Looking Ahead to Spring ~ and a New Garden for the Fayette Road Island

~ Submitted by Patty Carluccio ~ Vice President, Bedford Garden Club

The Bedford Garden Club accepted a wonderful opportunity to support neighborhood islands around Bedford when Bedford resident Marillian Missiti, President of Buono Pest Control, approached the Garden Club asking for help to rejuvenate a neglected island on Fayette Rd.  The island is in front of the house where she grew up and where her mother still lives.  Thus, a pilot project was initiated.

The Garden Club is interested in this project, but currently Garden Club members are stretched thin caring for highly visible islands around Bedford.  In order for this project to be successful, local residents are needed to create and care for the island with support from DPW and the Garden Club.  Marillian and resident Shannon Dillon worked with neighbors to confirm that neighborhood support exists for this project.

The Garden Club then needed to get approval from the Select Board this past fall in order for the Bedford DPW to provide compost and mulch to the site.  The Select Board was very enthusiastic about this project and agreed DPW can help out.

Planning the garden is important because there is no water at the site.  The plan is to plant native, drought-tolerant perennials along with some perennial kitchen herbs for the neighbors.  The plants will all be transplanted from Bedford gardens.

In November, the DPW provided compost at the site.  Approximately 15 neighbors worked with Bedford Garden Club members Patty Carluccio and Beth Taylor to spread the compost on top of paper shopping bags to suppress weeds in preparation for spring planting.  The group spent approximately 1 ½ hours working together and having a good time engaged in beautifying the island.

In the spring, the Garden Club will support the neighbors in planting perennials and DPW will also provide mulch to the island which the neighbors will spread.

Many thanks to Marillian Missiti, President of Buono Pest Control, for her $100 donation to the Bedford Garden Club for supporting this island; the Bedford Select Board for their support of this project; DPW Director David Manugian and his staff for providing compost and mulch; and the Fayette Rd. neighbors for their time and enthusiasm.

The Fayette Island garden project is off to a good start.

If you are interested in joining the Bedford Garden Club, please visit www.bedfordgardenclub.org.  No gardening experience is required.  An interest in gardening is all that is needed.  Club members are happy to help share their knowledge and expertise.  The programs are all very interesting and the gardeners love to meet new people.