Athenry News & Views Summer 2026

Athenry News & Views

Minimalist Gardening For those with an interest in using and enjoying your land

By Philip Magnier with input from Majella Cummins (landscaper)

Growing Small Trees on your Land Trees are brilliant, both deciduous and non deciduous. They are constantly changing by growing larger, and sometimes by displaying and shedding leaves. They provide large focal points, shelter for birds, food for insects, and beauty for the eye. They can grow to great heights and the shade can impede other plants and flowers and spoil a view. These recommended trees should grow to suitable heights for a half acre site.

Crab Apple Malus of various types, including Evereste, with Sylvestris being the native variation. Brilliant white blossom for the former and pink/white for the latter are followed by small sour apples around October. The fruit can be used in crab apple jelly. Birds love it. This is a small tree which can reach 5 (Evereste) to 10 metres (Sylvestris). Slow growing.

Rowan/Mountain Ash Sorbus Aucuparia is our native variety.

Creamy flowers ripen into beautiful scarlet berries which colour early in Autumn. The berries provide food for thrushes through the winter. Mistle thrushes defend it for food. Can grow to 7 metres/ 25 feet

Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo is a native tree in West Cork and Kerry and grows wild there. It grows fine in Athenry also and is otherwise found around the Mediterranean. The fruit resembles strawberries when it is red and ripe and brings great beauty to a garden. It has white flowers late in the year, November and December. It grows slowly to 5 to 10 metres but seems to be very much on the lower end of that in Connacht.

Himalayan Birch Betula utilis “Jacquemontii” has extremely white bark and is particularly beautiful in a cluster. People have been known to power wash or scrub it! It’s not as tall as a Silver Birch and grows slow to 8 metres or less.

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