National Tree Week is an annual, week-long festival celebrating all positive aspects of trees in our lives and environment.  It is organised by the Tree Council of Ireland with the support of Coillte. National Tree Week takes place from 3-10 March 2013.  The theme is ‘A Feast of Trees'. With this theme, we are asking people to recognise and celebrate the role of trees in providing food for humans, birds, bees and other wildlife.  The range of foods from trees - fruit, nuts, seeds, oils, leaves, roots and bark will be highlighted along with the relationship between trees, bees, pollination, and food crop production.

 

The primary aim of National Tree Week is to encourage people to plant more trees and the emphasis in 2013 will be on planting trees that provide a food source for humans, birds, bees and other wildlife. 

National Tree Week is an opportune chance for Tree Council member organisations, corporate and business interests, local authorities, tidy towns and community groups, schools, families and many others all over Ireland to do something positive for their local landscape.  By setting up events for National Tree Week within your community or organisation, you can inspire people, young and old, to get out into the fresh air and together plant thousands of trees.  It is great fun too - even on a wet blustery day, the thrill of going out and getting your hands dirty, something many of us don't do often enough, is really rewarding and satisfying whether you are planting one tree or a hundred.  One of the main projects of National Tree Week 2013 is the distribution of over 15,000 trees, sponsored by Coillte, and distributed by local authorities throughout the country to local community groups and schools for planting during and around National Tree Week.  If your school or community group would like to receive some of these trees for planting during National Tree Week, contact your local County or City Council.

How To Get Involved

To be part of National Tree Week, the Tree Council of Ireland invites you to organise one or more events for the week to celebrate trees. As well as tree planting ceremonies, the range of events can include forest and woodland walks, nature trails, workshops, woodturning displays, talks, tree hugging, tree climbing, broadcasts, launches, poetry readings, exhibitions, dramas, competitions and tree plantathons where communities are challenged to plant a target number of trees on a designated local site over a fixed time period. Don't forget to register your event, so that other people can come and join you!

 

Advertise Your Event

 

Download Poster

 Download the Tree Council of Ireland National Tree Week 2013 Poster.pdf. You can also use this to advertise your own event by downloading the National Tree Week poster, write in the time, place and a contact number, and put it up on local notice boards.

 

If you would like to receive hard copies of the poster in A2 size, please send your request by e-mail to trees@treecouncil.ie

You can also register your event and we will publicise it free on our website.

 

 

What can you do to celebrate National Tree Week?

• Check out the National Tree Week events programme and take part in an event near you.
• Celebrate National Tree Week in your school by planting a tree or in the classroom by drawing pictures or making leaf prints or bark rubbings of trees, read or write poems or stories about trees, learn how to measure the height and spread of a tree, produce a class drama about trees.
• Encourage your local residents association, tidy towns group, youth club, sports club or other local organisation to get their members involved in a tree planting or tree maintenance project (eg. clean-up a local woodland) in your area.
• Volunteer in a local community tree-planting event. You’ll meet new people and make a difference in your community.
• Organise a walk or trail to showcase and tell the stores of any large, unusual or historic trees in your community.
• Commemorate an event of significance in your community by planting a tree and organise a community celebration or get together to mark the occasion. 
• Celebrate the week in a personal way by planting a tree yourself in your own garden.
• Take some time to read a book about trees or find our more about their characteristics, their uses, folklore etc. Learn to identify trees in your neighbourhood.
• Enjoy the outdoors. Visit a local forest or park or take a nature walk and enjoy observing and being in the company of trees.
• Those in the business community could sponsor a community tree project.

 

Garden Centre Promotions During Tree Week 2013

The Tree Council of Ireland in conjunction with Bord Bia is especially encouraging garden centres and nurseries throughout the country to take the opportunity of National Tree Week to organise a special event or promotion to inspire people to buy and to plant trees.  A number of Garden Centres are running promotions in tandem with Tree Week as follows:

 

 

Cork

Title of Event: The Secret Garden Centre are offering 20% off trees for the duration of National Tree Week and have an onsite display/resource for all customers in regard to the theme.

Venue: The Secret Garden Centre, Newmarket, Co Cork
Tel: 029 60084
www.thesecretgardener.com

 

 

Galway
Title of event: FREE Garden Class on Trees and their benefits to your garden. Plus starter pack giveaway
Venue: McGaugh's Gardening Complex, Curraghline, Headford Rd. Galway
Event Date: 2nd March 2013
Event Time: 10am
Organising Body: McGaugh's Gardening Complex
Other Details: McGaugh's Gardening Complex will be holding a FREE garden class on Saturday the 2nd of March at 10am to celebrate National Tree Week. This class will focus on trees and their uses around even the smallest of gardens. We will also cover the best way to look after existing trees. This class is part of our series of garden classes which are FREE of charge and no registration is necessary, just show up on Saturday morning. Free refreshments will be served on the day. Also in conjunction with Westland Horticulture, we will be giving away a free starter pack consisting of a stake, tie and 60L bag of compost with any tree purchased during National Tree Week.
Contact Person: Ger McGaugh.    Phone No : 0872255181
Email: info@mcgaughs.com.   Website: www.mcgaughs.com

