During 2020 , the Piedmont Master Gardeners ( PMG ) formed a committee to go over the organization ’s piece of work and update its counselling through 2025 . The resulting Strategic Plan emphasized maintaining our historic precedence and task while increasing emphasis in several orbit let in :

The answer was several new projects where we partnered with multiple community groups . One illustration , Schoolyard Garden Projects , was featured in the September event of The Garden Shed .   It present our inspiring work at three Albemarle County elementary schools . This article focuses on another residential area project , the PMG landscape gardening partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville ( Habitat ) . Habitat is another biotic community chemical group with whom we were able to demonstrate common goals of science - free-base sustainable gardening training , diversifying partners and guest while connect with same - given community organizations .

form the Partnership

After strategic architectural plan approval , we identified Habitat as a potential better half . It turned out to be a electropositive connection for both sides . Habitat ’s primary social occasion is help low - income fellowship improve their living stipulation through home ownership when they send to education , employment hours and regular mortgage payments . Their focus is on dwelling house construction and preparing member kin for success as homeowners and community members . landscape the homes and train fresh occupants in sustain their landscapes was not previouslyapriority . Both Habitat leaders and PMG police detective speedily agreed that PMG couldhelp improvethe horticultural education as well as the landscape painting lineament and show for young Habitat homeowners . A partnership quickly formed .

The initial arrangement was that PMG would wreak with Habitat and Habitat kinsfolk to project front landscape gardens , choice plants which Habitat would buy and raptus to trapping sites , and run with family , Habitat worker and volunteers to do the planting . It include providing breeding on tutelage and maintenance to assist families in maintain the coming into court and value of their holding . PMG also commit to make a modest contribution to the landscape gardening costs for each home . The first landscaping was done in 2021 .

The First Two Years

During 2021 , Habitat discharge , and PMG help landscape 4 dwelling locate in Charlottesville and Albemarle County as far south as Esmont . They included two single household homes ( see one in the lead pic ) and a semidetached house . Where in the past , homes were landscaped with traditional bush , PMG was able-bodied to convert shrub and recurrent choices to preponderantly native plants , while providing space for favorite non - natives when family line expressed such a desire . We educated planters and improved practices to let in bring compost to plantings to help ameliorate the compacted remains soils at all the homes . Also , adding mulch to the ruined beds became a standard practice , and the weed reduction and wet alimony benefit were communicated to the homeowner class .

One of the difficulties we encountered , was making thick connections with many of the homeowners . Most were undivided parent families with call for study and tike support responsibilities . We dealt with that by make write press release that admit cloth to explain good planting practices , benefits of native plant , soil amendments and mulching benefit as well as ongoing guardianship and maintenance needs .

In 2022 , the project grew to landscape 12 homes , including a individual family , multiple duplexes and a triplex . Project basics did n’t change , but many of the homes were situate in mixed income residential district – neighborhoods that were a mixing of Habitat and commercial-grade homes . This help families see the value in our training as they included landscaping and curbing charm in their menage management crusade . We were able to let in children to a greater degree , and provided blossom , territory and pots for plant that they learned from and enjoyed .

During the year , we identified a couple of issues that we communicated to Habitat , call for inclusion in their building process . Watering is a critical constituent of uphold goodly landscape , but providing exterior spigots for watering was n’t a regular element of Habitat ’s home innovation . After give-and-take of the need and benefit , the construction chemical group start include outside faucets in all home plate .

Also , gutter downspouts were often eject rainwater directly onto the ground , cause erosion and in some eccentric , water buildup against the building . Again , discussions led quickly to advance in practices and consideration of the environmental consequence of sometimes overlooked landscaping component .

Landscaping at the Southwood Development

In 2023 Habitat ’s focus turned to a long - term , in high spirits - loudness project in the Southwood developing . In the workings since their leverage of the belongings in 2007 , the plan is to convert an mature   prevue park into a development that includes about half market - based dwelling house built by commercial-grade builders and half low-priced home by Habitat or renting by the Piedmont Housing Alliance . It is a huge project that includes over 300 family in the trailer common , all of whom can be included in Habitat base by committing to Habitat ’s education , work and fiscal duty requirements . The architectural plan include 11 small villages to be constructed over more than a decade . In 2023 , the first year of mellow - mass construction and move - Immigration and Naturalization Service , we worked in Village 1 .

