Town Planting Project

It was the perfect day for planting - cool temperatures, cloudy skies and the promise of rain in the following days. Culpeper Garden Club volunteers gathered in mid-September to plant an assortment of shrubs and perennials and hundreds of daffodil bulbs in large planters located along North Main Street at the East Spencer Street parking lot, along East Street at the East Culpeper Street parking lot and in five locations in the West Locust Street lot behind the Regal Theater. 

The pilot project was a collaboration which began in February between the Culpeper Garden Club and the Culpeper Town Parking Authority.  The Town wanted to create a positive impression of the downtown by enhancing the parking lots used by tourists and locals alike, but recognized they needed guidance to assist with the planter placements, soil mixture and plant selection.  

Sarita Faught, the garden club’s community outreach chair, utilized extensive research of native and non-native plants, consulted with Robert Myers, Montpelier’s horticulturist and gained further insight into native plants from PBS’ Virginia Homegrown personality Serone Hamlin and eventually developed a comprehensive list of appropriate plants, including numerous Virginia natives.

The collaboration continued with the plants being locally sourced from nursery owners Jessica and Josh Creel at Willow Shade and Paul Hutchinson at Windmill Heights.  Their knowledge and expertise were invaluable to the success of the project.

While the garden club volunteers were busy with their planting, people walking by applauded their efforts, as well as drivers in cars and trucks passing by.  As attractive as the planters are this Fall, everyone is looking forward with anticipation to their spring and summer floral display.

Josh & Jessica Creel from Willow Shade Nursery with Sarita Faught, from the Culpeper Garden Club