GREENSBORO — Volunteers are waiting when the truck arrives, and soon the smell of pine ropes and Fraser fir wreaths permeates the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market.

Evergreen.

The fragrant mountain boughs are the center of Greensboro Beautiful’s largest single fundraiser. They are also a great metaphor for the organization itself. In 45 years, it has remained green, vital and growing.

As it begins its 46th fiscal year, the nonprofit is continuing to evolve and grow, ramping up its wreath sale into a Holiday Greenery Festival. The annual event, which opens at 8 a.m. today, now includes more wreaths and greenery for sale, 25 craft vendors, food and music.

In the coming year, the group will open a first-of-its-kind visitor center at its newest garden — Gateway Gardens. The group also is taking an active role in one of the city’s most contentious issues — tree-trimming by Duke Energy.

It’s all part of what is really a very simple mission — keeping Greensboro beautiful.

What would Greensboro look like without Greensboro Beautiful?

“Not so nice,” says Carolyn Allen, immediate past chairwoman of the group. She became familiar with Greensboro Beautiful when she served as mayor starting in 1993, and has been an active member ever since.

Greensboro Beautiful is best known for its four public gardens: Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden, the Greensboro Arboretum, the Bog Garden and Gateway. But most people don’t know when they drive down Market Street, Bessemer Avenue, Holden Road or Cone Boulevard that they have Greensboro Beautiful to thank for the trees that line those medians.

“Planting trees, landscaping projects, there’s probably gazillions of examples of that,” says Mike Cusimano, city urban forester. “They help maintain the balance between the need for development and the need to keep trees and beautiful landscapes in Greensboro.”

Greensboro Beautiful was an outgrowth of City Beautiful, which began in 1961 with financing from the city, garden clubs, merchants and the Chamber of Commerce. The organization as we know it today was incorporated as a private nonprofit in 1968.

City Beautiful continued as a branch of the Parks and Recreation Department, working with Greensboro Beautiful to coordinate projects and provide staffing for landscaping projects and garden maintenance.

This unique public/private partnership — established years before such things were common — has been one of the keys to group’s success, says Kathy Cates, director of City Beautiful.

“So much has happened because we were able to mesh the two so well,” Cates says.

Another key to success has been a veritable army of volunteers.

“And these are people who have volunteered for 30 years,” Cates says. “We couldn’t survive without our volunteers.”

That group now numbers 3,500, donating 3,900 hours of service per year.

People like Becca Pritchard, who says she’s been involved with the group, well, forever. She was one of many who donned gloves on Wednesday to help unload wreaths and ropes.

“I’m allergic to greenery, but I just take my meds and come on out because it’s so much fun,” Pritchard says.

Greensboro Beautiful has also been blessed with strong leaders, says current chairman Robert Capen: “People who have a real vision of what they wanted to happen in Greensboro.”

In 1968, the group started with an operating budget around $30,000 and a 12-member board of directors. Today, it has a $150,000 budget and two boards with 75 members between them. They’ve raised millions more in capital campaigns to build the gardens.

Greensboro Beautiful has four tree-planting programs: memorial and honor trees, Arbor Day tree planting, neighbor grants and the NeighborWoods Community Tree Planting. It sponsors community clean-ups and medicine disposal events, and holds classes in composting, organic lawn care and growing vegetables.

The gardens also host signature events, such as Art in the Arboretum and the Parisian Promenade in the Bicentennial Garden.

Though the group has met with opposition to a few projects over the years, it has generally solved them by being responsive to community needs and desires.

“One of the reasons we’ve survived so long is that we have always worked in a cooperative manner, not a confrontational manner,” Capen says.

They will be bringing that approach to one of the city’s hot-button issues — tree-trimming.

Its “Right Plant, Right Place” program will provide outreach to neighborhoods dealing with tree loss from Duke Power’s tree-trimming. They’ll provide residents with information on plants and trees that can be planted beneath power lines without posing future problems, information on trees that shouldn’t be planted there, and suggestions for other locations on their property that would be more appropriate for canopy trees.

“We want to try to turn this into a positive by approaching it in an educational manner,” Capen says.

Cusimano is particularly pleased about Greensboro Beautiful taking a lead role in the problem because of its expertise and its community capital.

“They are good at bringing the community together and forming relationships,” Cusimano says. “When they speak, a lot of people listen. They have that presence in the community. People know what they’ve done and accomplished in the past.

“It’s an honor to work with them.”

