“I had the opportunity to pursue many of my Master Gardener outreach hours with Kathy Connolly at the “green” parking lot in Westbrook Center on Route 1. I learned of the design, implementation, and planting of this transformed area from a ragged dirt parking lot to stunning town center quarter-acre meadow plot. My experience with Kathy brought together many of the elements touched on during my formal coursework of the Master Gardener lectures this year. I saw pervious asphalt in use; I learned of the use of green-roof sedum plants in one of the hottest areas of the lot lining the street; I learned of the importance of maintaining native plant use; I learned of allowing the “volunteer” plant Partridge Pea to thrive in this meadow’s transformation; I learned of maintaining a historic look to town center area with the utilization of the traditional Hawthorn trees and serviceberry shrubs; I learned landscape design basics and the importance of color, varying heights of plants, motion, contrast materials, and sight lines. She often shared tidbits of wisdom as we moved summer grasses to fill empty areas in the lot and weeded along walkways.
"This was such a worthwhile outreach experience for me to assist Kathy.”