News
Time to plant trees, hedges and large shrubs
By Debby Looney, gardening expert
We are coming into the season where traditionally people plant trees, hedges and large shrubs. This is because we are heading into the dormant period for plants, and it will be possible to buy a large selection bare rooted.
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Bare rooted plants are, as the name suggests, not potted up. This makes them less labour intensive and therefore, much cheaper. When buying large quantities such as hedging, or large value items such as trees, it really is worth looking into the bare rooted option. These should be in larger garden centres from mid-October until around April.
There are some trees worth looking at for this time of year. One of my favourites is the Eucryphia. A slender tree, growing into a columnar shape, it is ideal for a smaller garden. The white flowers are a great source of food for pollinators at this time of year, and a welcome sight at the trail end of the season. Having said that, the tree I have in the garden seems to have flowers on it year round! There is also a pretty pink cultivar, called ‘Ballerina’. These trees are commonly known as leatherwood, and their glossy green leaves are a great backdrop for the abundant flowers. They can be pruned after flowering, and this really encourages flowering the following year. Eucryphias are also suitable for large pots, as long as they are watered well.
Rhus, or Stag’s horn Sumach, is another favourite. Their autumnal colour is one of the best, and it is worth planting in a sheltered spot to avoid the leaves being blown off – even though it is very hardy. This is a large shrub, or small tree and please be aware, it suckers! The leaves are like large ash leaves, and are not temperature reliant for colouring. On female and male plants, red velvety flower cones appear in the spring, which turn to clusters of red berries on the female plants. These last well into the following spring.
Cercis siliquastrum is a small tree well worth planting if you have a sheltered site. It has beautiful heart shaped leaves which emerge coppery in the spring and turn a lush green and go a brilliant yellow in the autumn. It has clusters of purple flowers which resemble pea flowers in May.
There are many acers which also have a magnificent autumn colour, such as Acer griseum, which has a peeling bark and bright red autumn colour. A slow growing tree, it will happily sit well in any moderately sheltered spot.
Any article about tree colour would not be complete without mentioning the mountain ash, or Sorbus. Now, until about a year ago, I would always recommend ‘Joseph Rock’ a mountain ash with the most gorgeous yellow berries. However, my heart has been stolen by S. pseudohuphensis ‘Pink Pagoda’. Starting in spring, with the unfurling of the grey-green foliage, moving on to the blush pink flowers, followed by proper pink berries – no wishy washy colours here! As with most Sorbus varieties the foliage turns bright red, which really makes the berries pop! The berries hang on right through the winter until the birds realise they are there… a good reason to put out bird feeders!
Retailers and shop staff across Killarney joined forces this week as part of the nationwide ‘#CutPRSIKeepJobs’ campaign, calling on the Government to reduce employers’ PRSI contributions in Budget 2027 to protect local employment.
Organised by Retail Excellence Ireland (REI), the campaign saw shop owners and employees stand together to highlight the severe financial pressures facing town centre businesses.
The industry body is urging the Government to introduce an employer PRSI band of 8% on the first €36,000 of every wage, zero employer PRSI for workers under 25, and a review of the methodology used to calculate the living wage.
The push comes amid growing concern over rising operational expenses, with new figures showing a loss of 10,800 retail jobs nationally over the past year and a 35% surge in retail insolvencies in the first half of 2026 alone.
Jean McCabe, Chief Executive Officer of Retail Excellence Ireland, warned that mounting wage costs are placing unprecedented strain on independent traders across Kerry.
“The retail industry has been under the most intense pressure from a range of cost pressures in recent times – and wage costs are the primary issue,” Ms McCabe said. “The industry is now seeing a rapid increase in insolvencies because of these pressures, so Government must now act unless it wants to see more businesses fail. Retailers standing together today shows just how widely this is being felt, in towns right across the country.”
Ms McCabe added that incoming PRSI rate increases scheduled for October 1 will deliver another major blow to small and medium enterprises unless urgent intervention is taken in the upcoming budget.
“We’re asking every TD, in every constituency, to back this ask,” Ms McCabe added. “And we’re asking Tánaiste Simon Harris, as Minister for Finance, to introduce it directly in Budget 2027. It’s costed, it’s modest, and it keeps jobs in local communities.”
Retailers join national campaign to cut PRSI and safeguard local jobs
Retailers and shop staff across Killarney joined forces this week as part of the nationwide ‘#CutPRSIKeepJobs’ campaign, calling on the Government to reduce employers’ PRSI contributions in Budget 2027 to protect local employment.
Organised by Retail Excellence Ireland (REI), the campaign saw shop owners and employees stand together to highlight the severe financial pressures facing town centre businesses.
The industry body is urging the Government to introduce an employer PRSI band of 8% on the first €36,000 of every wage, zero employer PRSI for workers under 25, and a review of the methodology used to calculate the living wage.
The push comes amid growing concern over rising operational expenses, with new figures showing a loss of 10,800 retail jobs nationally over the past year and a 35% surge in retail insolvencies in the first half of 2026 alone.
Jean McCabe, Chief Executive Officer of Retail Excellence Ireland, warned that mounting wage costs are placing unprecedented strain on independent traders across Kerry.
“The retail industry has been under the most intense pressure from a range of cost pressures in recent times – and wage costs are the primary issue,” Ms McCabe said. “The industry is now seeing a rapid increase in insolvencies because of these pressures, so Government must now act unless it wants to see more businesses fail. Retailers standing together today shows just how widely this is being felt, in towns right across the country.”
Ms McCabe added that incoming PRSI rate increases scheduled for October 1 will deliver another major blow to small and medium enterprises unless urgent intervention is taken in the upcoming budget.
“We’re asking every TD, in every constituency, to back this ask,” Ms McCabe added. “And we’re asking Tánaiste Simon Harris, as Minister for Finance, to introduce it directly in Budget 2027. It’s costed, it’s modest, and it keeps jobs in local communities.”
Retailers and shop staff across Killarney joined forces this week as part of the nationwide ‘#CutPRSIKeepJobs’ campaign, calling on the Government to reduce employers’ PRSI contributions in Budget 2027 to protect local employment.
Organised by Retail Excellence Ireland (REI), the campaign saw shop owners and employees stand together to highlight the severe financial pressures facing town centre businesses.
The industry body is urging the Government to introduce an employer PRSI band of 8% on the first €36,000 of every wage, zero employer PRSI for workers under 25, and a review of the methodology used to calculate the living wage.
The push comes amid growing concern over rising operational expenses, with new figures showing a loss of 10,800 retail jobs nationally over the past year and a 35% surge in retail insolvencies in the first half of 2026 alone.
Jean McCabe, Chief Executive Officer of Retail Excellence Ireland, warned that mounting wage costs are placing unprecedented strain on independent traders across Kerry.
“The retail industry has been under the most intense pressure from a range of cost pressures in recent times – and wage costs are the primary issue,” Ms McCabe said. “The industry is now seeing a rapid increase in insolvencies because of these pressures, so Government must now act unless it wants to see more businesses fail. Retailers standing together today shows just how widely this is being felt, in towns right across the country.”
Ms McCabe added that incoming PRSI rate increases scheduled for October 1 will deliver another major blow to small and medium enterprises unless urgent intervention is taken in the upcoming budget.
“We’re asking every TD, in every constituency, to back this ask,” Ms McCabe added. “And we’re asking Tánaiste Simon Harris, as Minister for Finance, to introduce it directly in Budget 2027. It’s costed, it’s modest, and it keeps jobs in local communities.”
Retailers join national campaign to cut PRSI and safeguard local jobs
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