Today I discovered some of plant collection had been, put simply, close on fried. It’s rare for me to complain about the weather…. but here’s my situation.
For gardens that are new, or newly planted [Hi Julie and Terry đ ],for best results and knowing that the hose must be used…. try water at night time. It ensures the plant isn’t competing with the sun for water intake and therefore gets the maximum return from the watering and your time in doing so. Also one may find the water, combined with the days sun can act like a magnifying glass of sorts and cook the leaves slightly.
When these water charges do come in – the county councils will most likely up the price of those water butts too. My advice get one what you can sooner.
If however it is newly selected areas of planting, you may find that the water butts are an option to be considered.
I was talking to a friend of mine, Aidan, gate meister extraordinaire and part time garden enthusiast…. he was telling me about this [now] park that used to be a field where he and his Father used to hunt when he was younger…
Peter, you just got to go & see this park… it is out of this world
I knew the field. I said I would. I did.
To describe this park in a few words is impossible. To describe it on video would be unfair. This is without a doubt possibly the finest ‘new’ park I have ever seen in my life.
Named after Father [Fr] Joseph Collins who was the hardest working and first parish priest of the Donaghmede area the 52 acre park took about 1.5 years to build.
It is young. In fact it is still unfinished in parts. But it is pure genius at its absolute finest. I like the fact that no soil was removed to build the huge water area left the site… instead it was banked. I love that the old surrounding woodlands were kept in tact and replenished with younger native trees. Even better is the 5 wind turbines that power every single element required for the park to operate. Something more?? The wetland areas in the park are the filtration systems for the parks water and the lake and the wetlands are the drainage system for the football pitches!
From a tree planting point of view… it has a bit to go, but for the most part the maturest and finest specimens were used. It is a park I will very much look forward to seeing mature over the years. From a plant point… it’s been kept simple. Planting is en mass. But planting has been considered very wisely and logically.
Could I pick a fault? No. Not one. As I said it is a young park. In fact it only opened a few months ago. It is evolving. Still. It is still getting over the usual teething problems – but – I wouldn’t let that get in my way.
Jogger, skateboarder, walker, footballer, family, cyclist or tree hugger… you name it –Â all catered for here. Even where I live in Bally-go-pothole I am so envious of the people who live within walking distance of this awe inpiring gem. It was raining when I was there and not even that could put me off wanting to take my time.
I think Joseph Collins is smiling [a big one at that] knowing what was built in his name. Brilliant. Pure Genius. Love it đ
I got this in the post yesterday from Green Party Mininster of State Trevor Sargent. It was a little bit of a surprise to be very honest, but a most appreciated and very welcome one.
After Bloom I sent out a postcard to [the so very many who deserved a massive] say thank you. Trevor received one. Credit where it’s due, he also stopped by the garden during Bloom; lives not to far away from me and as you can gather from this photograph, we’ve know each other a while now –
Of course it took me a little to figure out exactly what it said…
For those of you who had the same trouble, I’ve translated below! [well, if you’re going to call it a hippopotamus…?!]
Peter, A Chara
I was to see that big pink hippopotamus of a boat at the electric picnic. It fitted right in just like the family of topiary elephants. See you soon. P.S. Thanks for your card! Le meas glas
This magazine is really good. I like writing for them. In fact I’d have to say my editor Gillian is really cool too! Is that unusual? That said I enjoyed writing this article. Check out the exclamation marks and you’ll understand why!!
Working from a blank canvass is not alway the best approach to a site. Don’t rip up what could be a valuable asset and learn how to invest in antiques for the future
Just pop into any good bookstore if you want a free read to grab yourself a copy. Enjoy!
Considering the hours, effort and mental anguish that go into the design of your new home, it is extraordinary that the exact opposite is true of the garden and wider surroundings. Most of us give it a passing thought, amounting to not much more than remembering to ask the digger driver to cut a swathe through the mud up to the front door, to be lined with concrete edging and covered with tar later.
Whilst the main thrust of environmental legislation is concerned with energy conservation, there is an increasing requirement to pay attention to the surroundings in two ways. Firstly, to do as little damage as possible to intrinsic features and wildlife and secondly, to create a setting that enhances what is there and helps to blend the new house in with the landscape.
Investing a minimum of 3% of the value of your house on your garden should add approximately 10% â 13% to the value of your home, so read on!
The logical suggestion is to allow for the garden within the entire building budget, and like your house, it can be priced and scheduled prior to work beginning on site. The trouble is, that rarely happens. The âoirishâ way, outside of the building budget, used to be to build the house and âthrow down a bit of seedâ. But this is changing. We as a nation now spend over âŹ2.33 billion annually on horticultural products and services. So, is it not rational that the garden receives the same attention as the house itself?
