Garden Club Updates

by Laurie Leavitt

Arbor Day Celebration April 27th 2008

Holliston Garden Club's Arbor Day celebration marked the final phase of the Club's year-long Recycling Center project. This involved fund-raising, donating plants from member's gardens, digging and planting. 

The cloudy day brightened as Joan Butler, Garden Club president assembled the large group and introduced Holliston Selectman  Carl Damigella, who thanked the Garden Club in behalf of the Town for the year-long effort to beautify the entrance. He also mentioned all of the islands and earlier Arbor Day plantings. Joan thanked each and every one of the dozens of people who had been involved, over hundreds of hours, including: Barbara Gentiloumo, who had the initial idea of planting a tree at the Recycling Center, Jill Malcolm who wanted to expand the project, Deb Mastrangelo and Joan Butler who designed the site and chose the plants, and all of the members who had raised funds, planted and watered. Others who helped in special ways were thanked: Carl Damigella, for assistance with the municipal discount, Mark Ahronian for the 13 plants he donated, the Highway Dept. especially Scott Estey for soil replacement, rock placement, compost adding, mulching. And installing the rain water barrel which will supply the plants with recycled rain water. Alice Foote  for transporting water in our 30 gallon barrel for the young plants at critical drought time and at each planting, Carol Holly, for her work on the children's writing contest, and also the High school students who weeded and mulched.

Club members assembled and each placed a shovel of dirt around the Carolina Silverbell. Joan spoke about why all of the plants had been chosen, including their deer and drought resistance, four-season interest, and woodland nature.  A plant brochure designed by Carol Holly is available that lists all the  plants used by name and habits.

5^th Grade Writing Contest Winner, Aisling Collier-Clarke, read her winning poem at the event, and it was a very moving experience to hear her clear voice share with us her youthful wonder.  Aisling Collier-Clarke's wonderful poem," Everyone Says That Trees Are Alive", expressed how much she values trees. She received the award of a $25 gift certificate for Fiskes, a certificate of participation, and a Silver Maple seedling, (the certificates and trees were also given to all contest participants).

Everyone Says That Trees are Alive