Hi All,
It’s a beautiful day today, isn’t it? I’ve opened all the windows in the house letting fresh air in for the first time in months. I imagine it’s lovely at the PGG this morning, as well. Thanks to all our 2025 Project GREEN volunteers!
There were 11 Project GREEN volunteers who worked at the Gardens for Week 16. They were: Diane Allen, Mary Laughlin, Monica Hoherz, Jim Peters, Rina Sjolund, Barb Schintler, Linda Bergquist, Susan Ahrens, Chris Ostrander, Cindy Parsons, and Evelyn Frey. Everyone stayed our 9 – 11 a.m. hours and two remained another 1/2 hour each. It was another hot morning with 9 a.m. temperature of 78 degrees and 11 a.m. temperature of 84 degrees. It’s the humidity that makes our weather so miserable and it was 99 % for our time together. The air quality was 41, described “good” and our rain gauge showed 0.75 inches rain since week 15. Interestingly, last week the Iowa State figure showed 1.03 inches at our 820 Park Road, Iowa City site. Possibly our rain gauge had evaporation caused by excessive heat this past week, but who knows? Cindy drove Fern around with cold bottles of water for volunteers around 10 a.m. She was greeted with smiles everywhere hot and thirsty volunteers were working!
Every Monday morning our group meets to discuss the to-do list and share ideas. This week’s list was a long one. First on the list was the answer to our mystery question wondering where the Bald Cypress tree downed by our resident beaver had disappeared? I’m happy to report Tyler Baird (Superintendent of Park and Forestry) removed the tree and cut down its gnawed trunk. Thanks to Tyler! The rest of our goals included: Weeding, fertilizing containers, collecting branches from strong winds Friday night, and weeding some more. Our 2026 plant orders are due August 31. Please email me your list and I’ll get your plants ordered with Dawn Bouslog at Pleasant Valley Greenhouses. The Variegated Soloman Seal bed is ready for planting. Anyone able to donate this plant please get it to us by September 8. Questions? Contact me.
We discussed ideas for a children’s and adult’s 2026 scavenger hunt that will be available in the “Welcome” garden located at the sidewalk entrance to the Ashton House. We’re hoping to have a rainproof container made to hold the scavenger hunts for our visitors to the gardens. Please let me know if this winter activity is something you’d like to do. Also an enlarged line-out peony bed has been nominated as our PGG BIG project for an end-of-year 2025 accomplishment. So far we have: iris from Susan and Ron Haffner’s gardens, 100 daffodils, 60 Globe allium. Any other plant ideas, please let me know! I hope to have LOTS of emails about all of this.
Here are a few pictures from week 16.
Here are the numbers after 16 weeks working at the PGG: Weeks 1 – 15 + Week 16 = 690 hours + 23 hours
= 713 hours for our Project GREEN 2025 volunteers! Congratulations and many thanks to each of you glorious, fantastic, dedicated, determined volunteers.
Tomorrow I will tell you of an event September 7 at Iowa City’s Chauncey, 404 East College Street, Iowa City. The event is titled: “Join and Thrive Club Fair” and is celebrating our community’s engagement and connections. There is a film “Join or Die” at FilmScene from 3 – 4:40 p.m. Afterwards beginning at 4:30 p.m. over 30 groups of non profits (like Project GREEN) will be at tables telling of their accomplishments and needs for volunteers. The event will end at 6 p.m. Please mark this on your calendars.
Wishing everyone a grand day! Looking forward to seeing lots of volunteers tomorrow (Monday, August 25) at the PGG. Until then, happy gardening! Diane