In September, as part of our Conservation Committee Project for 2012, nine members of the Gardeners and two tiny helpers went to work planting native flowering plants in the community garden area of Rushton Farms in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Rushton Farms is part of Willistown Conservancy, whom we have partnered with in the past when we created a rain garden at their headquarters.

Over one hundred Native Plants were donated by Jenkins Arboretum, in Berwyn, PA, and included such species as coneflower, wood aster, bluestar, St John’s Wort and blue mistflower. We raced the gathering rain clouds to get all the plants in the ground, helped by one member’s the twin grandsons, who were thrilled to dig in the dirt. Afterwards we adjourned for coffee and snacks in the barn. The rains the next day made sure our plants were well watered in. We appreciate Jenkins’ generosity in donating the plants, and they were happy to be involved in community outreach, which we both hope to continue in the future. The club has several ongoing community outreach projects: the flower beds at the Rushton will be enhanced by the new seedlings as they take hold and flower for years to come, and the two little gardeners helped plant the seeds for a new generation of gardeners!

Barbara Geltosky