Charleville Tidy Towns

Landscaping

What actions are Tidy Town’s adjudicators looking for each year?

“Appropriate planning, design, access to and management of open spaces for all people regardless of age, size, ability or disability; selection and planting of native trees, shrubs and flowers for year round effect and maintenance of planted areas.Presentation of roundabouts and all grass strips.”

Flowers on Main Street

Enhancements to Amber Avenue Walkway

The landscaped Amber avenue from HSE Medical centre entrance up to the landscaped Mound at the left exit to Ballysally road has been enhanced by the CTT Landscaping team with planting in October 2017 of new ‘Red Devon’ & ‘Sempre Avanti’ Daffodils and Red Tulips around the base of all 11 trees & signs on the avenue.

Colours of perennial flowering bulbs planted are Lucky Strike, Red & White tulips to represent the community colours of many sporting clubs in town and also to ‘motivate’ the Cork, Limerick and Clare hurling teams & ALL Munster rugby supporters, passing through Charleville, as the historical ‘Hearth of Munster’.

Ground cover planting of Blue Honesty from Garnish Island and Nepeta Catmint perennials are designed to form lavender like mounds of colour, loved by bees & other pollinators. These plants also eliminate the necessity of harmful spraying around each tree base.

The impressive welcoming Landscaped Mound on Cork Road South has also been enhanced with new planting of Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giants’ Catmint plus a number of Choisya Sundance ( Mexican Orange Blossom), a fragrant spring flowering shrub loved by pollinators.

We hope all persons will appreciate the uplifting spring colours now emerging and help CTT to maintain this walkway avenue as a Community Litter FREE Zone.

Tulips on Amber Avenue

Tulips on Main & Chapel street

Amber Avenue Walkway

Red Devon Daffodils on Avenue

Landscaped Mound on Avenue

Project 3G

Landscaping on Main Street & Plaza Centre

Hanging baskets were again a very strong feature along the main street with many businesses supporting CTT by investing in very impressive basket displays. Watering was easier with rain water saved from Library roof water CTT storage tank nearby.
The barrels outside the post office were all cleaned & painted, then planted with combinations of scented stock, California poppy, spectacular pink Silver Cup Royal Mallows (Lavatera trimestris) and Snap Dragon Anterinums & wall flowers that flowered well into winter.
The flower barrels were later planted with April spring flowering tulips Red and Golden Vale ‘Sunlover’ Yellow plus surface cover with Sweet William to flower in June 2018.
The corner bed on LHS of Plaza near the Vault was planted with French Bolero & Orange Flame Marigolds and later in October planted with five colour varieties of perennial Tulips and blue & yellow Crocus bulbs plus some Native Irish Bluebells.
Flower pots outside Murrays, Subway, Morans were also planted with annuals, nasturtium, red tulips & flowering heathers to give a seasonal spread of colour.

Rationale; Above shows extensive progress in terms of actual achievements for 2017-18 so following seven/eight list is designed to demonstrate forward planning pipeline, to show & score more REAL Community involvement & planning not just paper plans)

Annual Glowers on Limerick Road

Sunlover Double Tulips April 28 at Post Office

Snapdragons on Main Street

Royal Mallows outside Post Office

Hanging Baskets at Four Winds

Landscaping Pipeline of projects for 2018-2019 -2020

The following Landscaping projects are in the CTT planning pipeline subject to proactive Community involvements, funding support from CCC & business Sponsorship and resolution of project specific constraints to progress in some projects.

1. St. Joseph's Foundation

Road side planting in front of St. Josephs Foundation complex on Bakers Lane, as recommended by TT Adjudicator, has now been agreed in principle subject to SJF budget scheduling.

2. Holy Cross

Further landscape enhancement of the large green area on the link road residential area between Mannix College to Holy Cross cemetery has received positive community support & involvement for further development.

3. IDA

The external access areas outside IDA industrial estate is planned for more landscaping with perennial flowering shrubs to improve the attractiveness of site.

4. Town Park

CTT are planning to develop in 2018/19 an innovative Community Herb Garden at the corner site adjacent to the new CCC fitness facilities in the town park. The garden will be surrounded by a border of flowering perennials as listed in the national biodiversity plan for pollinators such as St Johns Worth Hypericum and Nepeta Catmint. To prevent dog litter fouling the HERB garden will be fenced off with a decorative picket fence made from recycled pallets.

5. Banks on Cork Road

CTT are proposing to create a Wildflower habitat and hibernation haven for pollinators on the gravel Banks of both sides of Cork Road. We plan this as a potential national biodiversity demonstrator site, with approved signage in due course. We are planning to plant native Irish wildflower seed mix, self seeding Foxgloves & Lupins, Catmint, Anemone and others suitable for an alpine like gravel terrain.

6. Memorial Garden

CTT will explore with Community and CCC to plant a memorial rose garden in front of Holy Cross cemetery in memory of all persons from the community interred in Holy Cross.

7. Glen River Bridge

This important amenity area along the Glen River running at the back of the town park is currently being assessed in collaboration with the regional Maigue River Trust before planned developments can be implemented in 2019 -2020.

Because of the scale of this amenity project all adjacent residential communities and the Pitch & Putt Club community members are being consulted regarding the ownership issues, feasibility and budget for an integrated plan such as the following eight features and improvements listed to date:

clearance of excessive weeds on the river banks
trim back of excessive ivy and briars on the beautiful bridge, a protected stone structure, before any structural damage is caused
building an extension wall of a similar stone at LHS of Club entrance
landscaping the access gravel pathway towards the clubhouse including stone cleaning, avenue of native trees and flowering perennials in front of the residential avenue
general tidiness clean up, painting of gates and pier structures and probable planting of carpet roses roadside to replace the grass margin.
new Heritage signage close to the Glen River Bridge structure
explore relevance of an ornamental Golden Vale Sundial at this location.
explore use of other Habitat enhancing features as surveys are completed.

8. Town Carpark & Library Grounds

CTT have made detailed submissions to CCC requesting their consideration of the following proposals for;

Future Landscaping of the Town Main car parking area, used by most shoppers from the regional community, with more decorative style tree planting of the parking end islands.
Addition of a small number of trees to the back and sides of the Library grounds along access to street & wheelchair walkway. This heritage site is also an excellent Wildlife Habitat & educational facility teaming with birdlife.
CTT is also in consultation with Conservation & Heritage in CCC in relation to restoration of two structures on the rear of this very important Heritage site.

9. Town Park Future Development Proposals

After detailed consultation with community user groups, CTT have made initial 2018 submissions to CCC in relation to medium term planning of possible future upgrading plans for the main Community Town Park, including;

Planting of additional trees to replace recent storm damage losses
Designated area for composting of leaves and grass cuttings for future CTT use ,
Protective picket fence around children & toddlers play areas to prevent dog access and reduce potential health infection risks due to dog litter fouling.
Landscape planting of corner sites with large non invasive flowering shrubs that benefit Wildlife Habitats, such as fruit bearing berries for winter feeding of birds.
Installation of additional lighting for safety around back of park walkway
Addition of secure litter recycling bins plus dog litter bins at key locations
Addition of rest seating at key locations for elderly walkers & readers
More frequent grass cutting maintenance of all grass areas & pathways.
Development of the CTT NO DIG Demonstrator Educational sites

CTT plan to meet CCC each quarter to secure budgets to progress plans in 18-19-20.