In early March when members of the Phelps Grove Neighborhood Association and staff from the Springfield-Greene County Park Board agreed to a partnership to renovate the gardens on the east side of Phelps Grove Park, no one dreamed that we could transform seven beds of tangled weeds into beautiful and peaceful homes for vibrant flowers frequented by bees, butterflies and birds.
Sometimes, as when Connie Ryan and Andy Massoth put edging around a bed to keep the Bermuda grass away, we take home dirt that wasn’t on us when we arrived.
Other times, as when Fran Giglio, Connie Ryan and Clifford Barret relax after planting the last flowers in a circular bed outlined with brick, we celebrate with one another the results of our work.
Occasionally, like the day I enjoyed the salvia and cleome I had transplanted from her home gardens, we experience the joy and peace we hope others feel when they wander through the gardens just to enjoy what they see.
But always, as we come to the gardens and see the flowers and pollinators, we are reminded that the commitment of individuals and organizations can make our community a better place to live.
This is still a work in progress, but come by often and say hello if we are there working. It’s fun to meet our neighbors.