Kissing Ball Workshop – Saturday, December 14, from 9:00-11:00 am. Join Master Gardener Barbara Peshkin for a hands-on workshop to make this interesting fresh decoration to hang for the Holiday season. Bring gloves and hand pruners. All other supplies will be provided. Registration is $25. There are limited spaces, so please register early to confirm your spot. For more information and to register, please call the Penn State Extension Office at 717-263-9226.

CHEMSWEEP in Franklin County for 2014

Penn State Extension Environmental Educator George Hurd forwards this information that Franklin County will part of the CHEMSWEEP program for 2014.

CHEMSWEEP provides free, legal disposal for up to 2,000 pounds of unwanted pesticides.

Farmers interested in participating need to submit a registration/inventory sheet to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture by February 28, 2014 to be eligible. Paper copies of the registration form and information fact sheet on CHEMSWEEP are available here at the office. This has been the first time that Franklin County has been included in a number of years.

Agricultural businesses and pesticide applicators in 20 counties can dispose of unwanted pesticides safely and easily in 2014 through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s CHEMSWEEP program.

The program is offered in different counties each year. In 2014 it will be available in Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Franklin, Jefferson, Lancaster, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill and Washington counties.

“CHEMSWEEP provides a safe, legal way to dispose of unwanted pesticides,” said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. “For more than 20 years, the program has helped our agriculture industry properly dispose of more than two million pounds of unwanted or unusable pesticides, helping to safeguard our environment.”

Every year, many pesticide products are discontinued, phased out or become unusable, leaving growers, commercial establishments and applicators with potentially dangerous and toxic materials that cannot be placed in landfills. The unwanted pesticides often become a safety hazard and an environmental concern through long-term storage in garages, barns or other areas.

Licensed pesticide applicators, pesticide dealers and commercial pesticide application businesses from the designated counties are eligible to participate by completing the CHEMSWEEP registration/inventory form that will be direct-mailed. The registration period ends Feb. 28.

An independent contractor hired by the state agriculture department collects and packages all waste pesticides at each participating location, primarily for incineration at facilities approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. CHEMSWEEP covers the disposal cost for the first 2,000 pounds per participant. Above that level, participants are billed at the agriculture department’s contracted price.

The program is funded through annual registration fees paid by pesticide manufacturers and applicators.

For more information, visit www.pda.state.pa.us/CHEMSWEEP.

Winterberry: Our Native Holly

Here is Dr. Leonard Perry of the University of Vermont on Ilex verticillata our native holly.

If you are looking for an easy care, native ornamental plant to add color to the late fall and early winter landscape, consider the winterberry. Also known as winterberry holly or North American holly (Ilex verticillata), this relative of the evergreen hollies is “deciduous” (losing its leaves in winter). It loses its dull green leaves in autumn, leaving an abundance of attractive scarlet berries (orange on yellow on some selections) on every stem and branch. These are attractive in arrangements, or just left in the landscape, if they aren’t devoured by birds.

Native populations of winterberry can be found from the eastern Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and New Brunswick south to Virginia and as far west as Michigan. This shrub is generally found in swampy areas, wet thickets, and low woodlands, and is often seen in masses in such areas from highways. Winterberry can grow up to 10 to 15 feet tall, although they are generally half that height. Cultivars for landscape situations generally range in height from 3 feet up to 6 feet.

Winterberry is hardy for USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9 (to -20F average minimum temperature in winter, or lower), which includes all of Franklin county. Plant in full sunlight. This plant prefers acidic to slightly acidic, wet soil- conditions which mimic its natural habitat. Planting it near a pond or stream is perfect. However, it also can be grown in drier soil or partial shade, though may not spread as much. These characteristics make it an excellent choice for rain gardens.

It is ideal for wildlife landscaping as its dense, twiggy growth provides nesting sites for songbirds. Fruit are eaten by red squirrels, cedar waxwings, catbirds, thrushes, and other birds. It is surprisingly disease-resistant, prone only to occasional leaf spots or powdery mildew.

One thing to keep in mind is that you will need to plant both male and female plants for fruit production. Purchase at least one male plant for every three to four female plants, and plant close together.

You also need to think about placement in the garden as this shrub is at its most attractive stage from September through mid-winter when its branches are covered with brightly colored berries. In summer, this plant has only tiny white flowers. Leaves are pale to dark green and elliptical to round in shape, depending on cultivar.

Many cultivars (cultivated varieties) of winterberry grow well in our area. In trials a few years ago at the University of Vermont, best were ‘Jolly Red’, ‘Maryland Beauty’, ‘Winter Red’, and the hybrid ‘Sparkleberry’.

