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08Jun 2018 by Christine Harris

What’s happening behind the fence ?

What's New
  [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="428"] The new fence[/caption]                         The rain finally stopped and the project team met to get the restoration project started. The first thing the contractor and his crew will be doing is building plywood boxes to cover and protect the benches and the ripple as well as creating the construction entrance to the site.  Over the next two weeks, workers will be protecting trees, the Menotomy Indian Hunter sculpture and more. A fence will be put up and pruning will be done to ensure that the trees don't suffer from accidental damage. Then work on the lower pool will begin. The Contractor submitted his own images to document the site prior to beginning the work.  These…
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31May 2018 by Christine Harris

Robbins Town Gardens Restoration Project gets a Garden Historian

Articles
http://arlington.wickedlocal.com/news/20180510/guest-column-robbins-town-gardens-restoration-project-gets-garden-historian By Ingrid Gallagher, Board Member Friends of Robbins Town Gardens / arlington@wickedlocal.comPosted May 10, 2018 at 3:00 AM   Wicked Local Arlington Mona Mckindley is a garden historian working with the Friends of the Robbins Town Gardens to restore the plantings in Arlington’s historic landmark gardens. Following the specifications laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. in his firm’s 1939 redesign of the iconic gardens, Mckindley is committed to a plant restoration the Olmsteds would approve. “The design is an artwork that is being recreated, so we respect the artists and try to reproduce it faithfully. We do not augment or elaborate; we restore what was there,” said Mckindley. “The design of the spaces between Town Hall and Robbins Library is an example of the work of America’s favorite design firm of the era. The design…
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03Mar 2018 by Christine Harris

Please help us get ready for Spring

What's New
Wednesday, February 24 was unseasonably warm - a perfect day for preparing the Garden for Spring..  Ingrid Gallagher, Patsy Kramer , Christine Harris, Robert Charest, Emily Snyder, Diane Geis,  and Stephan Miller members of the  Friends of Robbins Town Gardens, Master Gardeners, Arlington Garden Club and Historic Gardener, Mona McKindley, joined together in Phase II of the Garden cleanup. First we focused on pruning the remaining yews around the Town Hall.  When we finished, you could see the Town Hall's first floor windows. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="307"] Patsy Kraemer & Stephan Miller before pruning[/caption] [caption id="attachment_601" align="alignright" width="312"] Yews after pruning[/caption] [caption id="attachment_607" align="aligncenter" width="251"] Bob Charest & Diane Geis haul away Yew trimmings[/caption] [caption id="attachment_595" align="alignleft" width="300"] Stephan Miller, Bob Charest, Mona Mckindley and Ingrid Gallagfher trim lilac[/caption] [caption id="attachment_594" align="alignright"…
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11Dec 2017 by Christine Harris

Preparing for New Plants in Spring – Please help us with the project

Articles
[caption id="attachment_567" align="alignleft" width="300"] "Before" view of side of town hall[/caption] On December 2, 2017, Robert Cunniff, Christine Harris, and JoAnn Robinson, members of the Friends of the Robbins Town Gardens; Master Gardeners, Emily Snyder and Diane Geis , Stephan Miller of the Arlington Garden Club; and Mona McKindley, historic arborist, worked to prepare a portion of the garden for spring planting.   [caption id="attachment_566" align="alignright" width="300"] "After" view of side of town hall[/caption]   For four hours they pruned, raked and sawed. They removed invasive vines, reduced the size of overgrown shrubs, and cut down dead and diseased trees. [caption id="attachment_562" align="alignleft" width="300"] Mona trims the Cherry Tree branches[/caption]     While a few trees still remain to be pruned or cut down, the area at the side of town hall is…
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14Nov 2017 by Christine Harris

We Have Begun to Restore the Garden: Preparing for Spring 2018 Planting

Articles
JoAnn Robinson, Christine Harris, Robert Cunniff and Patsy Kraemer met to compare plants growing at the side of Town Hall with 1938 Olmsted plan. They evaluated plant condition, identified those not in the plan, and scheduled them for removal. They also determined which plants should be pruned. Before work began, yews and rhododendrons were overgrown.   Day lilies and hostas were slated for removal. October 27, the crew began work following the Friends’ recommendations. They trimmed back yews, pruned tree suckers, and removed day lilies, hostas, weeds and invasive plants.   After severe pruning of lilacs, young, straight shoots may thrive. There is now dappled sunlight behind the rhododendrons and clear open space for spring installation of appropriate plants.  
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