Under the direction of the Green Sanctuary Committee, we added a rain garden to People’s property in September of 2023. We filled the garden with native plants and grasses, as these plants:

• develop deep root structures to filter contaminants from the pavement
• absorb water during heavy rain events
• feed pollinators and provide habitat for wildlife
• provide beauty and educational opportunities for humans
• show an example of stormwater management as the climate changes
• improve our soil by break up the dense clay that is present-it’s at least 5 feet deep, which is why we have a pond most of the time.

This project also supports our UU values of Interdependence (“we honor the interdependent web of all existence and acknowledge our place in it”) and Transformation (“we adapt to the changing world”).

Native plant gardens generally take three years to fully develop their root systems and flower production. We just completed the second year, with volunteers meeting monthly during the growing season to maintain and improve the garden, which was a fun time. We also moved a little used bench from the Memorial Garden to the area.

In the early spring we had a couple unfortunate incidents of cars, looking for a parking place, backing into the garden (!!). So, we figured out a way to move the large boulders already at the site to provide a barrier between driveway and garden. (The) Green Sanctuary purchased solar lights to highlight the area after dark.

We created a walking path which also makes mowing easier. That project continues.

We discovered that two of the white pines closest to the driveway have a fatal disease, and plan to remove them next spring so they won’t contaminate the other pines.

Beginning in late April 2026, volunteers will continue to meet, now on the second Saturday of each month (weather permitting). By moving the group to the second Saturday we will have the choice to stay at the church after gardening for a potluck lunch at noon!

Please consider joining in for a fun gardening time with like-minded people next spring. We will continue to help make the garden look its best, adding more flowering plants to our new “upland dry” section near the boulders. We will expand the garden to include plants in the area where the boulders used to be, using enthusiastic plants we will thin from the existing garden.