Johnstown Set To Bloom with Colour
Johnstown Tidy Towns recently began injecting more colour into our environment by embarking on the planting of 1,500 spring bulbs. Our area is known for it's large number of trees and green lawns but not for colourful planting areas.
November Update
All the planned Spring Bulb Planting has now been completed.
Check out the locations below to see where colour could erupt in Spring 2021.
Johnstown Tidy Towns previously introduced 2 successful planting projects which are set to become annual features.
St Martha's Bridge Baskets
In 2018 Summer Flower baskets first adorned St Martha's Bridge which double in scale the following year. Covid prevented it from happening this year but it will return next summer.
Sunflower Display
The Sunflowers at Athlumney Hall on Metges Rd caught peoples attention this year. There are plans to include more locations next summer to create a trail through the neighbourhood.
Help this Autumn
To comply with the recent additional restrictions regarding outdoor public gatherings they are asking any Family (household unit) or individuals who would like to participate in planting bulbs to contact them.
The aim is to coordinate a socially distant 'Household Pod' planting schedule in the weekends leading up to December.
Taking only 30mins to an hour, the work suits all ages and abilities and does not involve anything strenuous.
Message Johnstown Tidy Towns to get involved.
Spring Flowers
Planted in Autumn Tulips and Daffodils produce flowers and scents between February and May.
They enrich our lives and offer much needed pollen for insects and bees awakening after winter.
Over the next few weeks local residents living close to the target areas will be invited to help plant bulbs at 11 sites after their weekly 10am Sunday Johnstown Clean Ups. Although there are dozens more potential locations to improve their limited funds are preventing them from from doing more at the moment. The Tidy Towns Competition was suspended in 2020 due to Covid and they don't think there will be any funding forthcoming in 2021. With that in mind they want to 'Add Colour' now since we've all been discovering our neighbourhood in the past few months and it's likely we will get to see more of it in the months ahead.
The 11 Locations
The Autumn planting locations are illustrated below and it will be followed next year with their Spring and Summer planting plans. It doesn't stop there with the group formulating a 5 year planting plan subject to Sponsorship, Funding and Community Involvement.
If you have ideas and suggestions then join in.
The 11 Autumn planting locations are along Johnstown's major routes so that they will be highly noticeable.
The 1,500 bulbs collected from Beechmount Garden Centre certainly weighed a lot and they'll go a long way to bringing colour to Johnstown in the Spring.
North Johnstown
JTT Sign, Metges Rd North
✔️***Completed Oct 18th***
Adjacent to the Kentstown Apartments the Spring Flowers together with colourful heathers or shrubs planted later will highlight the welcome sign.
Once the newly renovated Kentstown Road junction is complete they plan to revisit the fence line planting opposite.
Athlumney Hall Wall
✔️***Completed Oct 11th***
A series of spring bulb clusters should provide a welcome sight to motorists stuck in the morning school traffic.
East Johnstown
Campus Roundabout
✔️***Completed Nov 11th***
To initially provide some inspiration for a larger long term display the central bed of spring bulbs will gain lots of attention from students and Dunville residents.
Walterstown Road
✔️***Completed Oct 18th***
A route used by many travelling to Walterstown GFC Club.
South Johnstown
JTT Sign, Metges Road South
✔️***Completed Nov 4th***
Spring flowers and later include colourful heathers should brighten an otherwise green tree lined avenue.
Cois Glaisin Junction
✔️***Completed Nov 4th***
A busy road junction will be enhanced with colour for morning commuters leaving the neighbourhood and for those taking a stroll to the Athlumney Riverside Walk and Kilcarn Bridge.
A change was made from the original plan to plant on the corner after the soil was found to be saturated and heavily in shade.
West Johnstown
JTT Sign, Bothar Sion
✔️***Completed Nov 13th***
Long wild grasses cover the bank on both sides of Bothar Sion. Unfortunately a limited budget has resulted in the initial proposal being a single line of tulips and daffodils.
If it's successful then the line could be extended along the entire length of the pavement on both sides and perhaps include heather's, lavenders and other shrubs. The volume of bulbs or shrubs needed is staggering and therefore it's hoped that a grant or sponsor will be found to make this happen.
Johnstown Roundabout
A display on the banks of Elm Estate and Maple Estate will provide a welcome view to students and commuters.
Elm Estate
✔️***Completed Nov 11th***
Maple Estate
✔️***Completed Nov 11th***
Bailis Downs
✔️***Completed Nov 6th***
Street signs are frequently sprayed with weedkiller by the Council and Tidy Towns plan to use flowers to prevent this from happening.
In the long term plan permanent plants such as heathers and shrubs will join them.
Opposite Shopping Centre
✔️***Completed Oct 11th***
A more natural display has been planted around some of the trees.
Wildflowers
These can be very cost effective to cover large areas but they will require any grass to first be removed.
Tidy Towns have identified a large number of potential sites but current funding limitations means that they will have to wait for future years.
Bailis Downs Fence
***Phase 1 Completed Oct 11th***
Spare wildflower seeds, surplus garden soil and lots of waste cardboard has meant that the 'burnt strip' favoured by the council weed killer can be replaced with a summer wildflower strip. Residents have recently done all the hard work and now it's up to Mother Nature to take over and grow the first set of sowed seeds.
Dwarf Marigolds and climbing Nasturtium seeds will be sown in Spring to ensure a display of flowers over the entire summer.
When future funding becomes available the plan is to incorporate climbers, heathers, herbs and alpine shrubs to provide an all year display.
MorePlanting 2021
Due to Covid 19 the Tidy Towns competition was suspended this year and Tidy Towns fear that there will be limited grant funding and fundraising opportunities ahead. There are plans for St Martha's Bridge flower display and for a Sunflower Trail through the area but these are limited to available Funds.
Sponsors Needed
Every planting location is highly visible to a large local population and Johnstown Tidy Towns will be erecting temporary signage to promote their work.
Why not have your business logo added to their signage by contributing to individual projects to further enhance them.
To discuss Sponsorship ideas email JohnstownTidyTowns@gmail.com
'Bus Shelters'
Johnstown has 4 highly visible locations serving local and county routes. Planting at these will enhance the local neighbourhood and both greet bus passengers and provide a more pleasant waiting area.
Spring bulbs add vibrance but they don't last long therefore Johnstown Tidy Towns are looking to plant low maintenance shrubs and heathers that are both robust and colourful too. This is a great opportunity for a business, or generous donor, to gain recognition.
Example Ideas
Bothar Sion
Dublin - Cavan Route
Athlumney Hall
Local Bus Route
Get Involved
Johnstown Tidy Towns
Local volunteers aiming to improve the Johnstown environment by participating in the National Tidy Towns Competition
