Chinese Garden St. Anne's park
St Anne’s Park is Delighted to announce that it is now the permanent home of the Irish Suzhou Garden which was donated to the Irish Nation by the Peoples Republic of China and opened by the Chinese Ambassador on 4th February 2012.
The Garden is open for viewing from Monday to Thursday between the hours of 10am to 4pm and Friday to Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. The Suzhou Garden style has evolved for more than three thousand years, and includes both the vast gardens of the Chinese emperors and smaller gardens built by scholars, poets, and former government officials. The Chinese classical garden had multiple functions. It could be used for banquets, celebrations, reunions, or romance. It could be used to find solitude and for meditation. It was a calm place for painting, poetry, calligraphy, and music, and for studying classic texts. It was a place for drinking tea and for poet’s contemplation. It was a showcase to display the cultivation and aesthetic taste of the owner. But it also had a philosophical message as the Taoism view of life had a strong influence on the classical garden lay out.
The placement of Chinese classical gardens into their environment traditionally is vital for its success, so following classical directions great thought was put towards to its placement within the City. The model garden area in St. Anne’s was found to be the perfect sheltered home allowing it to borrow adjoining landscape features following the Chinese tradition. As a result the garden has gently harmonized with the Parks existing Mature Pines that peer over the boundary wall and Bamboo peep through the ornamental doors, a backdrop readymade and waiting for the Garden to arrive. Finally the setting is completed by the historical clock tower overlooking the garden providing a beautiful historical reference to the beginnings of St Anne’s.
Dublin City Council are delighted to have St Anne’s park as the home for this beautiful Garden and we have no doubt that it will provide pleasure and delight to anyone who visits the calm gentle atmosphere that is the Irish Suzhou Garden.
Three new Tree Trails
Dublin City Council has announced three new tree trails in city parks as part of National Tree Week.
The new trails are located at Albert College Park, Glasnevin; Herbert Park, Ballsbridge and Lansdowne Valley Park Inchicore. Lord Mayor Andrew Montague opened the Albert College Tree Trail on Monday 5th March. The Herbert Park Tree Trail also opened as part of National Tree Week with Lansdowne Valley Park to follow later this spring.
This brings to seven the number of Tree Trails the council’s Parks and Landscape Services Division now provides. The trails are a great way to explore nature and some of the best recreational amenities the city has to offer. Guides for the trails are on our Trees in the City page
Poppintree Park wins 2012 Best Public Park Award
Poppintree Park has won the 2012 Best Public Park Award, a national award, from the Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) which represents elected councillors nationwide. The Award was presented by Minister Phil Hogan to Ballymun Regeneration Ltd., who designed and built the Park, and to Dublin City Council who manage the Park.
The Park was recognized as:
A sustainable urban park regeneration project - managing natural systems and recreation in a safe, educational and enjoyable environment. Opportunities for play, sport, contact with nature and socialising for the region of northwest Dublin. A community asset for raising the quality of life and biodiversity. A destination.
Trees for Fish
Finglas celebrated National Tree Week by planting trees for fish! Tolka Trout Anglers association organised a native tree planting with help from St. Kevin’s National School. The native trees, including oak, downy birch, alder, ash and willow, will improve conditions for trout and salmon in the Tolka and provide habitat for wildlife.
The trees planted will provide shade to keep the water cool for fish and shelter for frogs, bats, nesting birds like the kingfisher, egrets, herons and many others.
The project was funded by a Local Agenda 21 grant, Tolka Trout Anglers Association and Dublin City Council Parks and Landscape Services Division, with cooperation from Inland Fisheries Ireland’s ‘Dublin Angling Initiative’ and DCC North West Area Office.
Ireland’s Second National Biodiversity Plan, Actions for 2011-2016
Ireland’s Second National Biodiversity Plan, Actions for 2011-2016 was launched in November 2011. It contains a Vision Statement, Strategy and specific Actions to be completed by 2016. It can be viewed by clicking here.
Dublin City Council continues to progress these Actions and to support and promote Biodiversity through all of its services and policies, in accordance with the National Plan, the DCC Biodiversity Action Plan 2008-2012 and the Dublin City Development Plan 2011-2017. Dublin City Council has had an officer for Biodiversity since 2005.
The designated officer for Biodiversity since 2009 is Maryann Harris, Parks and Landscape Services Division, contact 222-3806 or by email: biodiversity@dublincity.ie
For further information on Biodiversity in Dublin City, please click here.
Dublin City Council’s role in historic recording of salmon in Tolka
Juvenile wild Atlantic salmon have been recorded in three locations in the River Tolka for the first time in well over one hundred years. This is thanks to the Tolka Flood Relief Scheme which was carried out by the Office of Public Works, Dublin City Council and Meath and Fingal County Councils. 
The scheme improved water quality and removed or modified a number of man-made weirs which opened the river up to migrating fish stocks and this has resulted in the historic recording of wild salmon in the Tolka at Glasnevin, Finglas and all the way upstream to the Tolka’s headwaters in Dunboyne.
The salmon’s habitat will be further improved by the Inland Fisheries Ireland enhancement plan that Dublin City Council is implementing at Tolka Valley Park, Cardiffsbridge. Once complete, there will be a new linear park along the Tolka River at the Pelletstown area which will include the improvement of fish habitat and the control of invasive species including Giant Hogweed. 
The regional park includes new planting of thousands of trees and shrubs and will provide a continuous cycle and walking route along the River from Ashtown to Glasnevin, with partial funding from the National Transport Authority.
Autumn Play Activities in Ballymun Parks
Bloom in the Park 2011 
Riverrun, the Dublin UNESCO City of Literature Garden, won 2 prizes at Bloom in the Park 2011; Best Overall in Show (Small Gardens) and Silver Medal.
Bord Bia invited Dublin City Council to exhibit the garden for UNESCO designation. The Garden was designed by Parks and Landscape Services Division. Libraries and Parks prepared information leaflets. Libraries scheduled actors and authors to read from the garden.
Sponsorship was by Parks and Landscape Services Division, Central Area Office and Dublin City Libraries.
The Garden is now permanently located at Phibsboro Public Library grounds and will be a venue for future literary events.
Bushy Park Masterplan Update
Dublin City Council Parks Department commissioned MosArt to prepare a Landscape Masterplan and Management & Development Plan to ‘identify management, maintenance, development and landscape design objectives’ for Bushy Park. The brief required a set of consolidated guidance documents to provide the direction for future design and management decisions relating to the Park. The project was divided into two stages with the first one being a combination of professional evaluation and public consultation. The second stage was the development of design and management objectives based on the findings of stage one.
MosArt recently presented their Landscape Masterplan to the South Central Area Committee. Download the presentation or read more about Bushy Park.
Guidelines for Open Space and Landscape Development Works
The Parks and Landscapes Services Division of Dublin City Council have issued general guidelines for the development of open space to ensure quality standards are met. Persons preparing planning applications, including landscape professionals, should be aware of the specific European and national standards relating to open space and landscape development works. Read the guidelines.