Landscaping Proposal 2007

Synopsis

Proposal – Welcoming Entrance Garden

The Ground Committee is pleased to present a proposal to the congregation for installation of a Welcoming Entrance Garden in time for our golden celebration of fifty years at this site.

This landscaping is in keeping with the design of the church building and values of the congregation and is to be installed during the summer, 2008, in order to be established for the April, 2009, Fifty Years celebration. The plan opens up the front entrance, includes a gathering place with seating for small group meetings, provides four seasons of beauty, and does even more!

Timeline:

The committee presented the proposal to the Board at their January meeting
During an initial feedback period, the committee invites the congregation to review the proposal and plan on display in the foyer and described at www.qcuu.org and provide feedback, preferably before Sunday, February 10; committee members will be in the foyer, available to answer questions before services during the next few Sunday mornings
The Board votes on this proposal at the February meeting, February 10
Pending Board approval, fund-raising takes place in spring, 2008; it is hoped that sufficient funds will be raised through contributions that honor individuals and celebrate this site
The landscaping work is done summer, 2008
Garden celebration as part of the “Fifty Years at this Site” celebration on Easter Sunday, 2009

Feedback:

Please give feedback directly to Jack Wiley, Chair, Grounds Committee; Ann Hailey or Ellen Kelley, members, Grounds Committee
Send comments to davenport04@mchsi.com with subject: Welcoming Entrance Garden

Welcoming Entrance Garden

Proposal | garden | Benefits | Plan | Request

PDF of the report below | Larger view of plan

Proposal

Installation of landscaping in keeping with the design of the church building and values of the congregation, complete for celebration of fifty years at this site on Easter Sunday, 2009. The garden is proposed as an upgrading of the current rock garden area. The existing stone walls will be repaired and extended, but will basically be maintained in their existing forms. In addition some of the existing plant material will be removed, but the major trees and shrubs will be retained. A copy of the landscape plan is available for viewing on a tripod in the Church foyer.

The garden has three sections:

1. Welcoming front door

The entrance garden is a level space with a pagoda dogwood as a specimen tree. The existing stone wall is extended toward the parking lot and curved toward the entrance sidewalk, anchored by a low sitting boulder. Northwind native switchgrass ties this space to the small planting next to the building. This area faces out, into the parking lot.

2. Terraced rock garden

The hillside garden is planted with swaths of like plants that provide three seasons of color and winter interest. A bed of Silver King lavender fills the top terrace, next to the welcoming entrance garden. Bottlebrush buckeye, Endless Summer hydrangea, Korean azalea and three existing trees (red maple, redbud and Norway spruce) are planted across the middle tier.

3. Gathering space that extends the social hall

The area outside the social hall entrance is transformed into a gathering space as an extension of the social hall. The rock garden wall is extended in a curve around this space and incorporates three stone slab benches. Existing hedge plants are removed, providing access to the space from the covered walkway. Korean azalea, Canadian hemlock, Summer Wine ninebark, Green Velvet boxwood, and Scarlet Beauty itea are planted in this low maintenance, colorful space. The surface is mulched.

Benefits

Recent projects include painting the interior and exterior of the church; fresh landscaping is the setting for the refurbished building
Visitors are clearly directed to the front entrance, eliminating confusion among first-time visitors
The garden is a suitable setting for the celebration of fifty years in this building, on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009
Expresses our recognition of the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part by providing outdoor space that invites outdoor activity, such as small group meetings and children’s nature study
Aesthetic enhancement of our grounds is over-due
The gathering space provides a setting for event and group photographs
The low boulder provides a convenient place to sit
Rental opportunities are enhanced
Plantings can be maintained by the grounds committee with occasional help from others in the congregation

Plan

Work to be done by Aunt Rhodie’s Landscaping and Design Studio

Prepare site by removing selected plants that are overgrown, diseased, or misplaced
Repair and extend stonework in existing rock garden
Install limestone “sitting boulder”
Install lower stone wall with benches
Amend soil and install planting with four-season interest
Install 4-foot flexible perforated drain tile
Watering equipment, including hoses, sprinklers, soaker hoses, etc (estimated as $200-250; Aunt Rhodies will lend us a timer for the season)

Project total	$19,195.96
Sales tax (not applicable)	765.22
Watering equipment (maximum)	250.00
TOTAL	$19,445.96

Labor pledged by grounds committee	1,709.00
Amount to be raised	$17,736.96

The grounds committee pledges labor valued at $1,709, including site preparation and installation of drain pipe, and Aunt Rhodie’s has agreed to reduce the proposal for the itemized labor.

Request

The committee thinks that this project proposal will attract monetary donations from the congregation.

The committee requests that the Board approve this as a stand-alone project and support it with fund-raising during spring of 2008. The work can then be done in 2008, and the garden established for the April 12, 2009, “Fifty Years” celebration.