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 April 2014,  Spring is springing all around our nature trail

2/4/2014

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Check out the trail throughout the year and notice seasonal changes.                  Each season brings it's own beauty. 

1/4/2014

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The stages of the trail are :
  1. Wild Garden 
  2. Hedgerow 
  3. Mini Beast Hotel 
  4. Weeping Copper Beach 
  5. Birch Copse 
  6. Heather Bed 
  7. Wood
  8. Cherry Tree 
  9. Gorse 
  10. Buddlia 
  11. Hawthorn Tree 
  12. Log Pile
This School plan shows the location of the Nature Trail. 
Check it out on Senior 4 noticeboard . 
Picture

Stage 12 : the Log Pile 
This is one of our insect homes. Rotting piles of wood are great homes for all bugs and insects. 

The Log Pile in  September 2013 

 The Log Pile in November 2013 Autumn 

 The Log Pile in January 2014  Winter

 The Log Pile in February  2014 

 The Log Pile in April 2014 - Spring             
--click on the picture to see slugs, earthworms and woodlice

The Log Pile in June 2014 - Summer

Stage 11 :  Hawthorn Tree                             
The Hawthorn is a native Irish tree. It has beautiful white blossom in Spring and dark red berries in Autumn. It gives great shelter and food to all animals. It is considered unlucky to cut down or damage a lone hawthorn as this could be a fairy tree.

  Hawthorn Tree in September 2013

Hawthorn Tree in  November 2013 Autumn 

 Hawthorn Tree in January 2014  Winter 

Hawthorn Tree in February 2014

Hawthorn Tree in April 2014  Spring         
 click on  the picture to see the buds 

Hawthorn Tree in June 2014 Summer
Stage 10:  Buddlia,                                                      
 Also known as the Butterfly Bush. They have lots of nectar so  butterflies and bees love them. Buddleias come in lots of different  colours, white, pink, red, purple  orange and yellow.
Buddlia in  September 2013

Buddlia in November 2013 Autumn 

Buddlia in January 2014 Winter 

Buddlia in April 2014  Spring 

Buddlia in June 2014  Summer
Stage 9 : Gorse                                                                       
 Also known as furze. It is prickly and  it grows all over Ireland. Gorse flowers have a distinctive coconut scent.  Somewhere in Ireland , Gorse is  almost always in flower.

 Gorse in September 2013 

Gorse in  November  2013 Autumn 

 Gorse in January 2014  Winter 

Gorse in February 2014

 Gorse in April 2014 Spring 

Gorse in June 2014 Summer
Stage 8 :  Cherry Tree                               We consider this to be our tree  as  it grows outside our classroom window. We  have become very familiar with the changes in this beautiful tree throughout the year.
Cherry Tree: September 2013

Cherry Tree in November  2013 Autumn 

  Cherry Tree in Winter- January 2014 

Picture

Cherry Tree in February 2014

Cherry Tree in April 2014 - Spring 

Picture
Cherry Tree in June 2014  Summer
Stage 7  :  The Wood
We have a great collection of   trees here. There is oak, ash, rowan and lime.                           
 The Wood in September  2013                    

 The Wood in November 2013 - Autumn

The Wood in Winter  January 2014 

 The  Wood in February 2014..

The Wood in April 2014 - Spring

The Wood in June 2014 Summer
Stage 6 :  Heather Bed                                                                                                                Heathers like poor, acidic soil.   They grow across the bogs of  Ireland.   Bees absolutely love heathers.  Pick a piece of white heather -  it is said to be lucky!

 Heather Bed in September 2013

Heather Bed in November  2013  Autumn 

Heather Bed in  Winter January 2014

Picture

Heather Bed in February 2014

Heather Bed in April 2014 Spring

Heather Bed in June 2014  Summer
Stage 5 :  Birch Copse  
 A copse is a small gathering of trees. It is cool and shady here. The caterpillars of many types of   butterflies and moths like to eat  birch leaves. The wood of a birch tree is very  hard. 
Birch Copse in September 2013

Birch Copse in November 2013  - Autumn 

 Birch Copse in January 2014, Winter 

Picture

Birch Copse in February 2014

Birch Copse in April 2014 -- Spring

Birch Copse in June 2014 Summer
Stage 4 : The  Weeping Copper Beech 
This tree hangs it’s  branches as if it is sad. It has pretty purple leaves. It will lose these leaves  for the winter. We can use them in our art work. 
The Weeping Copper Beech in September 2013 

The Weeping Copper Beech in November  2013 - Autumn 

 The Weeping Copper Beech in winter time, January 2014   

The Weeping Copper Beech in February 2014

The Weeping Copper Beech in April 2014-  Springtime 

The Weeping Copper Beech in June 2014 Summer
Stage 3  : The Mini Beast Hotel
Residents include :    woodlice, beetles, earwigs,    worms, ants, spiders,   snails, slugs!
The Mini Beast Hotel in September  2013                  

 The Mini Beast Hotel in November  2013  Autumn 

The Mini Beast Hotel in  Winter, January 2014

Picture
Oh Dear the Mini Beast hotel needs refurbishing. 
No guests staying at the moment. 
The storm did some damage to this hotel. 

The Mini Beast Hotel in February 2014

The Mini Beast Hotel in April 2014- Springtime 

The Mini Beast Hotel in June 2014  Summer
Stage 2 :  The Hedgerow
  Hedgerows are an important part   of the Irish countryside.    Birds nest in them. Bugs live in them.   Foxes, badgers, hares and rabbits  shelter in them. What an Interesting habitat!

The Hedgerow in September 2013 

The Hedgerow in  November  2013 Autumn.

The Hedgerow in  January 2014  Winter 

Picture

The Hedgerow in February 2014

The Hedgerow in April 2014  - Springtime 

The Hedgerow in June 2014 Summer
Stage 1 :  The Wild Garden
 We have let this area grow wild.  Bees and bugs love wild flowers and plants.   We have planted two oak and two rowan trees here.      Both trees are native to Ireland.
The Wild Garden in September 2013 
Yarrow , Ragwort, Knapweed,  Tormentil Buttercup, Willowherb and Daisy
The Wild Garden in  November 2013 Autumn

The WIld Garden in  January 2014 --- Winter 

Not a wild flower to be seen in our wild garden today the 6th of January. Aran braved the cold to take this photo!
Picture

 The Wild Garden in February 2014

The Wild Garden in April 2014 - Springtime 

The Wild Garden in June 2014 Summer
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    Join Aran and his classmates
     on our new Nature Trail . 

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Principal: Sarah McGinley

Secretary: Margaret Wynne

Patron: Ability West

Phone number: 091521895
Role number: 19047H

stjosephsp.ias@eircom.net

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