The Landscape Designer
A landscape designer will charge for their design, and also a percentage fee to oversee. Designs will be detailed and will come with a planting plan, complete with a visual impression of what you can expect to see. It is important to let your landscape designer know how much time you wish to devote to it and what gardening tasks you are willing to undertake. No less important is ensuring that your requirements are met, in order to avoid the planting of your designerâs very own memorial. The first step is to get a cost estimate for the landscaping of this wonderful design before you pay for the actual drawings; otherwise you might end up with a very expensive piece of paper that will never become a reality.
The Landscape Contractor
Landscape contractors provide a design and landscaping service. A reputable firm is likely to charge for a consultation, but this is a wise investment, you are paying for a professional service to help you to design the garden. Given the importance of this element to the success of the whole project, the design, build and budget should all be as agreed with you. âApproximateâ and âestimateâ are not words you want to hear being used. If, on the other hand, you know of work done by the contractor and feel comfortable that they will produce a suitable final scheme, you could start with a rough âoutline overview sketchâ of what the garden will look like, on headed paper, saving you the cost of the full design service. This should suffice, with a little vision and trust on your part.
Remember! Only use a contractor from a registered list! The association has a rigorous vetting procedure and ensures that all members meet strict guidelines. This also eliminates the rogue trader, the cheaper quotation and the tears that might result from a possible ârogue-contractorâ. Ensure that your landscape consultant has a qualification in horticulture.
Planning
The site assessment with your Planning Application is a look at how your house will affect its natural surroundings and what you intend to do to ensure that it does not look out of place within its habitat, by planning additional planting. Whilst this is something that is a requirement more often for sites in rural areas, the site map will possibly require you to show what you intend to do with the existing hedges, stone walls, trees and shrubs. Certain species of plants and wildlife are protected, whilst trees are a particularly emotive issue to which we will return later. Very often, as a condition of Outline Approval, the natural features must be maintained. Additionally, building materials should not be stored on the root crown area of the tree and you are likely to be asked to re-plant if shrubs and trees are removed in order to build.
The extent to which you will be required to do the above very much depends upon the attitude of your local council and the area in which you are building. It is however an aspect that should be covered by your architect, preferably working with a landscape architect, before your Planning application is submitted.
Tree preservation orders are increasingly being issued as trees are rightly seen as being central to the character of the landscape, at the same time there is a desire to maintain indigenous species. Taking a tree survey as an example demonstrates the range and depth of information that can be obtained; it can sometimes read more like a medical chart! A tree survey should only be compiled, via your architect, by a suitably qualified arborist [in theory a registered tree doctor] or horticulturist. Itâs an outlay that you probably havenât thought to budget for, but it is an investment in your house in exactly the same way that you are paying your architect. The cost will depend on the complexity of the site but will not include a landscaping schedule; that is a separate piece of work. Remember that this is a professional service and one that will pay dividends in the final look of both house and setting.
Below is an outline of what a tree survey covers:
Introduction
To include brief details of all other significant vegetation, for example hedgerows, a general commentary on tree related problems, tree measurements (which because of their shape will be approximate) and the suitability of trees for retention, but not their history.
The time of year will have a bearing on the above as some signs symptomatic of ill health within a tree may not be obvious in certain seasons any conditions Ivy can also obscure defects and ill health.
The Survey
This will cover the age, from established through to senile, the condition, from good to dead, height and spread including the canopy separately. It accompanies a description of the site based on a scale drawing.
Trees are sorted into categories ranging from A being a tree of outstanding merit to C, one which is dead, dying or dangerous and which should be removed.
The action to be taken covers:
Clean out â removing anything detrimental to the treeâs health, including dead and broken branches.
Crown thin â removing living branches to reduce the weight of the crown and thus resistance to wind, admit more light and improve air circulation.
Crown reduction â shortening the canopy limbs.
Remove dead wood â pruning all dead and diseased branches.
Address imbalance â as the result of deformed growth trees develop an imbalanced crown system. This may not be important except where the imbalance lies towards the house, road or pathway.
Conclusion
The report finishes with a section covering the overall and general future management of the trees and site factors influencing this.
The above is a very detailed survey, but it does demonstrate the extent of the information you can obtain. Itâs an informed approach providing the best possible outcome for your trees, which could result in saving the tree â and the expense of removing and replanting.
As always when employing anyone, itâs best to contact a recognised and reputable trade association and choose a registered company with a track record in this sector. Whilst a local gardener or college graduate may be knowledgeable, this is not something for the faint hearted and a legal document is really what is required.
Prepared in association with Peter Donegan Landscaping Ltd., Co Dublin 01-807-8712 Mobile: 087-659-4688 www.doneganlandscaping.com
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