The Tidy Towns competition is one of Ireland’s great community traditions. Every year, towns and villages across the country come together to improve their local environment, and the results speak for themselves. Cleaner streets, better-kept green spaces, more attractive public areas, and a stronger sense of community pride.
But any Tidy Towns committee will tell you that maintaining high standards year-round is hard work. Volunteers do incredible things, but there are limits to what people can achieve in their spare time, especially when it comes to the heavier, more technical grounds maintenance tasks. That is where professional gardeners can make a real difference.
How the Tidy Towns Competition Works
For those not familiar with it, the SuperValu Tidy Towns competition is run by the Department of Rural and Community Development. Towns are judged across several categories including landscaping and open spaces, wildlife habitats and natural amenities, sustainability, tidiness and litter control, and community involvement.
The competition is not just about winning prizes. It drives genuine improvement in towns and villages across Ireland, and many communities in County Louth have benefited enormously from their Tidy Towns efforts over the years.
Where Grounds Maintenance Fits In
Several of the judging categories relate directly to grounds maintenance:
- Landscaping and Open Spaces — the condition of parks, green areas, planted beds, and streetscapes
- Nature and Biodiversity — how well natural habitats are managed and enhanced
- Tidiness and Litter Control — the overall appearance of public areas including grass verges, hedges, and boundaries
- Residential Streets and Housing Areas — the condition of common areas in housing estates
All of these benefit from professional grounds maintenance input, whether it is a one-off project or ongoing care.
Where Professional Gardeners Can Help
Large-Scale Planting Projects
Tidy Towns committees often plan ambitious planting schemes — flower beds at town entrances, pollinator-friendly borders, native hedgerow planting, or tree planting along walkways. These projects benefit from professional input at every stage, from design and plant selection through to ground preparation and planting.
Getting the planting right from the start means choosing species that suit the local soil and conditions, spacing them correctly for long-term growth, and preparing the ground properly. A professional gardener can save the committee from expensive mistakes and ensure the planting establishes well.
Grounds Maintenance on Public Spaces
Maintaining grass areas, hedges, and planted beds to a competition standard requires regular, skilled attention. Volunteers can do a lot, but professional equipment and expertise make a noticeable difference, particularly for larger areas.
A professional grounds maintenance team can handle:
- Regular grass cutting on playing fields, parks, and green spaces
- Hedge trimming along roads, paths, and boundaries
- Weed control on paths, kerbs, and hard surfaces
- Seasonal maintenance such as mulching beds, pruning shrubs, and clearing leaves
Tree Care and Management
Trees are a significant feature of most towns and villages, and they require skilled management. Dead or dangerous trees need to be identified and dealt with. Young trees need formative pruning to develop good structure. Mature trees need periodic inspection and maintenance.
Professional tree care is not something volunteers should attempt. It requires training, specialist equipment, and an understanding of tree biology.
Wildflower Meadows and Biodiversity Areas
More and more Tidy Towns committees are creating wildflower meadows and biodiversity areas as part of their environmental work. Establishing and managing these areas is not as simple as scattering some seed and walking away. Professional guidance on site preparation, seed selection, sowing methods, and ongoing management helps ensure these projects succeed.
Working With Your Tidy Towns Committee
If you are on a Tidy Towns committee, here are some practical ways to work with a professional grounds maintenance company.
Identify the Tasks That Need Professional Input
Not everything needs to be done by professionals. Volunteers are brilliant at litter picking, painting, light weeding, and watering. But tasks that require heavy equipment, specialist knowledge, or significant physical effort are better suited to professionals.
Make a list of the tasks your committee struggles with and get a quote for those specific jobs. This keeps costs manageable and lets volunteers focus on what they do best.
Plan Ahead
Professional gardeners are busiest during the growing season, which is exactly when Tidy Towns committees need the most help. Book your maintenance visits well in advance, particularly for hedge trimming, large-scale grass cutting, and tree work.
Consider a Maintenance Contract
For ongoing tasks like grass cutting and hedge trimming, a regular maintenance contract can be more cost-effective than one-off visits. It also ensures the work happens on schedule, which is important when the adjudicators could arrive at any time during the summer months.
Apply for Funding
Tidy Towns committees can access funding from a variety of sources to support their work. Local authority grants, Leader funding, and sponsorship from local businesses can all help cover the cost of professional grounds maintenance. Check with your local authority and the Tidy Towns unit at the Department of Rural and Community Development for current funding opportunities.
The Impact of Professional Help
The difference between volunteer-only maintenance and a combination of volunteers and professional support is often visible in the competition results. Towns that invest in professional grounds care for their larger spaces and more technical tasks consistently score well in the landscaping and open spaces categories.
But it is not just about the competition. A well-maintained town centre, with neat lawns, trimmed hedges, and colourful planting, benefits everyone who lives there, works there, and visits. It supports local businesses, boosts property values, and creates a sense of pride that extends well beyond competition day.
Supporting Tidy Towns in County Louth
At Gardening Services Dundalk, Seamus and Pete are proud to support Tidy Towns efforts across County Louth. We have worked with community groups in Dundalk, Blackrock, Carlingford, Ardee, and beyond to maintain public spaces, carry out planting projects, and provide the professional grounds care that helps communities put their best foot forward.
If your Tidy Towns committee needs professional support, whether it is a one-off project or ongoing maintenance, give us a call on 085 168 5170. We are happy to come out, discuss what you need, and provide a quote that works within your budget. Community projects are close to our hearts, and we are always delighted to help.
