For much of its history, MCG has had a program in place involving downtown “buckets” and welcome planters.
The buckets consist of over 30 half-barrel recycled plastic containers located throughout the downtown Maynard area, which are planted with annuals and some perennials every year.
The welcome planters consist of five “Welcome to Maynard” signs and large stone planters full of shrubs and perennials, located on the main roads into town.
MCG spends a good portion of our annual budget (over $30 per bucket) on purchasing soil, plants, and other supplies. In addition, the buckets themselves cost over $60 each. These funds come from the general funds of the garden club, which is supported mainly by membership dues, proceeds from our annual plant sale, and donations.
These buckets and planters are tended by dedicated volunteers who, during the summer, often have to water every day! We greatly appreciate their work.
We’d also like to thank the Maynard Department of Public Works for their assistance every year in setting out all the buckets at the beginning of the season and collecting them at the end (not to mention storing them at the town barn for us during the winter!).
In addition, we appreciate the businesses, organizations, and individuals who have donated money or supplies toward the bucket program in 2007:
- The Rotary Club of Maynard
- Little Pusan Restaurant, 83 Main Street
- Art and Soul, 71 Main Street
- Boston Bean House, 1 Nason Street
- Many individuals who have contributed toward our “Have You Enjoyed the Downtown Buckets?” campaign
If you’re interested in maintaining a bucket or planter, or contributing funds toward their maintenance, please let us know. Our buckets and planters committee chair, Barbara, can be reached through our contact form or by email by clicking here: maynardgardeners [Email address: maynardgardeners #AT# gmail.com - replace #AT# with @ ].
Do you shop at Amazon? If you buy things through Amazon, you can support the club at the same time, and it doesn’t cost you a cent. All you have to do is visit their site via a special link that tells them that you were referred from us. The club recieves a commission of at least 4%, and up to 8% if we refer a lot of people.
Here’s the link again – bookmark it, and use this link when you visit Amazon!
By the way, this only works if you buy something — this isn’t a “click-through” kind of program, so don’t bother clicking the links if you don’t actually need to buy anything!
Maplebrook Park is a little oasis of green and peace near downtown Maynard, right at the intersection of Maple, Brook, and Summer Streets. It is lovingly maintained by a small group of MCG members.
Click here to see a video tour of Maplebrook Park.
History
MapleBrook Park sits on land that was originally part of a railway bed. In 1992, the lot was a blighted, weed-filled area that was slated to become a parking lot. Members of the local community banded together to create a park instead. After getting input from residents of the area around the park, organizers submitted a plan to the Board of Selectmen. The plan was presented at Town Meeting in 1993 and received overwhelming support.
The major work (grading, filling) was done by DPW. Trees, shrubs, and bulbs were purchased with $2000 granted from town’s Transfer of Real Estate Account (set aside for park purposes and not funded by tax money).
Click here to read contemporary press coverage of the creation of MapleBrook Park (PDF file, 4 MB)
Click here to see other documents related to the creation of the park (PDF file, 1.5 MB)
Contact us [Email address: maynardgardeners #AT# gmail.com - replace #AT# with @ ] if you have any questions or would like to donate or help with maintenance.
It is the policy of the Maynard Community Gardeners not to plant invasive species in our parks and plantings, and to remove existing invasives whenever feasible. The issue of invasive plants is critical because it is one of the primary causes of loss of diversity in native plant populations around the world. Over 200 native plant species in Massachusetts are threatened or endangered.
Some of the more commonly seen invasive plants include:
- Japanese barberry
- Yellow flag iris
- Burning bush
- Norway maple
- Purple loosestrife (pictured)
- Multiflora rose
- Japanese honeysuckle
- Blunt-leaved privet
To learn more about invasive plants and native alternatives, we encourage you to visit the New England Wildflower Society’s conservation site.
MCG leadership consists of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, and committee chairs. MCG’s committees are set up as needed — the current committees include:
- Downtown Buckets & Gateway Planters
- Communication (publicity, newsletter, website)
- Hospitality
- Programs
- Maintainance
- Plant Sale
- Community Activities (town clean-up, Farmer’s Market)
Our annual plant sale, held on the third Saturday in May, takes place at the intersection of Maple & Brooks streets in Maynard. It’s our main fundraiser every year, and helps us in our town beautification efforts. We solicit donated plants from members and by traveling to gardens in the area to help people with their spring perennial divisions. We also feature locally grown annuals, herbs, and even a raffle for beautiful gift baskets!