‘Winter Red’ is a favorite for cutting for arrangements as it is multi-stemmed with an abundance of bright red, medium-sized berries and dark green leaves that turn bronze in autumn. It can grow to nine feet tall. ‘Winter Gold’ has a similar growth habit and produces attractive peach to gold-orange berries that get paler as they age. A good male cultivar for pollinating these is ‘Southern Gentleman”.

For a low hedge or mass planting, choose ‘Red Sprite’ with its tight branching and mature height of only 3 to 5 feet, which you may also find as ‘Nana’. It was the 2010 Holly of the Year of the Holly Society of America. ‘Afterglow’ too is rather low, only reaching about 6 feet at most, and has lovely orange-red berries. ‘Jim Dandy’ is a good male pollinator for these, as well as for the 5-foot ‘Maryland Beauty’, the 8-foot ‘Stoplight’, or the 9- to 10-foot ‘Jolly Red’.

‘Maryland Beauty’ has dense cluster of dark red fruit along stem, developing color early. It is the cultivar often grown commercially for its cut stems, and was Holly of the Year for 2008. ‘Jolly Red’ is an older cultivar, originally from Connecticut, with large berries. ‘Stoplight’ and ‘Hopperton’ are names for the same plant–a newer cultivar with deep red fruit.

‘Sparkleberry’ is a hybrid of the winterberry species with an Asian species, the finetooth holly (serrata), bred in the 1970’s by the USDA. The result is a shrub, 10- to 12-feet high, with young leaves that are plum colored, and large glossy fruit that ripen early. It is reliably hardy in the Franklin County USDA zone 6 (or -10F) as the other winterberries. Use the hybrid cultivar ‘Apollo’ for pollination.

These are only a few of the good winterberries available. Check with your local full service garden center or nursery for their recommendations.

Parks And Gardens Development: The Lagos Example  

Published on December 3, 2013 by pmnews   ·   No Comments

By Tayo Ogunbiyi

The benefits of parks and gardens, especially in a cosmopolitan city like Lagos, cannot be over- emphasised. From improving our physical and psychological health to making the environment and neighborhoods more beautiful places to live and work, the benefits of parks are endless. Parks and gardens provide a diverse and quantifiable range of benefits that immensely improve the quality of life of the people.

For one, parks offer opportunities to enrich the quality of life for diverse kinds of people. Research has shown that when people have access to parks, they relax and exercise more. Regular physical activity has been shown to increase health and reduce the risk of a wide range of diseases, including heart disease, hypertension, colon cancer, and diabetes. Physical activity also relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety, improves mood, and enhances psychological well-being. It has also been established that contact with natural habitat improves physical and psychological health. Older adults with access to recreational prospects profit from the social connections and interactions that are fundamental to their well-being.

Parks have long been recognized as key contributors to the aesthetic and physical quality of neighborhoods. Today, we realize that parks are more than recreation and visual assets to communities; they are valuable contributors to larger community policy objectives, such as public health, youth development, job opportunities, social and cultural exchange, and community building.

At the community level parks play a special role, they have something to offer everyone from young children and teens, to families, adults and the elderly; their presence can also be a cohesive force. They are more than places to recreate and relate to nature; parks can also offer a multitude of opportunities to engage in arts and music. A park can be a community focal point, a symbol of its vitality and character, adding to its overall health, well-being and quality of life.

From the ecological perspective, parks reduce energy use and storm water runoff, increase the value of neighboring property, and improve academic performance among teens. Studies have, equally, shown that crime is relatively lesser in places where parks exist. The availability of recreation opportunities and park amenities is also an important  factor for investors in deciding where to invest.

The world is presently faced with enormous challenges that constitute a great danger to the environment. The consequence of global warming has been conspicuous in our environment due to increased temperature, rising sea levels, destruction of forests, flooding, among others. The necessity for a new approach in addressing new environmental challenges has become urgent to the survival of the human race. The degree to which we embrace and maintain natural tendencies in our present world is critical to the survival of the whole world.

Lagos, being a coastal city, has peculiar environmental challenges such as flooding arising from its location on the banks of the Atlantic Ocean and the lagoons, which naturally overflow from time to time during the rainy season. The problem has been compounded by the erection of houses in flood-prone areas, including on the drainages, and further obstruction of water by the dumping of refuse into the drainages.

It is in an attempt to tackle some of these contemporary threats to the environment that the Lagos state government encouraging the establishment of parks and gardens across the state. Presently, there are over 32  parks across the state while work is in advanced stage to establish additional 17 at various locations across the state. The 17 new ones would bring the total number of parks and gardens in the state to 197. The gardens and parks have greatly improved the aesthetic appeal of the environment, contributed to the global war against climate change and boosted tourism as a major revenue earner. But, perhaps, more significantly, the beautification and landscaping of the state has created experienced professionals in the art of gardening, structural design, landscaping.

