BOTANIC GARDENS UPDATE – December, 2017:
Here’s what’s been going on in the Botanic Gardens this month:
Ground broken in the CHILDREN’S GARDEN
Ground was broken in the Children’s Garden on Tuesday, December 12th. Joe DeBacker, Sr Supervisor at Lakes Park, sent this report on Friday 12/15:
“The ABC Garden footer was poured Thursday morning. It passed inspection. Now they are adding rebar that will be inside the wall of the raised bed. (3rd picture) They expect to pour the wall of the raise bed the middle of next week (week of 12/18). They told me they will waterproof the inside of the bed so moisture doesn’t leach thru and discolor it. The bench has arrived, and we will assemble it.”
Bronze statue relocated
Joe reported earlier this month that a statue of children playing on a swing has been relocated to the Children’s Garden. These bronze figures were purchased by Parks & Rec over 10 years ago, and could recently be seen upon a hill close to the information hut as you proceed toward the Botanic Gardens. “The tree it was under was lost during Irma,” Joe explained. “Just as you walk under the children’s Garden archway look straight ahead… it’s under a gumbo limbo.”
New pedestrian path is completed
Parks & Rec reports that the new sidewalk connecting Parking Lot #2 to Parking Lot #3 has been completed. Initially, the path was mulch-covered, but now it’s a permanent surface. This is especially helpful during the Farmer’s Market (Wednesdays during “season” – October through April – 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM).
New propagation tables for the Fragrance Garden
At long last, the Fragrance Garden has new propagation tables! Volunteers were thrilled to hear that new tables had been ordered. They immediately went to work clearing away the old, broken-down tables and tidying up the propagation area. As soon as the new tables have been established there, the Fragrance Garden plans to hold plant sales at least monthly. Stay tuned for more information….
Restore The Gardens – GoFundMe
It’s no secret that the 2017 hurricane season was the harshest in many years. Plants in our Fragrance Garden were crushed by falling trees, and other areas of the park were devastated. With your help, we’re slowly making our way back. No amount is too small – click this link to donate! https://www.gofundme.com/restore-the-gardens-lakes-park
SAVE THE DATE – Lakes Park Garden Day, Saturday February 17th, 2018
We typically participate in National Public Gardens Day in mid-May. However, many park patrons miss this gardening event because it happens out-of-season. Also, it’s hot outside in May! Did I mention it’s hot? So – we’ve decided to hold Lakes Park Garden Day on Saturday February 17th. You’ll find gardening demonstrations, plants for sale, tours (walking or EZ Rider – whatever works for you), a garden tools swap meet, and special programming for the kids. More information coming soon – mark your calendars and save the morning of Saturday February 17th for Lakes Park Garden Day!
December food donation from the Community Garden
Bill Johnson reports, “We made our first donation for the Community Cooperative to start the 2018 season on 12/05/17. We donated a total of 82 lbs. consisting of a turkey, can goods and produce. This was a good start for the season.”
Community Garden beds available for rent
A limited number of beds in the Community Garden have become available. We’ll be looking to rent them out right after the holidays. Email us at Info@LakesPark.org if interested.