At City Hall we installed native-plant pollinator gardens in 2023. The gardens serve to attract pollinators and birds and to provide a spot of visual relief from all the pavement on Court Square. Many people, including vendors at the weekly farmer’s market, have commented that they enjoy watching the different shrubs, grasses, and flowers go through their seasonal cycles.
The gardens are also intended to showcase a way of taking care of the landscape that is more natural than what we often see in public places. For instance, our mulch includes fallen leaves, which nurture the soil and provide cover for the many insects that use them as cover.
The gardens are pretty easy to maintain, but they do require some weeding and watering. Mary Westervelt, who led the team that initially planned and planted the gardens, has been checking them weekly – usually Mondays. She would welcome help moving the hose around and checking for sprouted Norway maple seeds and the like. Go to Contact Us and say you’d like to talk to Mary about the City Hall garden. A big shout out to a couple of fellows who regularly sit on the benches in front of City Hall and faithfully pull trash out of the gardens. Thank you, Sean and Jim!
Blooming in August: In the south garden, Hypericum kalmianum (Joe Pye Weed) is covered in blossoms. In the north garden, Rudbeckia fulgida (Orange Coneflower) and Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) are putting on a show right now. The Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet) shrubs that flank the entrance are covered with fragrant white blooms. The blooms are a favorite of bees. But don’t be intimidated – the bees are not interested in you, unless you can provide pollen and nectar!
