topic Re: Community Beautification Project in Garden

Community Beautification Project

Lilysmom — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 21:35:26 GMT

Eighteen months ago, a small group (5) of community members got together to do a beautification project around an industrial section of the main road that connects our communities and leads to one of the Province's major tourist destinations.

It took a tremendous amount of work, fund raising, planning and doing to complete the project. Some businesses were on side and some were not and tried to obstruct the project.

We are finally almost finished. Photo one is the before. On one corner of the intersection leading into the industrIal Park, we removed industrial signage, placed an 18 ton address rock and planted a huge garden among granite boulders. In the garden are native plants, hardy to our region, rhododendrons, Rose of Virginia, Bayberry, etc which will mature into 3-5' shrubs that will provide seasonal flowers and color.

On the opposite side of this corner, we laid a bed of granite boulders and commissioned an artist to make a metal replica lighthouse, galvanized, powder coat painted and 25' in height.

Our last job is to place uplighting for the address marker rock and the lighthouse. We have totally transformed the area.

This is Phase 1 of a multi phase project to improve the vista for communities and tourists alike. The road is known as The Lighthouse Route.

What do you think? LM

I have shown the photo below to give you an idea of scale. The men are around 6 feet tall.

Re: Community Beautification Project

Leggett28 — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 21:44:53 GMT

Great job.

Re: Community Beautification Project

Kachina624 — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 21:48:43 GMT

It's quite an improvement. It should really shine in a couple of years when the plantings fill in. I'd love to see it then as it's a bit hard to visualize.

Re: Community Beautification Project

Lilysmom — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 22:04:06 GMT

@Kachina624 , we who garden get that it will take a few years for the plants to be established and to have that wow factor. I think the garden is going to be lovely. The shrubbery was donated to our community from a local horticultural school.

The Lighthouse is currently the wow factor but I am hoping, in time, the garden will be lovely. LM

Re: Community Beautification Project

1Snickers — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 01:28:32 GMT

What an improvement! Congratulations on a great job! Please do send photos when the plantings are in! 🌿🌱🌾🌳

Re: Community Beautification Project

phoenixbrd — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 03:08:21 GMT

@Lilysmom Congratulations to you and your colleagues for this project that will create a lasting change in your community. It is lovely, and will only become more attractive in time. Much respect for your transformation work

Re: Community Beautification Project

Kachina624 — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 06:41:14 GMT

@Lilysmom I wondered....will the lighthouse have a light?

Re: Community Beautification Project

Lilysmom — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 09:18:31 GMT

@Kachina624 , you never miss a trick! you will see the light beacon below. It is decorative, not functional. The entire lighthouse will be uplit as will the address marker stone.

@1Snickers , the garden is already planted. My comment was that it will take a couple of years for the shrubbery to become full size. LM

Re: Community Beautification Project

SunSprite — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 09:46:03 GMT

@Lilysmom This is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. Hats off to you and your fellow community members!

You should all be very proud of yourselves and the wonderful changes you've made. It's inspiring, and a good kick in the pants to me to be more of a "do-er" and less of a "someone should do something about that" person.

Thank you for sharing!

Re: Community Beautification Project

Lilysmom — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 16:49:33 GMT

@SunSprite , thanks for your kind words. We took an ugly corner and made it beautiful. We are moving on to Phase 2 for 2020 amd hope to continue through our communities to add areas of interest for residents and tourists alike. LM

Re: Community Beautification Project

SunSprite — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 21:43:37 GMT

@Lilysmom That's wonderful! I hope you will keep sharing with us as you continue your progress. You may have to nudge me though in Community Chat because I always forget to check in on the garden side

I did want to share with you that because of your post I went into work and emailed my group to see if anyone was interested in volunteering for Habitat for Humanity once the weather gets better (stops raining). One of the young ladies offered to set it up and we've got 8 people committed so far! We used to do that a couple of years ago as a team and for some reason stopped.

I'm just so glad I saw your post. Look at all the good stuff you are spreading from far away

Re: Community Beautification Project

JustJazzmom — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 01:49:48 GMT

You folks did a fabulous job! @Lilysmom

Re: Community Beautification Project

Kachina624 — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 04:43:01 GMT

@Lilysmom I watched a documenty today about a similar project in Philadelphia. They rehabbed a vacant lot where kids played basketball and turned it into a beautiful garden. I know these projects must be a ton of work for volunteers.

Re: Community Beautification Project

Lilysmom — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 08:54:27 GMT

@SunSprite , isn't it wonderful that you and your volunteers are getting into action. That made my day early in the morning.

We are just starting phase 2 which will be a large mural probably with some shrubbery around it. I will keep you posted.

You're right about the amount of work. We ran into obstacles especially with some of the businesses trying to thwart the project but were able to overcome them. We have had tremendous positive feedback from our community and, yes, from the businesses as well.

I can't tell you how many people donated materials and services to our project. It was heartwarming.

Keep me posted on your progress @SunSprite ! LM

Re: Community Beautification Project

Lilysmom — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 08:59:13 GMT

@JustJazzmom , thank you!

It is hard to convey the change in the property at this intersection, especially in winter, but it is significant. LM