Burlington CT: Master Gardeners To Create Special Use CommunityGarden

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3/29/2005
New garden group to tackle project at Brown-Elton Tavern
By JOANNA MECHLINSKI , The Bristol Press

BURLINGTON -- A new gardening group will tackle a special garden at
Brown-Elton Tavern this spring.
Four master gardeners from Burlington, Plymouth and Barkhamsted -- graduates
of a yearlong horticultural program run by the University of Connecticutbs
Cooperative Extension who wanted to develop more of a community focus --
developed NW Mountain Laurels, a branch of the Connecticut Master Gardeners
Association.

"We wanted to develop nearby community projects, offer free educational
lectures and share ideas with garden-loving folks," said master gardener
Jackie
Shadford of Burlington. "Itbs more fun to do stuff in your own community."

One of the groupbs first projects is an heirloom garden at Brown-Elton
Tavern
on the Town Green.

"Flowers, both annual and perennial, will be interspersed throughout
shrubbery and planted in geometric raised flowerbeds to mirror the parlors of
the
tavern," Shadford said.

The "parlor garden," as it is called, will have handicapped-accessible paths.
Shadford said the types of flowers arenbt definite yet, although the group
is
considering roses, foxglove, dianthis, astors, daisies, digitalis, bee balm,
flox, poppies and lots of herbs.

The groupbs other project will be at Boyd Woods in Northfield, near a small
pond known as the Plash.

"Native wildflowers, trees and shrubs will be planted to discourage erosion
and to attract wing creatures," Shadford said.

To raise money for the tavern garden, Shadford will host a garden workshop at
her home, 149 Nepaug Road April 16 at 10 a.m. Participants will be taught how
to make reproduction antique cement troughs, steppingstones and garden
structures. Experts will be available to help guide participants through the
process. The cost, which will cover materials, is $8 for members and $10 for
nonmembers,.

Those unable to attend will be able to purchase items at the Motherbs Day
plant and gift sale May 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the tavern.

The group meets the first Wednesday of each month. Since there are no dues,
meetings are held wherever free space is available. The public is invited to
attend.

The NW Mountain Laurelsb next lecture will be at Sessions Woods, Route 69,
on
April 6 at 7 p.m. Naturalist and historian Walter Langraf, curator of Stone
Museum in Barkhamsted, will speak about native wildflowers.

For more information, call Shadford at 675-3425.

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