It is no longer news that Lagos has, in recent years, witnessed a massive landscaping and beautification programme that has literally changed the face of the mega city for the better. The government’s environmental renewal programme has led to the recovery of open spaces from garbage, illegal structures and miscreants who used them as launch pad to unleash terror on innocent citizens and make the state look like one big slum with haphazard development.

This initiative of the state government is meant to beautify and regenerate Lagos environment from the effect of climate change. This cannot be overemphasized as the intensity of global warming is real as a lot of damage is being done to animals, plants and human beings thereby, causing serious threat to the entire ecosystem.

The Lagos State government through its agency, Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency, LASPARK, is committed to consolidating  on the great work done by the state government in changing the face of the environment. It is, principally, in order to sustain the effort that LASPARK was established. Government’s effort at putting in place gardens and parks across the state has placed upon her enormous responsibilities. It is pleasant to note that this effort was recognized when Lagos was mentioned alongside Johannesburg as one of the most improved and green compliant cities during the Environment Summit (RIO 20+) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2012.

It is, however, important that Lagosians support this government’s initiative by respecting trees, parks, garden, lawns and railings put in place across the state as they were provided with tax payers money. They should not be abused. Parks should not turned into market places, toilets, refuse dumps or places to where animals graze. Failure to control animals or allowing  their defecation or engaging in an unhygienic use of fountains, pools or water in the parks, gardens and open spaces would be counter- productive and as such must be discouraged.

With natural disasters occurring across the world, as a result of the abuse of the environment, this is the time for everyone to have a rethink about our attitude to the environment.  That we have not experienced monumental environmental tragedy should not be taken for granted as being immune from such . Thus, we must take our destiny into our hands and do all the needful to ward off avoidable natural calamities. Hence, the need for everyone to support the state government in protecting the parks and gardens across the state.

•Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

Photo by DOUG BISHOP

Holiday in the Home

From left, Kent Island Garden Club members Linda Elias of Grasonville and Lois Rys of Stevensville and guest floral arranger Mary Ellen Bay of Westminster display a number of beautiful floral creations at the 2012 “Holiday in the Home” presentation.

Posted: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 1:00 am

KI Garden Club presents ‘Holiday in the Home’

STEVENSVILLE — The Kent Island Garden Club will present “Holiday in the Home,” which will feature demonstrations of creative floral designs by Murdoch Florists, a holiday boutique and a Shabby Chic table, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the American Legion on Route 8 in Stevensville. The designers will demonstrate floral designs, which include flowers, evergreens, LED lights and other elements to create new ideas for using what is already available within the home. The designs will be raffled during the afternoon. In addition, there will be door prizes, a Shabby Chic table, Unique by Design (affordable fashion jewelry) and a 50/50 raffle. Light refreshments will be served. Tickets are available at the door for $10.

This event is the single annual fundraiser for the Kent Island Garden Club. Proceeds from the sale of the

tickets will be used to fund the many local projects in which the Garden Club participates throughout the year. Among these projects are the seasonal decorations at the historic Cray House in Stevensville, the design and maintenance of the colonial herb garden. Seasonal decorations are also done at the Love Point Train Station, the historic Stevensville post office and at the Kent Island Library.

Members also support the Heritage Society’s ongoing restoration of the Kirwan House gardens and the new butterfly garden. Other projects include the landscaping development and maintenance for the historic plot at the Stevensville Cemetery and the environmentally suitable landscaping for Broad Creek cemetery. The “Let Freedom Ring” garden at the Kent Island Volunteer Firehouse is maintained by the club. Memorial bricks for the walkway to honor those who have served our country are available through the garden club.

The garden club participates with other civic groups to support and enrich the community. On the Kent Island Heritage Day, the club participates in the parade and staffs a booth to provide information and sell perennial plants which flourish in this area.

The county-owned historic Christ Church in Stevensville has its seasonal garden planted and tended to by the garden club to enhance the lovely old building.

The KI Garden Club also works with school children to develop and cultivate an interest in gardening. Matapeake school and the garden club have worked with an interested group of students to develop environmentally friendly gardens around the school.

The Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore has invited the KI Garden Club to participate in the prestigious Art Blooms festival for more than 10 years. Each club is assigned an exhibited artwork to design and present a floral interpretation of that artwork. As a spin-off of this beautiful event, the KI Federation of Art has invited the KI Garden Club members to select artwork presented for the juried art show in the spring and create floral interpretations.

In addition to the aforementioned projects, the KI Garden Club provides financial support to the following: Adkins Arboretum, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage, the Daffodil Society, the Kent Island Heritage Society and several other organizations.

More about Kent Island Garden Club

• ARTICLE: KI Garden Club hosts holiday show
• ARTICLE: Kent Island Garden Club presents flower show

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An important change is taking place in our neighborhoods. Across Jamestown, more and more residents are leaving the sidelines and joining with neighbors to improve their corner of the city.

This movement accelerated in 2011. Members of Northside PRIDE continued their efforts to build confidence and camaraderie between Falconer Street and East Sixth Street by organizing events, bringing attention to key issues, and planning a park. In the Fairmount-McDaniel area, members of the Wild Westside held a block sale, threw a party, and worked with the city to get new trees planted.

On Lakeview Avenue, Forest Avenue, and West 13th Street, new neighborhood watch groups were organized, adding to more than a dozen existing groups that partner with police and work hard to improve the safety and attractiveness of their streets.

Meanwhile, neighborhood activists led volunteer clean-ups on Winsor Street and the Chadakoin River to remove blight and raise our expectations, and realized a vision of a revitalized playground in Roseland Park.

All of these efforts, led by neighbors, demonstrate the power of active collaborations between residents, institutions, and city government. Founded on participation, these partnerships are the cornerstones of revitalization. Step by step, they turn a vicious cycle of disinvestment into a virtuous cycle of reinvestment, giving people the confidence and encouragement to fix a porch, plant a garden, and talk to neighbors.

The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation (JRC) is working to seed and facilitate these partnerships through a number of new and experimental initiatives recommended in the city’s neighborhood revitalization plan and by city residents.

Fact Box

Jamestown residents are invited by the Jamestown Strategic Planning and Partnerships Commission to attend the reporting and planning event set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, at the Dr. Lillian Vitanza Ney Renaissance Center, corner of Washington and Third streets. Light refreshments will be provided free-of-charge at 5 p.m.

The SPPC is a volunteer group which discusses and implements ideas about how to make Jamestown a more livable and vibrant community. Ideas are assigned to volunteer action teams who work to bring the ideas to reality.

Group members include representatives from private local industry and businesses, WCA Hospital, local churches, local foundations, private citizens, Jamestown Community College, the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, the Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation, city government and the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities. Commission members are seeking input from the public on next year’s goals.

Wednesday’s event will include short reports from the action teams on 2011 accomplishments, followed by break-out groups to help set future priorities for the commission. Action teams that will report include: the Jamestown Urban Design Plan, Neighborhood Initiatives, Education, Health Care, Diversity in Leadership and Regionalism.

The Renaissance Block Challenge began in 2011 to assist groups of neighbors with exterior home improvements, creating concentrated areas of visible reinvestment. The first four Renaissance Blocks have poured over $40,000 into repair and landscaping projects on Liberty, Lincoln, and Grant Streets and Royal Avenue. Pre-applications for the 2012 Renaissance Block Challenge are now available at the JRC’s website.

GROW Jamestown, an effort to encourage gardening and landscaping, also began in 2011 by recognizing nearly 200 great gardens-nominated by the public-that add value to homes and streets. This effort will expand this year into new directions and partnerships, from community gardening to the enhancement of neighborhood gateways.

Empowering residents with vital information in accessible formats-how to plant a tree, throw a block party, report code violations, start a neighborhood organization-is a priority in 2012. So too are finding ways to hasten the demolition of dilapidated homes, ensuring that vacant buildings are properly monitored, and expanding litter and graffiti removal activities.

Keeping neighborhoods healthy, or returning them to health, is an ongoing process that requires constant stewardship and the testing of new ideas. As more Jamestowners contribute their energy and imagination, it’s hard not to be encouraged and inspired.

Landscape architecture is a huge field that affects a great deal of our physical environment, especially in urban areas where truly wild landscape is pretty rare. Within the overarching realm of landscape architecture, green and sustainable landscaping is a huge, growing trend. After all, when not designed properly, human-made landscapes can be dependent on a great deal of resources. Different plants have different needs – some require more water, sunshine, healthier soil and fertilizer, while others hardly need any of these. So the trick for landscape architects (and DIY gardeners), is learning which plants to put where and in a way that is both resourceful and aesthetically pleasing. Sustainable gardens also avoid the planting of invasive species and are mindful to the wildlife that depend on that given space. Sustainable landscaping is also often regenerative, meaning that the garden won’t need to be replanted every year.

