Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  This week we focus  on Scoil Fhiacna who received a Gold Medal  for their School Garden.  We were delighted with the good progress being made in this your second year in the competition. The raised beds could do with weeding and clear bilingual labelling. You could look at more biodiversity elements the back of the all weather court has a natural pond. Try growing potatoes in containers or in towered tyres. Consider a polytunnel, it will make a huge difference to your planting season. You should now be able to start planting in the polytunnel earlier and plant out when weather permits. Keep up great work.   Congratulations to all involved at Scoil Fhiachna, Glengarriff    For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here

  Choose nectar and pollen-rich plants for your garden There are plenty of beautiful plants you can choose for your garden that are rich in nectar and pollen. Bidens and Bacopa are great bedding plants for small containers and hanging baskets; and herbs such as Thyme and Rosemary provide food for you as well as for pollinators. Make sure you keep these plants to your garden and don’t plant them in the wider landscape. Outside your garden, the best action for pollinators is to create biodiversity meadows and margins by reducing mowing. Why : Pollinators need flowers that produce lots of nectar (for energy) and pollen (for protein). Where : Gardens, pots on a balcony, window boxes, public parks, schools, and businesses. Avoid adding these plants to the wider landscape. Idea:  Plant bulbs such as Snowdrop, Crocus, and Grape Hyacinth in the autumn to provide early food for emerging pollinators the following spring. Or plant five fruit trees to create a mini orchard. Find out more : Pledge

  A new publication to help everyone to help wildlife in their gardens, no matter how big or small, has been launched. The brainchild of Juanita Browne, the booklet was produced by Local Authority Heritage Officers across Ireland, with help from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Heritage Council. Taking a very practical approach, the book details projects to help wildlife of all kinds under a range of headings, with tasks suitable for everyone from the total beginner to the more ambitious DIY enthusiast. With clear instructions and step-by-step drawings by illustrator Barry Reynolds, the guide offers the gardener lots of options to help our biodiversity. With increasing agricultural intensification, gardens in many areas can be an oasis for wildlife, and with small changes we can make them even better. The guide outlines actions that can be taken to improve gardens for birds, bees, butterflies, bats and more, and the good news is many of the steps that can be taken are re

  This week we focus  on Scoil Bhríd   who were Highly Commended for their School Garden. This is developing into a very good garden but is ready for moving when time comes.. The garden covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed by quality of vegs, herbs and by the new hedge planting which will provide great shelter, Consider Upright pallet growing also for planting and shelter, link with Mens Shed to help with new raised beds, a Poly tunnel would also be a great asset. keep up the great work.   Congratulations to all involved at Scoil Bhríd   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here