagues the differences between the plants we worked
with on a daily basis. It was more of an apprenticeship than a
college education.
B. You decided to pursue marketing in college rather than
horticulture. Why was that?
M. I have always been interested in marketing and saw this as
a good career path. I think marketing is of huge importance
to any business and the job opportunities were positive at the
time I began my studies.
B. Having achieved your marketing qualifications, you spent a
number of years working in various corporate environments.
What provided the impetus to return to the family business?
M. I travelled for a year and returned just as the recession
began. I was drafted in for the hard times to help in returning
stock from clients. It was always a road I planned on taking,
but I felt I needed a good understanding of how other
business operated so I could bring back what I had learned
and utilise it in our family business.
B. How are you applying lessons gained from your
marketing experience to the business?
M. I know who my target audience is and how to actively
advertise our product and service to the right people. We
make use of Google analytics and every penny spent on
advertising is reviewed to make sure we are using our money
wisely. Marketing has also taught me how to create engaging
proposals using imagery to sell our service.
B. Can you describe your typical working day?
M. Working in a small business each day is different from the
day before. On days when I am required to service plants I try
to begin as early as possible. Other days involve sourcing new
business, managing our online presence and setting up plants
in new client’s premises. I find that planned days change
rapidly and sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day.
B. Many people working in horticulture say they are not
motivated by money. What motivates you?
M. I am motivated by providing the best service possible. I
have always tried to implement customer service as a key
to our business. And it always motivates me more when the
client’s employees remark favourably on an installation.
B. How do typical contracts work with clients?
M. A client enquires about our service. We visit their
premises and give advice on the right plants to suit the
environment. We take into account the current decor when
deciding on planters. After installation, our maintenance
division spends a lot of time calling in on clients, watering,
fertilising and dusting the plants down.
It’s a monthly subscription service that ensures the plants
are kept in pristine condition, provided by experienced
horticulture professionals.
B. How do you differentiate your business from the other
service providers in the sector?
M. We are a small family run business with long standing
loyal clients, some of whom have been with us for over 40
years. Everyone who works here at Universal Floral has been
with us for at least eight years. We have a very high level of
staff retention. Our service is very personal. We try to be
as creative as possible and tailor our work to the individual
needs of each client.
B Much of your work is with American multinationals. How
do such companies differ from Irish ones?
M. Multinationals try to echo the head office layout. A
lot of American companies incorporate plants into their
environment as they understand the benefits. Those
companies are usually bigger than Irish ones, so their
requirements are on a larger scale.
B. In recent years you have expanded into the UK market.
How did you go about this and how has the expansion
evolved?
M. We asked our Irish based clients if we could provide a
proposal for their sister offices in the UK, and received very
positive feedback. We now look after several clients in the
UK – mainly now through word of mouth referrals - we offer
the same personal consistent pristine planting service. A lot of
time is spent on maintenance calls, making sure the plants are
healthy at all times.
B. What do you count as the company’s most successful
achievement to date?
M. We have been in business for nearly 50 years and staff
turnover has been very low. Being able to retain clients for
nearly as long is a huge achievement. Expanding into the UK
has been a great achievement and we hope to move on from
London to other parts of the UK.
B. Conversely, what is the primary challenge faced by your
business and how do you address it?
M. if the economy is unsteady, plants are pushed down the
agenda. Increasing waste costs - our main waste is soil - which
we try to give to people in the area to use in their gardens. We
also give second hand plants to local people. Global warming
is also an issue as it is affecting plant growth in countries
where we source indoor plants from.
B. What are the most popular interior plant species used in
Ireland?
M. While tastes have changed over the years species choice is
still typically determined by success rate. I would say the most
popular include Howea, Dracaena, Epipremnum, Aglaonema,
Anthurium, Ficus, Monstera and Schefflera.
B. What are the drivers for interior plant choice in Ireland?
M. Success rate of course but there are other factors too.
PHOTO:BARRYLUPTON
T
here has been a wealth
of recent research
demonstrating the
benefits of plants in
the work environment.
