In 2014 and 2015 Julie Lipp, Landscape Chair, used to always say, "We have to clean the kitchen before we can cook." In those years RIGC made major advancements in working on our landscape beds that had become overgrown and filled with English Ivy, Japanese Pachysandra, and Mulberry tree sprouts. Julie brought an expert Landscape Designer to speak to the committee, Mr. Daryl Beyers who is now NYBG's Gardening Program Coordinator and author of the book The New Gardeners Handbook.
In 2016, during the year when Johan Marfey was Landscape Chair we added irrigation systems to the north beds and with Beverly Shutes's help we added beautiful teak benches to all areas around the garden in our pathways and acquired these at next to nothing prices from estate offerings.
In 2017, during the year when Julia Ferguson was Landscape Chair we began to learn and add important native plantings to our beds and designs and again with Beverly's help we added beautiful plant ID signs all around the gardens.
Since 2018, RIGC Landscape Chair Curtis Lowrey and his committee have continued with all of these ideas and added early spring bulb colors to several areas throughout the gardens. This year RIGC learned from Matt Kibby, RIOC horticulturist and head of grounds maintenance, that RIGC can be fully responsible for the areas just outside our front gates and so the committee is continuing and enlarging a small beautification project begun several years ago. In addition to maintaining current internal beds, Curtis and his committee are working on the areas in front of our gates in a two year plan.
The final height reduction and removal of yews has been completed. We are now in the process of finishing the borders with Belgian block. Kalin, a new gardener who is also an architect has experience is doing this type of work and is handling that. The beds are being papered and mulched to maintain a clean weed free under the yews. Improving the soil for new additions in fall and spring to thrive. They are excited to be adding canada anemone and lavender later. Both of which are bee friendly and will add color from spring right into the fall! For this year they have also planted zinnias, an annual well-loved by pollinators, that should bloom by September.
In 2016, during the year when Johan Marfey was Landscape Chair we added irrigation systems to the north beds and with Beverly Shutes's help we added beautiful teak benches to all areas around the garden in our pathways and acquired these at next to nothing prices from estate offerings.
In 2017, during the year when Julia Ferguson was Landscape Chair we began to learn and add important native plantings to our beds and designs and again with Beverly's help we added beautiful plant ID signs all around the gardens.
Since 2018, RIGC Landscape Chair Curtis Lowrey and his committee have continued with all of these ideas and added early spring bulb colors to several areas throughout the gardens. This year RIGC learned from Matt Kibby, RIOC horticulturist and head of grounds maintenance, that RIGC can be fully responsible for the areas just outside our front gates and so the committee is continuing and enlarging a small beautification project begun several years ago. In addition to maintaining current internal beds, Curtis and his committee are working on the areas in front of our gates in a two year plan.
The final height reduction and removal of yews has been completed. We are now in the process of finishing the borders with Belgian block. Kalin, a new gardener who is also an architect has experience is doing this type of work and is handling that. The beds are being papered and mulched to maintain a clean weed free under the yews. Improving the soil for new additions in fall and spring to thrive. They are excited to be adding canada anemone and lavender later. Both of which are bee friendly and will add color from spring right into the fall! For this year they have also planted zinnias, an annual well-loved by pollinators, that should bloom by September.
RSS Feed
