Mullingar Tidy Towns plant first ‘perennial roundabout’
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At the new-look roundabout on October 7 last were (from left) Gerry Ward, Murty Hanly, Westmeath County Council; Westmeath cathaoirleach, Cllr Paddy Hill; Bill Collentine, chairperson, Mullingar Tidy Towns; Margaret Feely, Mullingar Tidy Towns admin; and Edel Bauer, Lynn Road resident; missing from photo, John Smyth, Belvedere House, Gardens and Park.Image 2 of 6
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Left — Tidy Towns volunteers and students from the horticulture course at Belvedere planting; and (right) the roundabout now in its finished state.An innovative project led by Mullingar Tidy Towns has resulted in the first ‘perennial roundabout’ in Mullingar.
Finished on October 7 last, the Lynn Road roundabout project began on June 27, when Mullingar Tidy Towns, along with Westmeath County Council and Westmeath Community Development’s horticulture programme, moved away from the traditional summer bedding schemes.
John Smyth, horticulture lecturer at Belvedere House and Gardens, said that urban areas can benefit from flowers and bees, and vice versa, fostering a sense of community spirit all round.
On the May 29, the roundabout was cleared and all soil excavated, as a special soil was required for the project. The new soil – mixed and sterilised by Enrich Compost Company – ensures a weed-free medium and that the plants get established quickly.
The plants were sourced locally and put in by the new level four horticulture students from the course at Belvedere. The soil was delivered on June 26 and three hours of planting drifts of Salvia nemerosa, Alchemilla Mollis, persicaria and nepeta followed.
The centrepiece contains Stipa gigantea interspersed with orange geums, giving just one of endless combinations of colours and planting combinations.
The planting scheme would ideally be carried out in October but the team decided to show the plants early, and they will now need a year to establish in their summer colours.
The plant cultivars were selected for their long flowering period, usually five months, after which their winter flower heads and frosted leaves will come out to be enjoyed by passersby and residents of the area.
Mullingar Tidy Towns would like to thank Westmeath County Council and Westmeath Community Development for supporting and helping with the project.
A spokesperson said: “It is just a small start but hopefully it will ignite the imagination of how we can use our urban spaces to encourage and help biodiversity in and reduce the need for expensive bedding displays.”
The cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Paddy Hill, said: “I want to congratulate Mullingar Tidy Towns, John Smyth of Belvedere House, Gardens and Park, and Murty Hanly and staff in Mullingar District who have carried out this project.
“It is important that we support the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and this roundabout, planted with bee friendly plants and flowers, is a practical example of this. The National Biodiversity Data Centre has produced guides for communities, gardeners, farmers, schools and so on which give tips and advice on how to support the pollinators we rely on for pollination of our plants and crops, so we can all play our part.”