O’ Connell Street, Dublin
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Oh Seerski….”Rather dissapointed”…..You are a master/mistress of the understatement 🙂
The damn street is in bits…..do we really need another Bag Shop with no doubt a “Temporary” sign to sell its sac`s…:mad:
One would think that after all the oul IAP`ing and Publick Consultation etc that a City Council which had a serious budget to play with could have pushed the Street forward instead of leaving us with what we currently “enjoy”.
Lets face it,as a race we simply don`t “do” planning or indeed any thing remotely associated with it…..Dr Quirkeys is about as good as it gets…..oh…sorry I forgot to include Dartmouth Square in that rant 😮 😮 😮
A little bit of good news: A landscaping company are busy replacing the lime tree on the central median that was demolished by a truck last November.
@adhoc wrote:
A little bit of good news: A landscaping company are busy replacing the lime tree on the central median that was demolished by a truck last November.
Excellent 🙂 they limes are looking great at the moment, hopefully the replacement will match the originals …
@Blisterman wrote:
Lime trees? Do they grow in Ireland?
Could you actually pick limes off them and eat them?They’re often commonly known as Lime trees or Lindens, the term lime is mainly used in Britain afaik & seems to have evolved from Linden (often used in central europe & the us) … no relation to the Citrus lime.
@gunter wrote:
O’Connell Street as Unter Den Linden, that’s not really working for me.
True gunter, but the oriental planes on the footpaths will do a nice job one they get ahead … we’ll be waiting though.
Well that ‘lime’ tree is in now, possibly needs a little pruning but should fit in with others soon enough. The landscapers are also planting a couple of trees that were missing, since formal completion of the scheme, further up O’Connell Street.
Yay – I was passing on Monday morning wondering when/how the lime was going to be replaced. The survivor looked so lonely on its onio. So is there a mini-O’Connell Street in the depths of Kildare somewhere where specimens are being grown simultaneously? 🙂 Obviously most semi-mature specimens are easily replaced, but clipped limes are a tad more difficult.
I think the lime trees were one of the best additions to O’Connell Street. They’re a delight when in full bloom: wispy, soft and quite light in appearance in spite of their bulk. The lack of density with their large leaves gives them a lightness at close-quarters, and also a tactile quality. And I prefer them when they’re slightly wild and need a good haircut – they appear humourously awkward and put on a great show when its windy. Autumn also does them justice.
And of course there’s been a long history of ‘limes’ in Dublin, particularly popular it seems in the 17th century: out at Kilmainham, the gardens and walks of the Castle, St. Stephen’s Green, and various other references.
Agreed with Peter re the oriental planes – they’re going to look spectaular and already look great. They have a very distinctive bulbous shape, supported rather precariously by an elegant narrow trunk. And the leaves are so delicate and wispy. Another excellent choice.
Which is more than can be said for the weeping birches on the median – don’t get me started on those yokes again 😉
Great news about Ulster Bank too. They got to work fast! Further Information requested a more suitable location for the ATMs than under the new central arched window, suggesting the new shopfront at No. 2 as more suitable. The bank replied noting security reasons as precluding that option, but proposed moving the ATMs to either side of the new window of No. 3-4, which was approved. I don’t see why the first option was a problem – you see ATMs in windows everywhere. A shame the new facade has to be compromised in this way, but a relatively small detail.
SAP and most big Irish Nurseries have Italian and/ or Dutch mega nurseries they by off. SAP have some impressive tree nurseries of their own and something like a pleached.clipped lime would be constantly in stock. Either home grown or imported, Peter Fitz, are the Planes orientalis or x hispanica? I thought the latter.
Orientals were been mentioned from the very beginning Landarch, so presumably those. This was the initial scheme Peter listed before, since slightly modified.
27 limes (in good odd classical tradition)
24 weeping birch
38 ornamental ash
70 oriental planes.The orientals are about 25 years old – presumably the same for the rest.
Here are some specimens going in on the Upper street (where they’re going to have the best impact) this time two years ago.
So did crap apples ever arrive? Are they those with with red berries on the median? And what of the ornamental ash – are they the more fullsome trees?
GrahamH, reading your comments above regarding the birch I completely agree. Birch are an elegant, wispy tree but are more suited to gardens and business park planting. Trees in an urban, public realm need to be chunky and robust. I remember driving up O’Connell St. when the birch were originally planted and thinking and hoping that the birch looked like temporary substitutes for something more monumental. They don’t address the scale of O’Connell Street and look lost to me. I don’t understand your comment about the mountain ash? I don’t think they are suitable trees either.
Birch and mountain ash are pioneer species that are the first to inhabit new areas. Short lived and lighter framed to endure exposed situations. Oaks; Limes and Planes are dominant trees that gradually take over and push out the pioneer plants.
If it is about preserving views of the Spire something neat and compact in form would be ideal. Some well chosen Fastigiate Oaks would compliment the scale and size of the Planes and Limes. The fastigiate oaks on Camden Street havent all developed particularily well they probably should have gone in at a larger size.
@Peter FitzPatrick wrote:
They’re often commonly known as Lime trees or Lindens, the term lime is mainly used in Britain afaik & seems to have evolved from Linden (often used in central europe & the us) … no relation to the Citrus lime.
That’s a shame. How great would it be, to sit in the middle of O Connell St, making margharitas?
@Landarch wrote:
Peter Fitz, are the Planes orientalis or x hispanica? I thought the latter.
Yeah we had some confusion about this before, i also thought they were x hispanica initially, the orientalis leaf seems to be more heavily serated, i’ve had a good look a few times & i reckon they definitely are platanus orientalis …
Of course oriental planes is what the council have on their list, but they didn’t stick too much to their list for the median now did they :rolleyes:
Graham, think I should concede at this stage that the birch & mountain ash were a mistake, seem to recall defending the Birch initially ! perhpas my judgement clouded slightly by my love of Birch & the specimens used are lovely in themselves. It may have worked a little better if they weren’t mixed with the mountain ash … Initially i thought birch on their own, (pendula ‘Tristis’ i think landarch?) would have acted as a nice softening touch to the strength of the oriental planes (once they bulk up down the line) … the mountain ash were not suitable from the start.
@Blisterman wrote:
That’s a shame. How great would it be, to sit in the middle of O Connell St, making margharitas?
😀 now that would be nice
I just missed this on ebay, it went for more than I wanted to spend but I am kind of in mourning; look at it, it is 1860 at the latest and it is amazing through the viewer, the scale, the space, the formality and then the funny old bridge.
thats some shot … might i ask how much was too much notjim ? we could have gone halves … and worked ownership in rotation 😉
. . or cut it in two and only seen it three-d when we meet. 103 USD in the end. You can get Sackville St with trams for c2 USD, but this is rare, I haven’t seen it before, There is an OCS with rubble and destruction from 1916 which I have seen for sale three times now, but it always goes for c100.
its a new one on me too, bridge is the best bit … i’ve just spent at least that on a night out & reckon, having seen that, i could have spent my money a little better 😉
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