The 2008 Plant Sale will be held on Saturday, May 17, 9am to noon (rain date: May 18, 12-3pm). We’ll be setting up the potting site on Sunday, April 6 and digging, potting, and labeling from April 7 through May 10.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Volunteer to help with setting up the potting site, potting, labeling, digging, publicity, or sale-day set-up, break-down, cashiering, or customer service
- Donate plants
- Donate supplies (clean pots, compost, popsicle sticks, permanent markers)
- Donate services (sign-making, graphic design, writing)
If you’re interested in helping or donating, please contact us at maynardgardeners [Email address: maynardgardeners #AT# gmail.com - replace #AT# with @ ].
Our typical calendar includes:
- Monthly planning meetings
- Bimonthly dessert/social nights
- Annual winter holiday potluck
- Annual spring brunch
- Annual plant sale
Past speakers, activities and workshops include:
- Tower Hill Gardens guided tours and programs
- Pruning workshop with Denis Wagner, Orchard Manager at Nashoba Winery
- Harvesting and preserving herbs - Herb Patch in Boxborough
- Seasonal decorations from natural materials - Karen Probst from Tower Hill
- 3-D flower photography - Ron Labbe
- Perennials for the shade, propagation, and other lectures - Leo Blanchette
- Trough building workshop - Joyce Fingerhut
- Stepping stone workshops
- Making maple syrup
- Making holiday wreaths and swags
- Making terrariums
Membership is $20 per year, payable on the first of May every year. Benefits include:
- a subscription to the e-newsletter, Dig It!, and access to past newsletter archives
- access to member-only sections of the website
- use of the Tower Hill Botanic Garden membership passes, which includes discounts on classes and at area garden centers
- ability to participate in member-only workshops
- the warm glow of being involved in a worthy organization
Please fill out and mail this form to join, or contact us for more information.
We are not a typical garden club. All our meetings are in the evenings or on weekends, we have an open membership, and we keep our dues low ($20/year). We have a diverse membership that includes community activists, horticulturists (professional and amateur), environmentalists, artists, and others. Members are free to pick and choose which activities they wish to attend, and group initiatives are driven by individual members stepping into leadership roles. Business meetings are held monthly, separate from MCG programs and workshops, and are open to any members who wish to help the officers and community chairs set plans and policies.
Since we first met in the living room at 10 Maple Street, we’ve planted little spots of beauty around our downtown (supported by the proceeds of our annual plant sale). We’ve sponsored many interesting speakers, workshops, and activities. And we’ve offered area gardeners an opportunity to meet one another and work together on group projects, trade plants and information, and enjoy each others’ gardens.
Learn more:
We take the “Community” part of our name seriously! As you drive or walk around Maynard, we hope you’ll enjoy the results of our ongoing gardening efforts, including:
- Welcome to Maynard planters and downtown buckets
- Maplebrook Park
- Plantings in CVS Alley
- Planter in front of the police station
- And other spots around town!
We also provide:
- Garden in the Woods passes, for public and club use, available at the Maynard Public Library
- Donations of books and magazine subscriptions to Maynard Public Library
- Sponsorship of annual town-wide clean-up
We were responsible for:
- Establishment of the Maynard Farmers Market in 1996 (now an independent organization)
- Establishment of the annual town-wide clean-up in 1998 (now organized by the Maynard Litter League)
- Design, installation, and maintenance of the Green Meadow School Japanese garden
As our mission includes town beautification, we have advocated for projects and programs that enhance the town’s appearance and character, including:
- Adoption of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) in 2006
- Repair of our bridges and replacement of the historic bridge lights
- Design, installation, and planting of Welcome to Maynard signs
- Municipal tree program, resulting in Maynard being named a 1999 Tree City USA
Welcome to the website of the Maynard Community Gardeners! We established ourselves in March 1995 as an organization devoted to town beautification, meeting and working with other gardeners in Maynard, Massachusetts and the surrounding towns, and promoting a love of gardening in general.
Our mission:
“Dedicated to sharing a common interest in horticultural activities, promoting town beautification, and creating gardening opportunities for all.”