Newport’s Cliff Walk Commission has partnered with The James L. Maher Center to create and sustain beautiful gardens at the entrance of the Cliff Walk’s famed Forty Steps. The site welcomes more than 1.3 million visitors annually.
Maher Center team members Troy Reininger and Jack Cicchelli, along with talented gardeners from Newport in Bloom and the URI Master Gardeners Program who volunteer with the Center – have planted a vibrant selection of perennials and annuals in the Forty Steps Gardens. Reininger, who manages the Maher Garden Center, incorporated more than 200 plants in designing the spaces, which are tended by participants in the Maher Center’s Day Program and horticulture training program.
“We are delighted that the Maher Center has accepted our invitation to ‘adopt’ the Forty Steps Gardens,” said Cliff Walk Commission member John Hirschboeck. “Both the Center and the Cliff Walk are among our community’s treasures, and it’s wonderful to see this partnership come to fruition.”
“This project epitomizes the generosity that makes our community special – the same spirit of giving that makes everything we do possible,” said Maher Center Executive Director Lynne Maher. “We’re so grateful for this opportunity and for the support of all our friends – and we’re thrilled to be able to give back in some small way, while providing a wonderful experience for our participants and helping to make the world a more beautiful and inclusive place.”
“This project is truly a labor of love,” added Paul Galluscio, a Newport in Bloom board member and avid gardener who helped plan and plant the gardens. “We love to see our beautiful city pop with vibrant color, whether it’s Newport in Bloom’s hanging baskets on Bellevue Avenue or the gardens at Forty Steps or the million-plus daffodils that pop up every April. It’s incredibly rewarding to collaborate with the people of the Maher Center to create this wonderful space for Island residents and visitors alike to enjoy.”
Master Gardener Casey Farley, who has volunteered with the Maher Center through the organization’s partnership with the URI Master Gardeners Program for the past two years, agreed. “As an active member of the Maher Garden Center community, I’ve seen first-hand how exciting it is for people of all abilities to learn new skills, unleash their creativity, and work together to see something amazing come alive. The Forty Steps Gardens will offer those opportunities.”
