Volunteers plant native plants at Old Colony History Museum during a volunteer work day.
By Mya Cusson, Communications Coordinator
On Thursday, November 4, the Old Colony History Museum in Taunton came alive as supporters gathered to celebrate the completion of the museum's new garden. People young and old took time to admire the new outdoor spaces and celebrate a new chapter for a cultural pillar of the city of Taunton.
For Wildlands Trust, this project was cause for our own bit of celebration. Through our Community Stewardship Program, Old Colony History Museum contracted us to take on the design and planting of the garden spaces, transforming a simple parking lot into a beautiful, inviting outdoor space.
Over the course of a year, the Stewardship team and volunteers, led by volunteer landscape designer Love Howard, created new landscaping around the entire perimeter of the building using only native plants. The centerpiece for the design is a "colonial garden," which will eventually be filled with period accurate plants that would have been seen in a typical 17th century English colonist's garden, including herbs, medicinal plants, and even hops. The colonial garden is framed by a large cobblestone loop path, inviting visitors to walk through the garden and engage with the history and natural education the space provides. With the colonial garden and surrounding patio and green spaces, Wildlands has helped OCHM achieve their goal of creating a welcoming outdoor area to increase curb appeal, engage visitors, and host open-air events in the heart of Taunton.
For Wildlands Trust, this project illustrates the beauty of our Community Stewardship Program. By providing our expertise and services to local organizations and municipalities, we are able to support our neighbors, improve outdoor access, and showcase and protect the beauty of Southeastern Massachusetts for generations to come. This being our largest community project to date, we are so grateful for OCHM for trusting us with this work, and we look forward to our continuing partnership with them, and the continued evolution of our Community Stewardship Program.