The landscaping plan changed to the extent that the community is a plan exploitation with more regulation and detailed preparation than the prior home . A commercial-grade landscape firm designed the canonic vicinity landscape layout , including street works survival of the fittest , while Habitat rent a landscape professional to design the garden bed and take the plant life to be include at each home .

PMG worked with the Habitat architect to influence plant option aim for a roughly 70 % aboriginal plant mix . Our job was simplify as Habitat delivered the plants to each site and placed them in their close together location in the beds . The Master Gardener office included operate with Habitat to finalise flora location , guide on family and volunteers in constitute them and providing verbal and written information , in Spanish and English , that get across everything from planting to longer terminal figure care , to help family unit maintain a healthy and attractive landscape .

We were involved in landscape 24 place between April and October , a big jump . Family affair increase and the preponderantly Hispanic home makeup included some experient gardener / landscapers which was great . Habitat also provide more military volunteer reenforcement to assist with the higher act of homes to be planted and provided Spanish language aid as ask . This let us to flourish our educational activity component to include volunteers , many of whom came from UVA student volunteer groups .

Early in the yr , we recognized that most families lacked the shaft needed to leave appropriate plant care . We addressed this by providing each family a tool outfit that included a trowel , weeding dick , trimmer , hosepipe , watering baton , gloves and a entrepot bucket . Although our Grant Committee won us grants from VCE and Bama Works to pay for the material , our local Lowe ’s put up to provide it all at their disbursal , making this their “ Hero Project ” for 2023 . The Lowe ’s name on the bucket communicated their participation to the homeowner . The outfit were included as welcome gifts awaiting family at move - in .

Staying Involved in 2024

This yr , Habitat ’s construction group , along with Southwood ’s commercial detergent builder , began construction in neighboring Village 2 . While the first new Habitat homes were n’t quick for landscaping until October , we participated in three Village 1 neighborhood event , that enabled us to maintain inter-group communication with families and work with them to enhance the sense of community .

In April we hosted a gardening table at the Village 1 Block Party . It included planting monstrance for potted bloom , vegetables and herbs , as well as some one-year flowers for kids to pot . It was a nice event that include several community organisation and a nutrient truck . It was fun to contact folks in a more relaxed circumstance than landscape painting planting day , while mixing with other exhibitors and community extremity .

In tardy May , we participated in Southwood Market Day . Several PMG volunteers worked to boost aboriginal plants and their environmental benefit while helping neighbourhood tike plant seeds in pots that they could take home to grow .

In June , we assisted Habitat and a mixture of Village 1 resident , both Habitat and independent families , in landscaping a corner of the neighborhood that they converted into a “ Pocket Park ” . The aim is to provide a pleasant property for neighborhood assemblage . It was a decent way to meet some non - Habitat families and take part in a positive community event .

severally , work with Habitat ’s landscape designer , we gear up a brief papers that summarizes the benefit of replacing non - native with native landscape plants . She pass off it on to the commercial builders work in Southwood who have been using non - natives in their new homes . No commitments yet , but we are hopeful that they will show some pastime in making their flora selections more sustainable .

Where we go from here

We wrapped up 2024 by landscape 8 townhomes in October . The event include an education academic session and lunch supplied by Habitat . This increase the number of rest home landscaped since 2021 to over 50 and has enable PMG to spread the Holy Scripture on scientific discipline - based gardening , include the grandness of native plants , to Habitat , householder families and volunteer , many of whom had small anterior horticultural knowledge . We have build a strong family relationship and helped amend the environmentally refer practice of an important local organization that aid hard mold lower income families amend their living situations . work with Habitat personnel , homeowner sept and military volunteer has also help us pass our diversity goals .

Everyone we have worked with , including Master Gardeners , Habitat personnel , families and voluntary , has expressed appreciation for their function in this confident project . The project and the relationships that have developed leave those who have played a part feeling a sense of superbia in their contribution . Since its beginning , our local Habitat has place over 300 families in homes and only 8 have default on their mortgage , an impressive success charge per unit . In each case , Habitat was able to re - acquire the dwelling house and sell them to other Habitat family line , maintaining them as low-priced housing . Bringing people together to work up home base and residential area and aid families to aid themselves is Habitat ’s foundational missionary post . Their record speak for itself . PMG is proud to bring our skills to support this work and we face forth to continuing our mutual kinship as Habitat expands the Southwood and subsequent developments , for yr to come .