 

Kildare
Title of event: TREE PLANTING, PRUNING DEMONSTRATION
Venue: Flannerys Nurseries, Staplestown, Donadea,
Event Date: 9th March, 2013
Event Time: 11am
Organising Body: Flannerys Nurseries Ltd
Other Details: Tree Planting & Pruning Demonstration with our Tree Nursery Manager Tom Sheridan and YVONNE O'CONNOR from KFM's Green Room. Spot prizes and light refreshments available on the day.
Contact Person: Martina Wyse.   Phone No : 045 869131
Email: flannurs@iol.ie  or see website: flannerysnurseries.com

 

Kildare
Event Title: Woodland mammals and conservation issues - Talk by Dr. Daniel Buckley, bat expert and conservationist
Organisation: Institute of Horticulture
Date: Wednesday 13th March
Venue: Johnstown Garden Centre, Johnstown, Co. Kildare.
Time: 11.00-12.30pm
Free Event, open to the public
Restaurant on site
Details:  This event will be followed by a short talk by Jim Clarke, Johnstown Garden Centre. In the afternoon, 14.00hr, the final of the Young Horticulturalist of the Year Quiz, sponsored by Board Bia, will take place for students of Horticulture on the island of Ireland. All welcome.

 

 

Roscommon
Ardcarne Plantsplus Garden Centre, Boyle and Lanesboro Road,are offering Free 2 KG SEAMUNGUS (seaweed and chicken manure pelleted fertilizer) worth €9.99 with Trees purchased during National Tree week Mar 3 -Mar 10- one per customer, while stocks last .

They are also giving a FREE CLASS on Bare-Roots- Great Value Plants on Saturday March, 2nd 11.30-12.30 Boyle and Roscommon Town, Take advantage of our low cost bare-root trees, hedging and fruit bushes and pick up some tips on planting

Date:  Saturday March 2nd
Bare-roots – Great Value Plants Ardcarne Plantsplus Garden Centre BOYLE & ROSCOMMON TOWN 11.30am – 12.30pm FREE
Take advantage of our low cost bare-root trees, hedging and fruit bushes and pick up some tips on planting.

Date:  Sunday March 3rd - Sunday March 10th - National Tree Week
Ardcarne Plantsplus Garden Centre BOYLE & ROSCOMMON TOWN –
FREE Bare-root Rowan sapling with every purchase over €20 during the week. One per customer while stocks last

 

Dublin

Event: Special Garden Centre Promotion

Venue: Murphy and Wood Garden Centre, Hills Hire, Johnstown Rd, Dun Laoghaire Co. Dublin

Date: National Tree Week March 3-9

Event Details: In keeping with the theme for National Tree Week 2013 ‘A Feast of Trees’ , special promotion of the following trees:

Tetradium daniellii “Bee bee tree” - This large growing tree is covered in late July and August with masses of white flowers – it attracts large numbers of bees and is sought after by bee keepers as a source of late summer honey.

Pyrus communis (Blood Pear) - This Pear tree has both red skin and red flesh - very tasty.

Prunus persica 'Peregrine' - Peach

Prunus domestica 'Reine Claude Verte' - Golden Gage Plum

Cydonia oblonga 'Vranja' - Quince tree

Morus nigra - Mulberry

Ficus 'Brown Turkey' – Fig tree

We also have in stock a wide range of self-pollinating Apple, Plum, Pear, Cherry also a great selection of soft fruit i.e. Blueberry, Raspberry (both summer and autumn fruiting), Goji berry, strawberries, etc.

Contact: Telephone 01-2854855

 

 

 Other Garden Centres who are running promotions include:

 

Connacht Gold (Rathscanlon)              
Ballina Road                                                
Tubbercurry                                                
Sligo                                  
0719 186500                   
Brendan O'Farrell                                                                                                                                                 
rathscanlon@cgold.ie
www.connachtgold.ie

 

Connacht Gold (Ballina)                         
Crossmolina Road, Ballina, Co. Mayo.                                                       
Tel: 0967 3588     (Anita)                    
ballinagc@cgold.ie

www.connachtgold.ie

 

Drinagh Garden Centre,

Rosslare Road, Wexford,Co. Wexford                                               
Tel: 087 2716202                    
Mr Cathal Fanning                                     
drinaghgardencentre@eircom.net                                  

 

Tuam Furniture Stores Ltd                    
Tullybeg, Milltown Road, Tuam,  Galway                             
Tel. 087 2559478                   
Rory Murphy                 
murphysgc@gmail.com                                                       

 

Dairygold Co-Op, Raheen, Limerick.
061 301299                                              

Dairygold Co-op (Carrigaline), Carrigaline, Cork.  021 4372308    

                                                                    
Dairygold Co-op (Midleton),   Knockgriffin Park, Midleton,  Cork                                    
021 4631906                                            

 

Dairygold Co-op, Park Road, Mallow, Cork                                                       
0222 1204                                                

Hillside Nurseries, Kilcoolishal, Glounthaune, Cork                                       
Phone:  021 4354423                         
Contact:  Alan Kenneally                      

 

Blackwater Garden Centre,  Kinsalebeg, Youghal , Co Cork                                               
024 92725                                              
Michael & Ithel McKenna                 

 

With this year’s theme ‘A Feast of Trees’ this is an ideal opportunity to encourage and offer customers guidance on buying and planting not only fruit trees such as apples, pears, and plums etc., but also berry-producing trees for birds, and flowering trees that are rich in nectar and pollen for bees. 