Reduced stress levels, increased
oxygen, temperature regulation
and ambient noise reduction
are just a few of the generally
accepted benefits. Plants have also
been shown to improve worker
productivity, sense of wellbeing
and psychological comfort, and
in consumer environments, the
inclusion of trees has been shown
to increase spending potential.
Ireland lags behind other
developed countries in exploiting
these benefits, both for worker
happiness and increased
productivity. Oftentimes plants are
seen as an unnecessary expense
and were the first thing to go in
Irish offices at the beginning of
the recession. In many cases, they
have yet to return. Despite this,
the market for interior plants is
growing, due in no small part to
the presence of foreign companies,
who have a far better insight into
how the inclusion of plants can
improve the bottom line. Other
factors such as the popularity of
green walls, roofs and technological
advancements are also having a
positive impact on the market.
Currently the Irish market for interior plants is served by a limited number of SMEs, management companies and one large
multinational. The vast majority of these businesses operate on a rental basis, supplying, maintaining and replacing plants on
an ongoing basis. Like much of the horticulture sector, margins are tight, competition is stiff and the need to innovate is high.
As empirical research continues to illuminate the benefits of plants, and findings filter through to building regulations and
environmental certification, we will see a gradual increase in demand for interior plants. One Irish company poised to exploit
this potential is Universal Floral. Having been established in Navan in the late 1960s by owner Noel Caffrey and survived the
troubling recession years, the business remains in family ownership with 22 employees and bases in both Ballsbridge and
Finglas. With Noel now in retirement – inasmuch as anyone retires from horticulture – day to day running of the business falls
to Noel’s son, Michael. I caught up with Michael recently to gain an insider’s view of their interior landscape business.

2. 36 www.horticulture.ie / Summer 2016 Summer 2016 / www.horticulture.ie / 37
12 13
We’ve seen a lot more interest in the types of planters used,
especially from commercial interior designers and architects.
Companies are also very interested in seasonal diversity
and are willing to bring in colour and impact at different
times of the year. Social media and visual sharing sites such
as Pinterest are also having a positive impact as clients can
access a vast array of inspirational material.
B. The majority of the plant material you supply is imported
from The Netherlands. Do you source products from Ireland
and if so, what products?
M. A lot of our products are sourced from Ireland, including
all the compost we use, plant food and winter and summer
bedding plants.
B. Do you agree that Dutch have the interior plant
market sewn up? If not, what opportunities do you see
for Irish growers?
M. The Dutch import planting from all over the world. The
Netherlands are the central planting destination of Europe.
They do a good job and we are happy with our relationship
with our suppliers there and with the service they provide.
The Dutch know the European markets very well, and their
knowledge and guidance has helped us to expand in the UK
and also in Germany.
An opportunity for Irish growers could exist in developing
and/or sourcing complementary products for plants such
as pots. Clients are always open to fresh ideas. Recently we
installed hanging upside down planters into a UK office, called
‘Sky Planters’.
B. Green walls have become a must have accessory for
contemporary buildings. How has your company responded
to this demand?
M. Green walls have certainly become very popular and
we have completed a few installations. The walls we supply
though are manually maintained by our maintenance staff,
part of our commitment to ensuring that our plants are
healthy at all times. It’s the personal touch. By manually
monitoring the wall we feel we can control any water issues.
Green walls are fun because you can be very creative with
planting and colour.
B. What will be your business's main achievement over the
next decade?
M. Expanding more into Europe, exploring new trends,
connecting with tech start-ups and maintaining loyalty with
current clients. We always say to our clients, “We will grow
with you”.
B. What advice do you have for graduates considering a
career in interior landscaping?
M. Apply for internships with interior landscaping companies
before the busy season starts. Follow planting and planter
trends, visit tradeshows, grow plants at home, build a passion
for plants and spaces. You can never stop learning.
Having introduced the apprentice training trial initiative in the last issue
of Horticulture Connected, John Mulhern, principal of the College of
Amenity Horticulture, National Botanic Gardens brings us up to speed
on how they are working in practice
IN PRACTICE
I
n the past few months we have actively promoted
the idea of apprenticeships with horticulture
companies. We have had very good level
cooperation from across the sector including
representative organisations such as the Association
of Landscape Contractors of Ireland (ALCI) and
individual operators.
