Friends of the Waterfront (FOW) and Sail to Prevail (STP) announced today that they will launch the latest Newport Harbor dinghy planter at Fort Adams on Saturday June 1, 2019 at 10 am. Volunteers are invited to participate and gain hands-on gardening experience while learning about these two organizations.
A look at the FOW/Master Gardener dinghy planter on Scott’s Wharf in 2015.
FOW is a non-profit whose mission is to preserve public access to the waterfront. In June of 2015, FOW in association with the URI Master Gardener Program debuted the Newport Harbor Planter Project when the first of five donated dinghies was planted at Perrotti Park. Four additional planters were placed along the Harbor to highlight public access points. Each dinghy is filled with 300 pounds of gravel, a cubic yard of soil and a dozen varieties of plants that are suited to seaside gardens. A swat team of volunteers maintains the planters with daily watering. Other dinghy planters are at Scott’s Wharf, the Maritime Center at the Armory, Spring Wharf and King Park.
Re-launched in 1996, Sail to Prevail is a nationally known disabled sailing program headquartered in Newport that creates opportunities for children and adults to overcome adversity through therapeutic sailing. Participants travel from all over the country and range in age from 7 to 70+. At Sail To Prevail they learn about teamwork, leadership and self-confidence.
When Sail to Prevail representatives contacted FOW president Johanna Vietry to ask if she was interested in creating another boat to showcase waterfront access, she said yes to a sixth dinghy. The latest dinghy will be planted on June 1 as part of a demonstration on large-scale container gardening and everyone is invited to participate regardless of gardening know how. Master Gardeners will lead with a step-by-step guide using up-cycled dinghies as large planters. These science-based procedures can be followed for any size planter. The new dinghy planter at 60 Fort Adams Drive will house native RI plants, some North American wild flowers along with other pollinators that are not only beneficial for native butterflies and bees, they’re also esthetically pleasing. The new pollinator planter will sit on a cradle and will be handicapped accessible.
Coffee and refreshments will be served. Bring your own reusable coffee cup.
In addition, hand-made native bee hotels will be on display along with information and a chat on what you can do to support native bees in your own landscape. In support of local bees Newport artist Jeannine Bestoso painted a pollinator rain barrel that will be auctioned off during the event. Seed packets and plants will also be given out to encourage everyone to garden with native plants. This event will take place rain or shine at 60 Fort Adams Drive.
For more information, contact Johanna Vietry at info@NewportWaterfront.org