How Does Your Native Garden Grow?

The Davidson Cornelius Child Development Center recently completed a makeover of its centerpiece playground, creating functional play spaces.  But, cost overruns left the Center short on capital for landscaping.  Fortunately, Davidson Lands Conservancy (DLC), through its TreesDavidson program, was able to help fulfill the landscaping vision through a partnership with the Davidson Rotary Club.

Last Saturday volunteers from the Conservancy, the Davidson Rotary Club, the Center, and the community gathered to get dirty, have some fun, and plant native trees and shrubs at the Center.  Funds for the project were provided by the Conservancy and the Rotary Club.

Gordon Clark, DLC Board member, and project organizer was delighted with the project.  “Promoting native trees and shrubs is core to DLC’s mission and wildlife programs, as is education. This is a great project for the environment, the play space, and the children”.

Natives benefit the ecosystem by providing plants for pollinators and other insects, critical to nature’s balance.

The landscaping plan was crafted by DLC Board member and Master Gardener, Tom Watson, who carefully designed resilient, low maintenance, and attractive native plants for the Center’s six planting beds gracing the playground. “This project presented some unique challenges, and luckily we were able to source the native plants at Dearness Gardens in Huntersville.  They went out of their way to help.”

Saturday’s volunteers planted Sweetspire, Little Bluestem, Chokeberry, Dogwood (NC State Flower), and Summersweet.

Anna Eaton, the Center’s Executive Director, was pleased: “We are so grateful and excited about this project. We weren’t sure what we were going to do before the Conservancy, TreesDavidson and the Davidson Rotary Club stepped in to help”.

“Children at the Center will enjoy these plants and care for them” she added.

Anna’s email includes a quote by Bill Gates: “The first five years of a child’s life has so much to do with how the next 80 turn out.”  Let’s hope these native shrubs and trees growing up alongside all the children will nurture them for years to come.