Just to refresh you, the idea behind the trialling of
apprenticeships is to allow students of horticulture to
connect with companies for work outside the normal
academic calendar of their course, i.e. during the summer
holidays. This allows the students to engage actively with
a company for the summer months and develop their
skills and practical knowledge further. Students then
return to the college for their theory based components,
but enriched with experience that would be of benefit
to them. The initiative is a win-win for both students and
employers alike.
To get the trials underway we set up a jobs boards in
college, which advertised each company with a standard
one page format. We had interest from 12 companies that
were looking to take on apprentices in the landscaping
area. Students were able to view the company profiles
and then go and make direct contact with them. The jobs
board also allows companies to advertise for graduate
opportunities in their companies. So far we have had two
companies that have actively come on board looking
for students. Both of these companies operate in the
landscape and nursery sectors. They are big employers
and would take our students on work experience regularly.
Interestingly, any of our students targeted with
summer apprenticeships had already secured work
in their own field of interest. This reflects the upsurge
in demand for horticulture staff in the greater Dublin
area. We are seeing a lot of students who were on
work experience in the 12 to 15 week period during the
spring continuing with their employer for the rest of
the summer. This is fantastic to see as it is providing the
students with an apprenticeship in any case.
Employers are welcome to get in contact with us with
regard to advertising for interns. This is a long term
commitment to the college and to horticulture and I have
no doubt that it will reap rewards for the industry in time.
We encourage all operators of horticulture businesses
to contact us to see how we can work together.
One of the first Irish companies
to get behind the apprenticeship
trials was Tully Nurseries
based in North County Dublin.
Owned and operated by the
highly regarded nurseryman
and education advocate Martin
Tully, it is one of the leading
businesses in Ireland and is
well known for being an early
adopter of new technologies and practices. As part of the
new initiative, the nursery took on Kenny Brennan, a Level
six student from the National Botanic Gardens for a 16
week placement.
During his time at Tully’s, Kenny is focusing on developing
his plant knowledge and customer service skills. Skills which
are being fostered by the experienced staff at the nursery.
“We were delighted to be one of the first companies to step
up and support this programme”, commented Martin. “We
are placing Kenny in different sections of the business to
provide him with a diverse base of experience. Looking to
the future of the programme, we need to develop a more
formalised process, which affords transparency, traceability
and a firm set of standards. Students and employers need
the security of a robust process with agreed outcomes.
To succeed the programme needs commitment from all
horticultural sub-sectors.”
Kenny has a further two years of study ahead, and
hopes to build on the knowledge he has acquired and the
relationship he has built with the nursery. His ultimate aim
is to pursue a career in either nursery operation or garden
retail. No doubt the practical experience afforded to him will
help direct his final decision.
Kenny’s ultimate aim is direct employment in the nursery or
garden centre sector. I have no doubt that this work experience
will be a hugely important part of his success.
JOHN MULHERN has worked
with Teagasc for more the 17
years, primarily in an educational
capacity. He is the current principal
of the College of Amenity
Horticulture, National Botanic
Gardens, Dublin.
Qualifications + Experience = Excellence
Connect with Talented Landscape, Garden Retail & Fresh
Produce Horticultural Staff on
www.JobsInHorticulture.ie
Job Description:
Price, schedule and manage projects working closely
with the management team. Take on an active role in the
development and growth of the business including design
and implementation of in-house procedures. Develop strong
customer relationship to ensure follow on works.
CONTRACTS MANAGER
NOW HIRING
The successful candidate will also have the following qualities:
Excellent people skills with both clients and staff alike
Some landscape design ability
A knowledge of pricing projects up to and beyond the
value of £1 million
Have good motivational and leadership qualities to lead a
strong and cohesive work team
Previous Experience
3 Years in Management Role
Isle of Man
Salary £35K (sterling)
3 months accommodation supplied
Company vehicle supplied
Apply online at JobsInHorticulture.ie or send cover & CV to
brian@quest.co.im www.quest.co.im
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