Hi All,
Our PGG work is going quickly this year. We are remembering week 6’s challenge of watering the 2025 Gardens which explains how we have over 300 volunteer hours together. Johnson County is now considered 100% as “Abnormally Dry” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. It’s possible we will need to water more than once/week Many thanks to Project GREEN volunteers by (extra) caring for our plants during the hot/dry weeks of June. Many thanks to Jim Peters by arranging hoses at each earth pocket watering system available to volunteers. We now have enough hoses to water nearly all the flowerbeds. The only beds outside of hose lengths are our Dashes. I know Jim wants to get enough hoses to water all 7 Dashes. Project GREEN appreciates donations of gardening supplies (in good shape) from our very generous donors! Recently we were surprised with hoses left inside the garage.
Project GREEN volunteers started arriving early on Monday, June 9. It was a cool morning with 62-degree temperature. The air quality was 54, which meant, “Get inside if trouble breathing or throat irritation.” Iowa City precipitation remains at 0.72 inches, the same as last week. When arriving early, volunteers head to the patio and its two picnic tables. This Monday I brought freshly made (Hy-Vee) donuts to celebrate my birthday with Project GREEN friends. By 9 a.m. we moved to the driveway to make plans for our morning together. Tops on our list of to-do chores was WATERING PLANTS. It’s a relief to have thick inches of mulch around each plant and hopefully Mother Nature will help us soon by raining. Our other Monday morning goals were: clearing leaves from around the south and east side of the Ashton House, planting two new goat’s beard plants in the Arch bed, continue weeding all beds, and placing labels in each bed. It was an ambitious list, but as usual, Project GREEN volunteers were able to accomplish most.
Since last week two volunteers worked extra time at the Gardens. They were Susan Ahrens (2 1/2 hours on Thursday) and Jim Peters (2 hours on Saturday). Volunteers who met Monday morning from 9 – 11 a.m. were: Diane Allen, Monica Hoherz, Erin Buscher, Nick Goergen, Rina Sjolund, Hetty Hall, Jim Peters, Lisa Haverkamp, and Susan Ahrens. A few volunteers arrived early and stayed later for an extra 9 1/2 hours. As always it’s a challenge to see when volunteers come and go. If anyone is overlooked, please let me know!
I promised more information about the newest flower bed titled the “Front Porch.” Since PGG has front porch containers, this newest bed has been renamed, “Park Road Curb Garden.” Here are two pictures showing work along the Park Road sidewalk making this a welcoming site while walking or driving by. Well done!
Here are the numbers after week 6 at PGG. Weeks 1 – 5 + Week 6 = 321 1/2 hours + 32 hours….
= 353 1/2 hours for Project GREEN volunteers after 6 weeks at the Project GREEN Gardens! Congratulations to all these extra ordinary gardeners.
I will have a sign-up sheet tomorrow (June 16) for volunteers to help with the Open Gardens Weekend, June 28 (4 – 8 p.m.) and/or June 29 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.). PGG will be the headquarters for visitors to pick up their map to 22 private gardens, tour the PGG, provide cold water and/or restroom in AH lower level, and answer questions. It’s a lot of fun!
Hope to see lots of gardeners tomorrow morning as we begin week 7 at the Project GREEN Gardens! Until then happy gardening! Diane