It’s a Beautiful Thing!

This is one of the best times of the year for our organization.  It’s when we get the results of the projects and programs that were awarded a 30 in 30 Green Grant back in June.  Even with some delays and redirection due to the pandemic, people in communities all across our Commonwealth were able to make a difference with the grant funds we awarded, thanks to support from Altria, in partnership with Coca-Cola and Keep America Beautiful.

The West Piedmont Planning District Commission submitted a proposal for a $1,000 grant in the Community Beautification category, to construct a demonstration garden at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School.  The school has an 1100-foot Nature Trail that includes an outdoor classroom area.  They wanted to install native plants along the trail, with informational signs, plant markers, and interpretive material to help educate the public about native plants.

It took six volunteers to prepare the area and install the plantings.  The first task was to remove non-native invasive species and poison ivy from the areas where the native plants would be installed. Franklin County Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners committed to provide volunteer hours to plant and maintain the demonstration garden areas.

Plants that are native to Virginia provide a natural habitat for wildlife and require less water, but need no fertilizer or pesticides.  This reduces the amount of chemicals in the landscape, which maintains the water quality in nearby rivers and streams.

West Piedmont PDC also developed a website for the demonstration garden: https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/franklin-county-bfms-garden.  The website includes an educational brochure about the plants at the garden.   The area will provide advanced educational opportunities for the 6,880 Franklin County students, as well as the general public. Approximately 1,300 students attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School.

The hope is that this is the first of many demonstration gardens across Virginia’s Southern Piedmont region to showcase the native plants and educate students and visitors about the value and need for native plants.

Now that’s a beautiful thing!