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Time to plant trees, hedges and large shrubs

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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!

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Bumper GAA weekend in town

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Killarney is set for a bumper GAA weekend as Kerry faces Cavan in a do-or-die All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-final.

The game is scheduled for Saturday, June 21st, at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, with a 3:30pm throw-in and traffic and parking restrictions will be in place on the bypass and on all approach roads.
Kerry will be looking to recover quickly from their recent defeat to Meath in their final round-robin match.
The match will be streamed live on GAA+. Radio Kerry will provide live commentary with Timmy Moynihan and Ambrose O’Donovan. Jerome Henry will officiate the match.
This game is one of four All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals. The other Munster county still in the championship, Cork, will play Dublin at Croke Park at 6:15pm on Saturday, with that game also broadcast on GAA+.

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Killarney café to host free event in aid of local charity

A local cafe in Killarney is hosting an event to celebrate cherished sporting memories in Killarney. The event is taking place in Clann Housing, Coill na Darrach on June 28 […]

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A local cafe in Killarney is hosting an event to celebrate cherished sporting memories in Killarney.

The event is taking place in Clann Housing, Coill na Darrach on June 28 and it is part of the wider Alzheimer Society of Irelands sporting memories initiative.

There will be stories, photographs, and memorabilia shared on the day.

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is organising a sporting memories initiative which aims to harness the power of sport to spark memories and create connections with people living with dementia.

John Don O’Donoghue, who is a joint organiser of the event, is emphasising the importance of events like these for those who suffer with dementia.

He said: “They offer people, especially older adults and those living with dementia, a meaningful way to reconnect – not just with their memories, but with each other. We’ve seen first-hand how powerful it can be when someone’s face lights up remembering a match, a goal, or a moment they thought was long forgotten.”

All members of the community are welcome to attend and take part. The event is free and guests are encouraged to bring their own photos, memorabilia and stories to share.

For more information, please contact: Triona Heffernan or John Don O’ Donoghue Email: soccermemoriescafe@gmail.com

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