Large-scale green landscaping takes a lot of forethought, and usually requires the designers to develop a master plan. The master plan will not only explain the look and feel of the area, but will also predict the resources and upkeep required for maintaining it. Landscape architects, planners, architects, engineers, horticulturalists and others work in interdisciplinary teams to make the project beneficial environmentally and economically. The surrounding community is also taken into consideration when designing green urban gardens. Plants serve as natural air filters, so gardens can be designed to maximize carbon sequestration. Green spaces are also important for the well being of urban neighborhoods. 

(Credit, Cameron Bruns)

Sustainable landscape design is especially popular in Boston where energy efficiency is so important to residents and businesses. In fact, Boston hosted this year’s American Society of Landscape Architects Conference, which drew in more than 6,000 landscape professionals and students. Attendees took classes in subjects like Geodesign – which focuses on using geography and GIS mapping to make cities more livable while also conserving nature. Another course offered was Biophilic Design; the study of how people interact with nature. There was even a specific session at the conference dedicated to tree planting in and around Boston.

A great outcome of the ASLA conference is “The Dirt,” or the Landscape Architect’s Guide to Boston. The guide features wonderful greenspaces throughout Boston, including The Emerald Necklace, Raymond V. Mellone Park and Condor Street Urban Wild. The Guide also refers to Boston as a “trendsetter” when it comes to sustainable landscaping. 

(Credit, Cameron Bruns)

But the American Society of Landscape Architects Conference isn’t the only opportunity for people to learn about sustainable garden design. The Boston Architectural College, which has a huge focus on green design, has courses in landscape architecture. Located in Boston’s Back Bay, the architectural college provides opportunities for both bachelors and masters degrees in the fields of landscape architecture, interior design, design studies and traditional architecture. The landscape architecture department provides education in urban ecology, hydrology, planting design and structural construction. Students at the school have the opportunity to work with real clients to put their skill to the test even before graduating. This practical learning experience makes graduates some of the best in their field. 

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories

• Recycling Programs In Boston
• Green Landscaping In Boston
• Greenest Companies To Work For In Boston
• Green Reads: Five Books For The Sustainable Minded

Cameron Bruns is the founder of BostonGreenBlog.com and co-author of Just Us Gals Boston. She lives in Boston’s North End, where her goal is to promote ethical, stylish, and sustainable lifestyle choices to all Boston residents. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.

Patch loves supporting local businesses so we’re launching an occasional series profiling homegrown entrepreneurs. To submit your business, fill out this online form. 

Business name: Dig It Landscape Gardening Service, 1444 Adobe Drive, Pacifica

What is your business known for? I’m known for organic landscape and gardening services. I give personal quality service by being the one that does the work with my 1 or 2 helpers, and my dog Celia.

I don’t have a big crew, or do I want or need one. I specialize in sprinkler, and drip irrigation, Garden Coaching, and pruning. Most of my pruning work is done by hand with no power tools.

Sustainable gardening practices, sheet mulching, composting, soil biology, and the use of natural gardening practices, I study and follow the practices of the Soil Food Web, and the Bay Friendly Guidelines, which I explain on my web site.

I use no chemicals in my business — no chemical fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides, or herbicides and especially no Round up.  I only use botanical or natural products in my gardens, weather it be maintenance, or landscaping. I can also install a laundry grey water irrigation system.

Why did you choose the town you did to open your business? I was born and raised here, and my roots are here in Pacifica.

When and how did your business get started? In 1982 I graduated from CSM with a Environmental Horticulture Degree. My uncle (which has a very successful electrical company) asked me what I wanted to do with my knowledge, and I told him I wanted to start a gardening business.

My father worked for himself as a barber in town, and I wanted to have my own business like him. He offered to buy me a truck and some tools to get me started, and I ended up working at his house to pay him off. Of course it took 5 years to pay him off.

After my uncle had offered to help me start my business, I needed a catchy name. I bought a six pack of beer and went to a college friends house to tell him the good news, and to help me come up with a name for my new business.

When I arrived at his house, and I told him the good news he said, ” I can Dig It.” I said, “That’s it!” And we cracked a beer open and celebrated.

What’s something interesting about your business your customers might not know? I don’t mow lawns. I make compost tea, and I garden with a microscope to see the microscopic biology of the soil.

For more information: info@digitorganic.com or 650-359-2147

Submitted By: David Martinez

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Midland is made more beautiful by the efforts of local residents and businesses to plant new gardens and improve buildings, and each year the City of Midland Beautification Advisory Committee recognizes this work.

