Date: Fri 04-Jul-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

Eagle-scout-Warner-library

Full Text:

A Children's Garden: Eagle Scout Project Will Surround Young Readers With

Color

BY ANDREA ZIMMERMANN

To create something beautiful and permanent that will benefit children and

adults alike is an ambitious task. But 16-year-old Reid Warner will do just

that to earn his Eagle Scout badge: plant two gardens near the new front

entrance to the town library.

"I like to be outside working with nature, and I wanted to do something that

can grow and be maintained over the years," said Reid, who is a member of

Troop 370. "It will be a children's garden, with stepping stones to a bench

where a librarian can sit and read to kids in the grass area."

Both perennial gardens will be situated on the front, left hand side of the

building.

The garden flush against the library will have Shasta daisies, lamb's ears,

peonies, blue oat grass, flowering cabbage, rudbeckia, winter berry, butterfly

bush, lavender, caryopteris, primrose, and red twig dogwood.

The second garden will be comprised of peonies, alyssum, astilbe, creeping

phlox, artemisia, asters, and blue oat grass.

Reid will match the grass used in other areas of the library. And he already

has his eye on a sculpture he hopes someone will donate - a 30-inch little

scholar garden sculpture of 19th century Italian design.

Reid began planning the gardens last August. Part of the requirement for

earning the badge is to exhibit leadership while executing a project that will

benefit the community. Everything is documented - a detailed description of

the project, who will benefit, the materials to be used, how many people are

needed to do the labor. He estimates the total project, from planning to

completion, will take 130 man-hours.

"You have to organize people to do it along with you, and all the materials

have to be donated," Reid explained. "I've been keeping records - every single

phone call, things done, and any meetings in this log. It's really important

to stay organized."

Local businesses have already donated some of the materials needed for the

garden. Agway contributed 10 bags of mulch, O&G gave 40 stepping stones,

Planter's Choice, Hollandia Nursery, Newtown Farm and Garden Center, and

Lexington Gardens all donated plants. Newtown Hardware also contributed to the

project, as did Rock Ridge Construction, which purchased a teak bench for the

garden. "Everyone's been receptive and willing to help out," said Reid. "It's

really nice."

Reid chose to use plants that would provide color in the garden through

different seasons. He also had children in mind when he decided on the fuzzy

lamb's ear and fragrant butterfly bush - "things children can touch or smell."

Although he was familiar with some aspects of horticulture, the scout read

books to learn more as the project progressed.

"I had to work closely with the architect and contractor; I had to make sure

I'm not interfering with their project and they're not interfering with mine,"

said Reid. "I've been working with Rosemary Aldridge, the landscape architect

for the library project. She's guided me on some things."

Besides expanding his knowledge of plants, Reid has also learned time

management, organization, and communication skills by working on the Eagle

Scout project.

"It's a lot of work, and a challenge," he said. "I will enjoy coming back in

10 years and seeing it still there, seeing kids sitting on the bench. It will

definitely benefit the town for years to come."

Reid hopes to have the gardens planted and surrounding area seeded by

mid-August.