Clonmellon Tidy Towns Newsletter
Second Edition
June 2018


Welcome to Clonmellon Second edition of our Tidy Towns Newsletter.
A lot of work has been done over the last 4/5 weeks. We have
concentrated our efforts on the approach road from Kells.
So far we have carried out the following work:

- cleaning / redressing flower beds
- tidying up trees
- cutting grass
- removing ivy off walls
- sweeping the village
- cleaning up the playground
- asking people to paint their property
- tackle dog fouling

Good news!!

We are very happy to announce that we have secured a piece of land from Allied Waste to the rear of their plant.
We hope to start to plan a Community Garden. We have engaged a landscape gardener and The plans for this are now in progress and we should have them ready for next year’s entry to the tidy towns.

We are now into the month of June and judging starts around June 23rd, so we still have a lot of work to do and anyone who would like to help please do, we meet every Saturday at 10am outside daybreak or if you
see us during the week please don’t be shy to give a helping hand. You will enjoy the reward of showing that you care about where you live.

A Special thanks to Allied Waste:

We have to say a massive thank you to this Allied Waste here in Clonmellon for the support that they have giving to us from the start of our clean up.

The following is a breakdown of some of the waste by kg that we have collected May 1st 380kg - May21 320kg - May 22nd 380 kg

Allied is also helping us by allowing us to use land at the entrance to the industrial estate. Horticulture adviser Sean Mullen has kindly agreed to start working on plans for this

 A lot of work carried out here, this took a lot of time to clean up. We removed the big tree stump and stone that was close to the wall, and we removed the ivy off all the walls on the approaching and side roads. Now we have a clear area to work on for next year’s entry.  We repaired this bench at the entrance to the village now we have a nice seating area where you can relax.  As you can see we have cleaned up this space, thanks to Karen and Shane and their friend Emma for removing all the Ivy off the trees. We have painted the guards and the gate red also we replanted the flowerbed around the signs.

 Coffee Morning

We would like to thank Christian in Daybreak for hosting this fund raiser for the Tidy Towns and all those who gave so generously.
We had great weather for this on the day and we raised €550!

This money will help buy new equipment that we need.
We are making good progress as you can see when you walk around our village and a lot of people have commented on the improvements in all areas, we appreciate these words of encouragement.

 Just a thought

In 2001 Mary Reynolds entered the Chelsea Flower Show and won the
gold medal for her garden design. She was the youngest woman to win
a gold medal since the Chelsea Flower Show commenced in 1913. This is
what she wrote on her application.

“People travel the world over to visit untouched places of natural
beauty, yet modern gardens pay little heed to the simplicity and beauty
of these environments.
These special places we all must preserve and protect, each in his/ her
own way before they are lost forever”

Mary is now listed as one of the top ten ( 10 ) landscape designers of all
time.
We think this says it all, if we apply this to us, just look at what we have
all around us here in Clonmellon, in our gardens, our Heritage, history,
people, as Mary says keep it simple and we can achieve a lot.

Gardening tips for Summer

Out of all the months of the year, June is the one that gardeners look
forward to the most. The frost has abated; the long summer days and
short nights allows you to spend more time in the garden, either in a
social context or just for the love of it. You don’t have to be a expert in
order to enjoy one of mother nature’s showiest months but it helps if
you can give her a dig out to help her look her best. Here are some tips
for your garden and tasks to do in June.
Tasks

Weeding is a task that nobody likes doing, but with all this good
weather the weeds won’t far behind (if not already there).

• The trick is to get them before they become a problem and
  that means weeding as often as possible. Try not to use herbicides,
  as this is often over used and can also be damaging to other more
  ornamental plants if not used correctly.
  
•  Deadheading flowers will encourage fresh growth and perhaps
  another burst of color. Cut back any spring flowering perennials
  and blubs.
  Tips. Spring flowering perennials and blubs can be lifted and
  divided.
  
•  Pests are also getting a foothold in June, like weeds, you will need
  to keep an eye open before they become a problem. Some of the
  more common pests at this time of year are greenfly, caterpillars,
  slugs, vine weevil and whitefly (more of a greenhouse pest).
  Once again, avoid using chemicals, as they also target the
  good guys who feed on the pests. Most of the pests can be
  controlled by removal by hand (use gloves) or by placing a bird
  bath/feeding table which will attract birds who feed on the pests.
  Another method is to allow a section in your garden to go wild,
  this will attract predatory insects which will help in pest control.
  
•  Watering newly planted and young plants is vital for keeping them
  healthy and looking their best.
  Watering with a hose can be very wasteful, try to save as
  much as possible by using reclaimed water from house gutters by
  catching it in a water butt or use a seepage hose or drip nozzles.
  Also mulching the soil around plants will help retain water and
  feed them.
  
• Some vegetables are tastier when harvested young, such as
  carrots, lettuce and beetroot.
  Tips. Sow seeds every two weeks to ensure a steady supply of
  tasty young snacks.
  
• It’s safe to put out summer bedding in borders, containers and
  hanging baskets (don’t forget to ensure drainage holes in
  containers and hanging baskets). Sow seeds of herbaceous
  perennials.
  

If you have a greenhouse or poly-tunnel ensure that they are well
ventilated and shaded.
When you enter the Tidy Town you have to produce a 3 year plan
we are working on this and a lot of work has gone into it.
If you would like to contribute this plan please contact us at email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or you can find us on Facebook.Clonmellon Tidy Town