In 2021, the American Independence Museum in Exeter came to us for help with the flower beds around the foundation of their museum building. They had had exterior work done on the building and, in the process, the existing beds were mostly destroyed. After conferring with the museum director about the museum’s requirements, a group of our members decided to take on the challenge of re-furbishing the beds, using plantings appropriate to the spirit of a historical museum.

One of our members, a semi-retired landscape designer went to work drawing up plans for a complete re-do of all the beds in the front of the building. Since this effort required much more manpower than our members could muster, the museum director recruited a local landscaper and a team of volunteer workers from Liberty Mutual Insurance. On a beautiful spring day this crew, plus several of our members, tore out the existing plants/weeds, worked up the soil, amended it, planted a number of shrubs and perennials, mulched the beds, and set up a drip irrigation system. Our club’s role now is maintenance and the addition of a few more shrubs.

Before – October 2021

Workday – Spring 2022

Progress – June 2022