The 2013 Appreciation of Beautification Awards recently honored the Chippewa Nature Center with the night’s top award, the Bette R. Tollar Civic Commitment Award. Special recognition was given for The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation’s commitment to improving Thrune Park, 210 Revere St. Numerous residents also were honored.

Midland Mayor Maureen Donker said the awards ceremony is about thanking Midlanders who do important things for the city.

“It’s really an opportunity for us at the city to say thank you for what you do with your homes, organization or business to really make Midland beautiful,” she said.

Residents plant gardens and upgrade landscaping because they love it, Donker said.

“You like creating something beautiful and you love being out there, she said.

For businesses, it shows a commitment to community.

“What it does for us in the community, is really it’s a beautiful economic development tool,” she said, noting visitors get to see what Midland is like as a community. “… Know that what you do is important to us as a community.”

Carl Coons, chairman of the Beautification Committee, said the Bette R. Tollar Civic Commitment Award is not given annually, but when the committee seeks to honor a significant contribution to beautification. He said the Chippewa Nature Center has helped people enjoy and learn about the environment and be responsible stewards to water, land and air for decades.

The nature center recently underwent a campus improvement project, adding a natural preschool and upgrading its visitor’s center.

Dick Touvell, executive director of the nature center, said it was “delightful” to receive the award. The center offers 1,200 acres of nature and welcomes everyone to visit.

“What’s really neat about it is it’s 12 months of beauty,” he said, with gardens, nature trails, river front views and more.

The Special Recognition award for Thrune Park was presented to the Charles J. Strosacker Foundation. The park has been updated with a splash pad, shaded seating and other improvements geared toward children.

Bobbie Arnold, president and CEO of the foundation, said the Thrune family was part of the Strosacker family, so the park is a special place for the foundation. They were honored to have the chance to complete the renovation and make plans for future upkeep, she said.

“Our commitment to the city was to keep the park as fun and magical as it could be into the future,” Arnold said.

Residents and businesses also enjoyed recognition during the event.

“I was very surprised,” Susie Marut, a resident on Alpine Drive, said. “My neighbors wrote in and nominated me and they didn’t say anything.”

She planted flowers and trees focusing on red and green colors after gaining inspiration at Dow Gardens. She also maintains a tropical garden in Florida, where she lives part of the year, with a total of about 700 to 800 plants between the homes each year.

Marut said she toured the other winners’ gardens and knows the hard work they put into them.

“They are all beautiful,” she said. “I love them all. I try to get other ideas from other people.”

Terry and Diane McBride, Oakbrook Drive residents, added an island of perennials to their yard this year. Terry thanked the committee for the honor.

“I feel kind of guilty because it’s something I enjoy,” he said. “I do take pride in my yard; I always have.”

Among the non-residential winners was Seventh Day Adventist Church, 2420 E. Ashman St. The church began work in 2012 to renovate its grounds, adding shrubs, potted annuals around a new sign, a raised flower bed and two parking lot aisle beds with plants, boulders and irrigation.

Pastor Cory Herthel said he is fairly new to Midland and one thing he’s noticed is how well residents keep the city.

“I’m very impressed with the pride the folks of this city take,” he said.

The entire list of 2013 Appreciation of Beautification Award winners follows:

Landscaping

accomplishments – residential

2101 Airfield Lane, Lawrence and Lisa Hatfield

3409 Alpine Drive, Susie Marut

3803 Aspen Way, Pamela Reed

2604 Dilloway Drive, Michael and Wendy Doan

1608 Foxwood Court, Cindy Cook

606 Haley St., Jessica Strefling

2500 Longfellow Lane, Ron and Kay Lund

726 Oakbrook Drive, Terry and Diane McBride

4314 Sherwood Court, Harold and Katie Filipiak

Landscaping

accomplishments – nonresidential

2420 E. Ashman St., Seventh Day Adventist Church

209 Cambridge St., Circle Area Community Garden

2410 Rodd St., Midland King’s Daughters Home

Structural and site accomplishments –

nonresidential

2713 Rodd St., Marcelo’s Salon

1009 E. Wackerly St., Wright Builders Inc.

201 Wyman St., City of Midland Canoe Launch Entrance

Special recognition

Thrune Park, 210 Revere St., The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation

Bette R. Tollar Civic

Commitment Award

Chippeway Nature Center, 400 S. Badour Road

Honorable mention – residential

15 Brown Court, Joseph Lubbehusen

1105 Helen St., Patricia Kutchey and Lawrence Lage

523 Lingle Lane, Thomas and Ann O’Brien

5612 Pine Meadow Drive, Alice Lyon

5316 Stony Creek Drive, Eddward III and Linda Strom

3611 Swede Ave., Ronald Currie

6006 Woodview Pass, Ellsworth and Sandra Ludwig

Honorable mention – nonresidential

1517 Bayliss St., Creative 360

Copyright 2013 Midland Daily News – Midland, Michigan. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

