“Recently, a dedicated group of students rallied together yet again to embark on a transformative journey – turning weed-overgrown flower beds into a fertile canvas for the place of a future native pollinator garden. Our first garden prep session was successful, but we still had more to accomplish.
Armed with enthusiasm and a shared vision of nurturing biodiversity, the students from Forrest Tech – alongside representatives from Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, the St. Mary’s County Garden Club, and Friends of St. Clements Bay, embarked on the second phase of their endeavor: prep work.
Tools in hand, along with everyone’s collective effort and unwavering determination, we meticulously prepared the soil, ensuring optimal conditions for the future plants to take root and flourish. Before we knew it, the daunting task of meticulously hand-weeding, laying the remaining cardboard weed-barrier, and replacing mulch was finally done!
Looking ahead, the journey continues with the promise of planting on the horizon. Soon, the somewhat-barren mulch-scape will be adorned with the vibrant hues of native wildflowers, beckoning butterflies and birds alike. And as the shelter cats gaze out from their windowed enclosures, they’ll be treated to a spectacle of nature’s beauty.
The journey towards creating a native pollinator garden at the St. Mary’s AARC is a testament to the power of collective action and environmental stewardship. Through everyone’s dedication and hard work, these students will not only have enriched the lives of the shelter animals but will have also laid the foundation for a greener, more biodiverse future garden.
As we eagerly await the next planting days, let us celebrate their achievements and join hands in preserving the beauty of our natural world, one garden at a time.” ~ SC
