It is my pleasure to announce that the CFET is opening its own Native Plant Nursery.
Here's a photo of the space, on the corner of Ferry and Jackson by the entrance to the Michael J. Doyle Fishing Pier (our area is the brownish 25'x 400' strip of land straight south from A) . Secretly the space connects to our large community garden through the tennis court and into the woods. Come check it out. so great.
This nursery will specialize in habitat restoration projects, riparian buffers, rain gardens, and home and gardenscapes. Currently we are growing for two really quite exciting and innovative projects:
1. Camden SMART initiative (Stormwater Management and Resource Training). Through Camden SMART, 1 million gallons of stormwater will be diverted from the CSO (combined stormwater/sewage overflow) system at the CamdenCountyMUA. The planned rain gardens across the city will help to reduce flooding, and greatly increase the water quality that enters the Delaware.
2. Through the Rutgers Community Arts Program the CFET's Director of Sustainability, Andrea Ferich has been sought after for the first Art Garden residency. The Northgate Park in the North Camden neighborhood is being transformed with nearly 2,000 native plants, and mural artist Pedro Ospina's visionary work. Both artist and gardener met with the students of Molina School, various neighborhood partners, and the most lovely Senior Citizens at Respond, Inc. for a complete beauty-front takeover, liberating and revealing.
These plants will be planted on July 20th. Please let me know if you would like to come to this special day for native plant planting and mural installation.
here's some of the space and the varieties: