The project started with the idea of donating plants to the museum last summer but it quickly became the legacy our interns would leave with Ottawa. The Old Depot was donated in 1962 and opened to the public in 1963. It serves as the town’s local history and they happened to have two landscape beds open for renovations this summer.
Above is a before picture of the right side landscaping bed.
Last summer we completed landscape beds lining the road outside the museum and this summer we completed the final two beds in front of the museum. This year’s summer interns include Caitlyn Bond from Missouri, Renata Goossen from Kansas State, and Mallory Unverfehrt from Murray State in Kentucky.
Above with the finished project are interns: Caitlyn Bond, Renata Goossen and Mallory Unverfehrt.
The Project
The interns designed and created the entire landscape proposal and headed straight to work. The first item of business was to remove the current plants and weeds within the landscape. After a truck full of lilies were removed and both beds had been weeded it was finally time to start planting.
We weren’t kidding about removing a truck full of lilies!
The planting process began with setting out all the plants in their designated areas. After the design was complete they started by planting the new focal points. Each bed would now feature a Dwarf Lilac in the center with Popcorn Drift® Rose bunches on each side. When a Dwarf Lilac reaches full maturity it will be around 4 to 6 feet tall.
Here are the interns putting in the new plants!
To help attract natural pollinators Buddleias ‘Miss Molly’ were added behind each rose clump. On the ends of each bed the interns chose to add Echinacea purpurea Magnus because it is a native plant that also attracts butteflies. Achillea ‘Moonshine’ was selected to add some yellow color to the end of the landscaping beds. They also use Achillea ‘Moonshine’ and Echinacea purpurea Magnus to fill in extra space within the landscape.
Pictured above is the finished left sided landscape bed.
To add height in the second bed the interns added a Viburnum Winterthur. To bring the beds together they used Sedum Angelina throughout as a groundcover. As our landscape beds came together we hope all your summer projects are as well. Summer is the perfect time to update old landscaping and we hope you take advantage of this beautiful weather!
Watch Live Footage:
Check out this awesome time lapse we created of the landscape transformation! https://youtu.be/WzIvyCg1l6A
Have Questions About Plants?
We may be a wholesale grower, but our staff are experts in the field. What’s more, is we love helping people learn more and understand more about plants. We grow healthy plants, and we want our plants (and any plants really) to be successful in the landscapes they are planted in. Feel free to email us at sales@lomavistanursery.com or call us at (785) 229-7200 if you ever have plant-related questions.
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