by Joe Kelly, Certified Master Gardener
Although we’ll never stop adding new plants and moving others, the Sunny Garden’s multi-year renovation is finally coming to a close. Right now, the late-spring bloom peak has brought a burst of colors, thanks to the many volunteer hours of planning and planting. The garden has attractive new labels and signage. A new wooden arbor stands over the entrance. We also have a colorful new brochure that highlights the purpose and design of the garden. But, another seemingly small tweak has greatly enhanced the garden’s overall appearance.
Several years ago, we replaced wooden bed edging, that tended to rot when contacting the soil, with concrete pavers that fit into the same channels as the wooden edging. Last fall, it was suggested that we lay the pavers flat, along the west border of the garden, to emphasize where the Master Gardeners’ “territory” ended. This spring, we looked at that border and were inspired to lay all the pavers flat throughout the garden. The result is a much neater and more formal appearance, all because we decided to leave no stones unturned.