Schools

Noah Wallace Garden Growing In Hands of Volunteers

Parents, students and Scouts have been working together to make dream a reality.

Work on the Noah Wallace Bird Garden, in the school's front courtyard is underway. About 15 volunteers, including Noah Wallace parents, students and younger siblings worked on the project Saturday.

The project was conceived of and designed by Jennifer Villa, a Noah Wallace parent and landscape designer. Villa operates Thyme to Plant from her home in Farmington.

"I’m doing this because this is a wonderful space but it’s underused and as a landscape designer and mom, I saw such potential – how beautiful it could be," she said Saturday, as she directed the crew of volunteers.

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Villa spent the summer drawing up plans to redesign the space and create something functional as well as beautiful that teachers, students and people in the community could enjoy.

“It will also provide a learning opportunity for kids. There are lots of native plants like blueberries and serviceberries, that attract birds,” Villa said.

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Students will be able to observe the birds, examine plants, observe other types of organisms and complete soil tests in the space, which Villa says can serve as an extension of the classroom.

Villa has designed the garden to bloom in spring and fall, when the children are in school, she said.

“It’s just a wonderful space and it needed rejuvenation. Hopefully teachers, family and community will come out and use it,” Villa said.

The community will be invited to a celebration and ribbon cutting, scheduled for Thursday, May 24 from 5-7 p.m. — the same evening as the Noah Wallace School’s annual Arts Fest.

Anyone interested in donated to the Noah Wallace Dreams of a Bird Garden or in volunteering may contact Jen Villa (860) 573-2096.

In addition to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Noah Wallace families and dedicated garden committee volunteers who volunteered their time, the follwing nurseries donated plants for the Noah Wallace Bird Garden:

Ali's Nursery (Southington, CT)
Clark Landscaping (Farmington, CT)
Twin Gardens & Landscaping (Canton, CT)
Farmington Valley Nursery (Avon, CT)
Silver Spring Nursery (Bloomfield, CT)
Gledhill Nursery (West Hartford, CT)
Planter's Choice Nursery (Watertown, CT)
Sunny Border Nursery (Kensington, CT)
Pride's Corner Farms (Lebanon, CT)


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