Putnam Park Path Project IV

The new pathway project at Putnam Park has been nearly completed. The lawns have been hydroseeded and the gardens have been planted.

The Desire Path through the Entrance Garden has already been used and has accomplished its goal of keeping the garden from being trampled by visitors trying to take a short cut. This garden was designed and planted by volunteers. The plant list included salvias, asters, ornamental grasses, hellebores and many other plants. Hopefully it will have a long season of interest. In the next two weeks, bulbs will be planted.

 The new woodland garden was planted with a wide variety of plants chosen for a long season of interest and textural qualities.

 This is the woodland garden from the opposite end of the park. The foliage of Hydrangea quercifolia can be seen to the far right.

The triangular bed containing a large oak tree at the convergence of two paths was planted with Epimedium pinnatum ssp. colchicum from divisions from my garden. This vigorous groundcover has  glossy dark green foliage throughout the season and is extremely drought tolerant. It has bright yellow flowers in April just as the new foliage emerges. The circular bed was planted with Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldgehänge’, Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Fat Domino’ and Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’.

The existing mixed border along the path looks full and lush this time of year. I am looking forward to the day when the new gardens have filled in and matured.

Desire and the new Love Path at Putnam Park

A minor secondary path was installed at the entrance garden at Putnam Park this week by one of our volunteers, Laura, and her sister. The original garden had a a dense hedge of fothergilla which was lovely in flower and during the autumn foliage display but was imposing and unwelcoming. We removed most of the shrubs and extended the size of the garden during the installation of the new pervious pathway.

It became clear during the design phase that visitors, who wanted to get to the other side of the garden, might ignore the main path and cut through the garden. This concept is called the desire path: essentially a path that wasn't supposed to be a path, usually a shorter route from an origin to a destination that wasn't intended to be there. College campuses are an excellent place to see desire paths beaten down in lawns and through gardens. After 15 years working in public spaces, I have gotten skilled at predicting what the masses will do before they do it. Sometimes I am surprised by a temporary art installation, but the concept of taking the most direct path, even if it is through a garden, has held true.

Laura's maiden name was Love. As I was researching shortcut paths and discovering the term desire path, I found it fitting that the Love sisters created a desire path. For me, this minor shortcut path will always be the Love Path.

Putnam Park Path Project III

The new pervious pavement sidewalk was installed at Putnam Park last week. The Public Works team has been busy adding compost to the garden areas which will be planted in September.

The hoop fencing will be readjusted before compost is added.

This is the site where brush was removed to create a woodland garden along the path.

This is the path along the existing garden in the park.

The path follows the original design from the 1950's. It is a very pleasing line that will be inviting once more now that the paths are clear, flat and navigable. I am hoping to see both strollers and wheelchairs being used in the park.

A look from the middle of the park to the new main entrance garden.

Nubanusit Terrace in Early August

The yew/boxwood hedges have just been trimmed and the contrast of Russian sage works nicely.

A veiw of the Putnam Park construction from over the Nubanusit River

Putnam Park Path Project II

Putnam Park as seen from Boccelli Garden

The new entrance garden at Putanm Park will be much more open now that most of the hedge of fothergilla has been removed and relocated to other parts of the park.

 A view of the entrance from the park.

The gravel base of the path has been installed.

The location of the circle garden in the path.

The path winds past an existing border.

A view from the main entrance which will have a garden similar to the garden at the far end of the park.

 A closer view of the existing garden.

Imagine this planting at the main entrance in two or three years.

Putnam Park Path Project I

This summer we will be renovating the path at Putnam Park and creating a new entrance garden.

The original entrance to the park had a hedge of invasive burning bush that we replaced with native Forthergilla x intermedia 'Mount Airy'. The hedge felt too rigid and will be replanted in another location in the park making room for a more open entrance garden.

The new garden is being excavated

The new edge of the garden is painted....

....and filled with loam.

A granite planter in a round garden in the middle of the path....

.
....was removed because it required too much maintenance. It will be used at our recycling center where the staff has created a marvelous garden using recycled plants from gardeners in town.

The hoop fencing will be returned to its original location when the path is completed but the boxwoods will be donated to the recycling center.

The main reason the path is being replaced with a pervious pavement sidewalk is because it is experiencing erosion during heavy rainstorms.

The new path is marked with spray paint.

A scrubby woodland edge was removed and several large pine trees were taken down

The area was excavated and refilled with loam. Some of the fothergillas from the entrance garden will be moved to create a woodland garden.

A granite table, which has Adirondack chairs for seating, was moved...

.....to under the shade of a beech tree where visitors prefer to sit.

The entrance garden will include many of the same plants as this existing garden, which was planted in 2010. The edges of the new path can be seen in this photograph.  

Putnam Park in Late September

Sanguisorba officinalis, or burnet, is indispensable in the garden at Putnam Park. The red button-like flowers of this northern European native create a great textural addition and they contrast well with the asters and persicarias of autumn. The way they float in the breeze is magical.

Putnam Park in Late May

I was pleased that the weather had been cool and rainy while I was away. I was surprised to find tulips still blooming in the parks.

Unexpected Delights While Shoveling

When we get a significant snowfall, we often shovel the boxwoods in the public gardens. This is Nubanusit Terrace before shoveling.

 This is Nabanusit Terrace after shoveling.

 

As I was working in Putnam Park I noticed an installation hanging from the large crabapple tree at the entrance to the park.

Someone hung these hot-pink crocheted artworks that made the tree look like it was wearing earrings! It was such a delightful surprise on a such a cold and dreary day.

I also shoveled the boxwoods at the Pavilion Entrance to Depot Park.

The snow was so deep, you might not have noticed that the boxwoods were uncovered.

The Malus 'Snowdrift' grove seemed particularly well named today. The snow-covered fruit was awaiting the flocks of birds that will devour their fruit later in the season.