Benton Park Garden Committee
Meeting Agenda and Notes
Oct 15, 2006

Work Day

10/08/06

Garden Friends,

We are meeting to do short planting shifts at noon on Sunday October 15, I am making pumpkin soup and mulled wine for all volunteers. We are asking for a contribution of 30 minute shifts of planting in an attempt to keep task times to short sessions in order to encourage more volunteers and not over commit them. We want people to not be afraid to participate in this garden project and its many facets because it will require lots of help at regular intervals.

Bring your garden gloves and a trowel, I will let you know if we need other things. Lisa Watson's friend Adam is providing the native grass plugs we will be planting. Dan is getting the cardboard in his truck. Daven is giving Ken Ortman a list of fruit trees, bulbs and bushes, since we are working on getting donated items before spending the BPNA money on plants to go in before the winter. We will be spreading mulch, wood chips and doing the paths asap so we will be getting a great start on things. I am finishing up the revised plan to work to today.

Pumpkin festival will be 07, too much early prep stuff to do this year.

-Marian
 

Notes

10/23/06

GARDEN WORK DAY IMPROVEMENT SUMMARY FROM SATURDAY OCTOBER 15TH…

Under a slightly cool, overcast day we dug in for our first serious work day for the new English Cave Garden community project. The “in the garden” work team was composed of Bill Kranz, Marian Amies, Lisa Watson, Daven Schanche, Dan Guenther, Chris Rowley, Glen Rother and Nancy Galvin.

Before we talk more about that day’s event there was some volunteer work beforehand that we must acknowledge. This includes Lisa and Marian working our phone tree about the event. Also, Dan donated his truck to get a load of cardboard for the pathway base and was assisted by Daven. We want to thank the City of St. Louis for the mulch drop-off also.

Back to the workday efforts. Marian and Bill set up the delicious Pumpkin Soup and warm Mulled Wine table for the work crew. Marian prepared these two delicious offerings. Nancy brought assorted breads, butter and herbed olive oil for dipping in. With our hungry urges curtailed we began the work duties. For instance; myself, Dan and Marian used various tools, including our fingernails, to remove over a hundred tin staples from flattened cardboard boxes. These flattened boxes were spread along for 2 main paths by Glen and Nancy as Daven used his front-end loader to bring over the mulch.

Chris spruced up the mulch and future compost area by the mulberry tree and also used his wheelbarrow to bring over more mulch for the 2 paths. Glen did additional spruce-up work around the power line and discovered a dogwood tree for preservation. Dan also dug a water hollow around the 2 larger fruit trees as Daven brought more and more mulch over to encircle the trees with. These trees were then watered.

Lisa took control of the native wildflower-planting project. Her generous friend Adam has donated about 150 of these plants in about 5 varieties. Each one is in a tube of soil about 1 inch wide and 3.5 inches in length. She used a planting plug tool to punch holes through a cardboard underlay and into the soil. Kind neighbor Herman Strothmer and Daven tapped into their water lines to loosen the dry soil with a pre-soaking. Bill and Daven also helped the process along later in the afternoon with punching and planting. Look for these prairie plants along the side area of Herman’s house. They now have a straw blanket over them to help stay warm for our wintry days ahead.

Bob and Sandy LaRouche, busy with family matters, did stop by to say hello and even made a much-needed cash contribution to the overall neighborhood beautification effort. We kindly thank them and the rest of the team whose serious obligations prevented them from helping. Also, Herman overheard some idle chatter from the staple removing team about the future gazebo. As Herman is an accomplished carpenter, he offered to build the gazebo for free! If anyone has sources of good, cheap wood for this or plans, donations, etc. please pass them on. We also set up bales of straw as impromptu seating where the interpretive styled gazebo will reside in future years.

Daven collected ideas for our favorite fruit trees, berry bushes, and flowering perennials, which will be funded by the City’s Capital Improvement Funds. (Planting these may require more work parties!!)

Derek Laney called and said he could not attend due to his work schedule. We of course realize that everyone cannot make every workday but we will keep you informed of such opportunities, as there is much planting to be performed before the ground freezes up.

Please note the next English Cave Garden team meeting is Thursday, October 26th at 7 p.m. at 1960 Arsenal. (There may have been incorrect information in the October B.P.N.A. newsletter. Note we have switched the garden planning meetings to the 4th Thursdays of every month…) The phone is 314-771-9880 for Marian Amies. Some of us are voting for a garden site meeting with more emphasis on casual food, drink, Halloween style fun and camaraderie which may well happen. We can set up decorative fairy lights around a table. At this table I recommend we discuss only the crucial, upcoming progress points and leave most of the evening free for relaxing in the garden space. Stay tuned for final details.

Thanks again for all your wonderful work hours!!

This work party summary prepared on October 16th, 2006 by Bill Kranz.

(Any critical omissions please let me know so I can revise and re-issue!! Thanks again...)
 

Last updated: Friday, November 14, 2008