Photo credit: Haven Colgate
For the May 6th, 2023 New York Parks & Trails' I Love My Park Day, the Garden Club of Irvington organized a day of removing invasive plants and planting native species along The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail in the Hastings-on-Hudson section. We had beautiful spring weather, and it was a true community event!
The Old Croton Aqueduct’s new Programs Coordinator, Rob Lee, joined us, as well as 22 volunteers from the Hastings Pollinator Pathway, Garden Club of Irvington, Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct, and our Rivertown’s neighbors. We worked next to the established Hastings Pollinator Pathway 5 Corners Community Pollinator Garden at the corner of Chauncey Lane and Broadway to ensure that there would be continued maintenance and to expand on the exciting work done there.
Photo credit: Elisa Zazzera
We removed 8 bags of Mugwort and non-native grasses.
Photo credit: Cat McGrath
And then planted 9 native shrubs: Witch Hazel, Ninebark, and Virginia Rose, plus two dozen native species including various Aster species, Mountain Mint, and Bee Balm, all of which are perennials and can be expected to return each year.
Photo credit: Cat McGrath
The native perennials were donated by Susan Weisenberg of the Garden Club of Irvington and the native shrubs were donated by Pinar O’Flaherty of the Pollinator Pathway Committee, Meg Walker, and Morey Bean. Our goal was to remove the Mugwort, but we were delighted to get all of the planting done as well!
Jasena Sareil took this selfie with her colleague Haven Colgate wearing the Riverkeeper Sweep t-shirt; Riverkeeper Sweep was another sponsor of this gathering and helped publicize it.
Photo credit: Jasena Sareil
It was a wonderful day, and we hope its beauty is enjoyed for many years to come!
