Jericho VT Greenbelt Flower Planting Trial Project Status

7/11/2019 Update on the trial project flower planting in the greenbelt:

If you hear a squeaky wheel going by, it is probably my wagon with mulch, or water, or new plants. Seems to get a lot of attention – perhaps I will take on a consignment of ice cream from the Jericho Country Store to sell from the wagon while watering the flowers on the greenbelt!

 

Thank You, Katrina Allen, Patty Carroll, and Bert Lindholm, our latest donors of native perennial donations for the project. Thank You Mickey for offering water from your outdoor hose line. Thank You Sally Lacy for the use of orange safety cones.

Note: We prefer native plants, however, given a zero budget beyond the black-eyed Susan purchase, we are planting some non-natives that were donated.

I am accepting native perennials for the project now through fall.

Also, running low on mulch, so keep the project in mind if you have any trees cut with wood chips produced in the process that you might care to donate. Perhaps ask your contractor to deliver it to our house and dump it in the driveway.

Please feel free to water any of the greenbelt plants at any day or time. We are asking much of the flowers to grow in the hard-pack with no amendments, so watering is critical.

Updates and photos will be refreshed periodically on this blog posting.

Thank You to lawn mowing folks for being careful to not mow the new small flowering plants!

P.S. Since many folks have asked, no I am not related to the Paquette's of Paquette Full of Posies Nursery.

Plant warm hugs and Native plants!

Seeking to live a life of greater simplicity closer to nature & helping Jericho earn its Earth Angel Wings!

                             Bernie Paquette

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Sarah Brown and her grandson Cooper assisting Bernie with planting flowers in Jericho.

7/5/2019 Update on the trial project flower planting in the Jericho Browns Trace greenbelt (area between sidewalk and road). (Bernie's Jericho beautification vision #1).

Stay tuned for vision #2: Tree-lined streets in Jericho, supported with a (proposed) Jericho tree farm (Like branch out Burlington), defined methodology/process for group contracted tree purchase and installation for Jericho residents. Seeking other interested parties to explore and develop this vision #2.  

7/5/2019 Bernie finished planting the last of the 144 flower plants, mostly Black-eyed Susan, with a few New England Asters. I expect them to bloom by about the end of July, early August.

Working close to the road raised my awareness of the close vicinity of vehicular to pedestrian travel lanes.

Anyone who wishes to help the plants along is welcome to water one or more of the flower planting sites any time. I will continue to accept donations of native perennials for the project now and through fall. Donation of native perennials would be gladly accepted from homeowners as well as local nurseries. 

Thank You to Leslie Nulty, Ann & Tom Baribault, and Gaye Symington for their perennial donations.

7/1 Sarah and Cooper join me in planting some of the flower plants near Barber Farm Road.

6/29 Began full-fledge planting of first 18 Black-eyed Susans.

6/27 The first Black-eyed Susan is planted in the greenbelt to see how it will do in the current 80-degree weather. The plan is to plant most if not all of the rest of the plants before July 4. 

6/25 Bernie acquires wood chips for mulch for the upcoming plantings, from a Jericho resident.

6/8 Sam recommends transplanting the plants from 1" pots to 4" pots to allow more root growth before planting. Sam and Bernie provided pots, and Bernie purchased potting soil 
and transplanted the plants, and nursed them along through June. 

Early June, Bernie picks up the starter plants purchased by the town of Jericho from the Intervale Conservation Nursery. 

5/1 Sam Chicaderis, Vt certified horticulturist, and two other Jericho residents volunteer to assist Bernie with the project.

4/24 FPF notice listed to seek vols. to join Bernie in the project. Also requested donations of home garden native perennials for the project. 

Looking forward to hearing from you and working with you on this trial towards beautifying Jericho public walkways and giving drivers another visual that emphasizes the walkway portion of the town-scape.

4/23 Bernie orders 144 starter plants (in 1" pots) consisting of Black-eyed Susans and some New England Asters. Intervale Conservation District is out but agrees to start new plants from seed for us.

4/18 Bernie presents a plan for a trial planting, to the select board. The plan is approved.

4/3 Bernie approached Todd Odit via the Jericho web page about an idea for flower and tree planting in the green belt.

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Emailed comments:

• Thank you for the project update. Carry On! Thanks for reminding us all to see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower 

Wayne

• Thanks for the picture. We have been watering them. I actually hope for some rain. Thanks for all you do. Sarah

• Thank you, Bernie, for all of this!!! We live on Barber Farm and are looking forward to the flowers! Maybe we can help in some way!
                                            Kate and Jerome

•  I noticed you did the Barber Farm triangle and that made me so happy! After the middle of the month, I could check it for weeds and water if that helps. Thank you so much for organizing and implementing this project.
  Best,
      Sam

• Outstanding!  Thanks for sending--and doing--this!!
              Tim