There is a fruit or nectar producing tree suitable for every site and growing situation. Watch out for tree advice clinics or special discounts on trees during Tree Week in a garden centre or nursery near you or check out the Events Programme for details of garden centres that are participating in a Tree Week promotion.

The following are lists of trees, both native and ornamental, that are commonly stocked by garden centres to provide edible fruits as well as suggested trees for planting to make your garden a more attractive food source for birds, bees and other wildlife. 

10 Trees for Bees
The following trees provide pollen and/or nectar for bees and other pollinating insects:

• Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore) – valuable nectar source
• Aesculus hippocastanum (horsechestnut) – source of nectar and pollen
• Alnus glutinosa (native alder) – catkins are a good early source of pollen
• Corylus avellana (native hazel) – early catkins are a valuable source of pollen
• Crataegus monogyna (native hawthorn) – profuse nectar producer
• Malus species and hybrids.  (crab apple)  - source of nectar and pollen.  Many named varieties such as Evereste, Golden Hornet, John Downie, Profusion, Royalty, Scarlett
• Prunus padus (native bird cherry) and Prunus avium (native wild cherry) – sources of nectar and pollen
• Salix species (willows) – catkins are a good source of early pollen
• Sorbus aucuparia and cultivars (native mountain ash or rowan) – source of nectar and pollen
• Tilia species (lime) – flowers supply large quantities of nectar

10 Trees for Birds
Trees provide food for birds in the form of seeds, buds, nuts, berries or fruits or by supporting a rich variety of insects that are eaten by birds.  Many also provide shelter, cover and nesting sites.

• Alnus glutinosa (native alder) – seeds of female catkins are eaten by small birds like siskin
• Betula pendula (native birch) – seeds of summer catkins eaten by small birds
• Crataegus monogyna (native hawthorn) – berries (haws) eaten by many birds
• Fagus sylvatica (beech) – mast is eaten especially by finches
• Ilex aquifolium (native holly) – berries eaten by many birds
• Pinus sylvestris (native Scot’s pine) – seeds from cones eaten by finches, siskins and other small birds
• Quercus robur (native pedunculate oak) and Quercus petraea (native sessile oak) – richest insect supporting tree.  Acorns eaten by pigeons and jays.
• Sambucus nigra (native elder) – berries eaten by many birds especially blackbirds
• Sorbus aucuparia and cultivars (native mountain ash or rowan) and Sorbus aria and cultivars (native whitebeam) – the berries are a favourite with blackbirds and thrushes
• Taxus baccata (native yew) – red fruits, poisonous to humans, are eaten especially by thrushes

 

10 Fruit Trees
The following are some of the most popular varieties of fruit trees for planting in orchards and gardens.

• Cooking Apple – popular varieties:  Bramley’s Seedling, Grenadier, Howgate Wonder, Lane’s Prince Albert and more
• Dessert Apple – popular varieties: Beauty of Bath, Charles Ross, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Discovery, Elstar, James Grieve, Jonagold, Katy, Laxton’s Superb, Lord Lambourne, Red Devil
• Damson - popular varieties: Merryweather, Shropshire Prune
• Pear  - popular varieties: Beurre Hardy, Concorde, Conference, Doyenne du Comice
• Cherry – popular varieties: Morello (cooking variety), Stella (sweet variety)
• Plum – popular varieties: Czar, Victoria, Opal
• Peach –varieties best suited to Irish climate: Amsden, Peregrine
• Fig (Ficus carica) –varieties best suited to Irish climate:  Brown Turkey
• Hazelnut (Corylus avellana)  – best varieties for quantity:  Halls’ Giant,  Kentish Cob, Cosford Cob
• Quince (Cydonia oblonga) –varieties best suited to Irish climate:  Vranja, Lescovacz

 

 

National Tree Week Sponsor

Coillte is a commercial company operating in forestry, land based businesses, renewable energy and panel products.  We are the largest forestry company in Ireland and own 1 million acres of land, approximately 7% of the land of Ireland. Coillte manages 10 Forest Parks and over 150 recreation sites throughout Ireland.  Coillte is committed to enriching lives locally, nationally and globally through innovative and sustainable management of natural resources.  National Tree Week is a tangible demonstration of us living our values of partnership and community and making a positive contribution to the environment.  We have been involved in National Tree Week for 24 years, supplying over 300,000 trees to community groups, schools and clubs nationwide, for tree planting events during and around National Tree Week.  Coillte looks forward to this celebration of 'A Feast of Trees' and wishes the Tree Council of Ireland continued success with National Tree Week.