One of the goals of the Osterville Garden Club's Civic Beautification Committee this year is to redesign and embark on a total refurbishment of the Colonial Garden that we maintain at the Osterville Historical Society. In early October, Joyce Landscaping sent a team to dig perennials and old shrubs. In addition, they added bags of soil amendments, rototilled all the beds, and planted hydrangea. This was an extremely generous contribution to our Club and to the Historical Society. Several of our Garden Members gathered on site to formulate a design, replanted the beds, potted up plant divisions from the garden for our Annual Plant Sale in May, and trimmed back existing plants for the winter. Some of these plant divisions were donated to Centerville for their civic beautification projects and the Marstons Mills Library Garden Refurbishment.

The Garden Club has provided over 25 years of community service in maintaining the gardens at the l824 Captain Parker House. Throughout spring, summer and fall these volunteers tend the gardens, watering and weeding. Back in 1979, the garden was created to provide several stages, which enabled the Garden Club to undertake specific fund raising endeavors to finance each stage. The Colonial Garden contains brick walks and planting beds outlined in myrtle with a backdrop of a white arbor and picket fence. Plants are consistent with plants found in Colonial Gardens.

Connie Sutherland designed the Herb Garden in the late 1980's which is located at the circa 1750 Cammett House. Connie, who continues to oversee the herb garden, created a kitchen garden with plants indigenous to the area that were commonly used for cooking and medicinal home use in the 1700's. Many of these plants were from Connie's own garden and are alive today thus depicting the hardiness of herbs. This garden is maintained by members of the Garden Club, as well.

Civic Beautification Chairman, Linda Clark is looking forward to completion of the garden design in the Spring, highlighting color for the Osterville Historical Society's 75th Anniversary Celebration mid June 2006.

In early October, Garden Club members were hard at work reinstalling shrubs and plants at the Marstons Mills Library. Joyce Landscaping removed large shrubs, ammended the soil, and provided mulch and soaker hoses all pro bono. Mahoney's Garden Center donated plants and shrubs. Leftover perennials from the Osterville Historical Society gardens were also planted as well as bulbs. Jini Horan, who led the project, is looking forward to seeing the results next Spring.