The idea was to plant native, drought-tolerant plants in the boulevard ‘bump outs’ all the way down our block, meeting neighbours along the way. The result was a beautiful section of the boulevard planted out, right at the busy intersection at the end of our block, and a whole network of like-minded neighbours, community members, and wider Nanaimo residents and organizations getting together!
Once the grant was confirmed for the planting project, we connected with the City of Nanaimo, the Nanaimo Area Land Trust (NALT), and through them, several other organizations and Vancouver Island nurseries specializing in native plants. Connecting with the technical professionals on this project was key, as it helped scale and scope the project to an achievable level that was timed right with the planting season.
The biggest hassle was getting all of the sod and weeds from the original bump-out hauled away – then came the fun part! One neighbour studying landscape design helped plan the site, NALT and other nurseries advised on plant selection, and the Vancouver Island University Garry Oak restoration team and Kiki’s Nursery in Cedar donated so many plants. It was a whole crew!
Not as many immediate neighbours as I’d hoped came out for the actual project due to the timing of some of the work, but in the process of laying down woodchips after the planting, and regular watering of the site, I’ve met so many of my neighbours who are happy we did the project and would love to see more. It’s a great conversation starter and dare I say, is even improving the chaotic traffic situation at that intersection! Planting projects are two-fold community builders: the actual process of preparing and planting the site, and then the ongoing maintenance as an opportunity to continue to connect.
We hope that this site can serve as a pilot for the rest of the street’s boulevards in the future, slowly but surely, and eventually provide cuttings and seeds for other planting projects in the neighbourhood. The pollinators have kept up their side of the bargain, and several varieties of bees showed up to check things out even during our planting day – quite an affirmation for us humans!