This labyrinth of seemingly disorganized plants is a rare find in South Louisiana. By Tyler F. Thigpen

Monday, Dec. 2, 2013

 
Photos by Lucius A. Fontenot
 

Permaculture is known as biomimicry, sustainable agriculture, biodynamic gardening, indigenous food production and a close-looped system. Permaculture is a science that, like all sustainable farming practices, starts with an understanding of soil properties, climate, hydrology and geology, but ends with a labyrinth of seemingly disorganized plants that work together in a carefully orchestrated symbiosis. Despite the many synonyms and the wealth of benefits to humans, wildlife and plants, permaculture is a relatively unexplored gardening and farming technique in the Southeast. In the sub-tropical climate of South Louisiana, these farms are even rarer.

The Brockoli Patch in Scott is one of those biodynamic, man-made, nature-maintained gardening systems. Established in 2008, the Brockoli Patch sits on 10 linear acres that stretch along a gradient of dry to wet soils. The range of hydrology allows for the speciose gardens occurring throughout the property.

“The Brockoli Patch is a beautiful garden of diversity and abundance with an eclectic mix of more than 250 fruit trees, flowers, herbs and vegetables. [It] is also an excellent classroom space for people to learn how to garden creatively,” says Brock Barker, owner and operator of the Brockoli Patch.
“When I started the farm I was focusing more on vegetable production, but I am now concentrating on perennial fruit, nut and berry crops. So, my current projects include increasing the number and diversity of fruit trees on the farm and maintaining the extensive gardens.”

Barker, the newly appointed director of The Acadiana Permaculture Guild, recently established a sustainable landscaping business that helps people establish indigenous agriculture and gardens in their own back yards.  

“[The] landscaping business is born from the number of people who are inspired by The Brockoli Patch and wish to plant gardens of abundance and diversity of their own,” says Barker. “This landscaping business is the culmination of the past seven years of dedicating my life to gardening. In this time I have learned to create uniquely beautiful and productive gardens, and I want to share this gift with the community. I want to plant as many fruit trees as I can, [and] will concentrate on orchard installation.”

In addition to his landscaping venture, Barker — much like Marcus Descant, AKA The Urban Naturalist, and botanist Bill Fontenot — uses his land as an outdoor classroom and offers educational tours and courses to all types of groups and ages. His interest in teaching on permaculture and landscape ecology has grown from his own experiences at permaculture farms throughout the world and from participating in the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms program.

“I have WWOOFed on two permaculture farms,” says Barker. “One of them was in Austin, Texas, and the other in Wales. More importantly I’ve had the opportunity to travel to two of the best permaculture sites in the world. The first was the Bullock’s Permaculture Homestead on Orcas Island in Washington state. It was here that I took a three-week Permaculture Design Course. The second was a farm named Krameterhof in Ramingstein, Austria. I anticipate traveling to more top-notch permaculture sites to further my education.”

 
The Brockoli Patch in Scott is a farm, classroom and laboratory
all rolled into one. Owner Brock Barker, above, runs the operation.
 

Barker not only participates as a farm hand in the WWOOF program, but he is also a host. The Brockoli Patch has hosted more than 40 volunteers from the United States, Europe and South America ranging from their 20s to their 60s in the past 2.5 years. The farm offers volunteers a bus-turned-efficiency-apartment equipped with solar panels, beds and other house amenities and outlets. WWOOFers are also given the opportunity to learn sustainable gardening and farming techniques from Brock and his colleagues. The Brockoli Patch provides a range of disciplines and skills customized to each volunteer’s specific interests. Permaculture is an ever-evolving trade that requires the interaction of beginners and experts from diverse backgrounds, and Barker’s gardens serve as a venue for these relationships.

“Permaculture is important because it holds solutions to many of the problems pressing humanity,” says Barker. “We have plenty of land and people who wish to work, but instead the land and people sit idle. Land plus education equals jobs. These jobs can provide us with nutritious food, clean air and water, increase biodiversity and much more. Permaculture is important because it shows us the latent potential in landscapes. Plants are capable of providing all of the resources that we need to thrive; we simply have to plant them.”

Tyler F. Thigpen is a wetland ecologist and past president of Acadiana Food Circle (www.AcadianaFoodCircle.org), a community-based nonprofit that connects local food producers to consumers.

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