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June 19th, 2024 by Northern Woodlands Pollinator Garden Photo Blog

Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden

Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
The day has finally arrived! Our contractor, Jon Melendy, arrives with his truck and excavator to begin work. The front yard will be transformed from lawn to native plants. Fun fact: Jon grew up around the corner from our headquarters! Photos by Emily S. Rowe.

Since moving our nonprofit headquarters to Lyme, New Hampshire, we’ve wanted to replace our front lawn with a native plant pollinator garden. This year, thanks to the Jack & Dorothy Byrne Foundation, the Lyme Foundation, and generous neighbors, we’ve been able to get this project started!

The first phase of our pollinator garden installation involves removing sod and laying in gravel paths. These paths will accommodate individuals with limited mobility and provide a sturdy foundation to our garden for years to come.

Follow this blog for progress updates and visit our Pollinator Garden Campaign to get involved.

Breaking Ground Gallery

Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Staff meeting with excavator at work outside the conference room.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Goodbye, juniper!
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Clearing the area around the wellhead.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Some existing foundation plants are removed and some are selected to remain so we aren’t so exposed. The apple tree stays!
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Nancy’s pretty excited about our new wheelbarrow; we are quickly becoming regulars at the local hardware store.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
We could have used cardboard to smother the grass, but this is a large area we’re planting, so the machine does the work.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Day one complete! The chair supports a rhododendron we decided to keep.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Day two and we’re ready to roll!
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Checking the garden plan as we start to lay out paths.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Measure twice, dig once!
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Checking grade – always wanted to learn how to use a grade laser!
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Percy keeping a concerned eye on the construction.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Day three enthusiasm!
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Signs of pollinators and some cool fungus on the common.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Our wood chips will be used to mulch the garden beds and come from trees that were damaged in the spring’s last snow storm. How convenient is that?
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Base layers are important! One circle is almost complete.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden
Protecting the roots of the apple tree by making root burritos.
Breaking Ground on our Pollinator Garden Photo: Nancy Farwell
The plants wait patiently for their place in the garden. The purple giant hyssop is going to bloom! | Photo: Nancy Farwell

by Northern Woodlands

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Discussion *

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Jul 16, 2024

This is interesting. I would like to know more about the effective use of the “root burritos” for protecting/preserving a tree while re-landscaping with stone.

Sherry
“
Jun 24, 2024

Nancy- So nice to see the start of the garden. I met you at the Natural History conference in Albany this April and you were talking about this project. Love the design. Best with the project. Hopefully the rains didn’t damage it.

Pat Liddle

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