See photos: Beginnings | 2002 | 2003 | 2004
Read: Phoenix on the Susquehanna in the November 2004 issue of Central PA Magazine

Our school adopted a site on the Capital Area Greenbelt. The student body, staff, parents, and additional volunteers plan, design, plant, and maintain a garden at this site, known as Phoenix Park. The park is located south of the PennDOT building overlooking the Susquehanna River. This site was previously the home of the Phoenix Steel Corporation which operated in the 1800s and 1900s until it closed its doors in the 1950s.

We've designed the garden in a creative way while choosing plants, trees and flowers that are native to this area. Plants chosen attract butterflies and birds in addition to supporting the wildlife that depends on this riverfront habitat. In addition to plantings, we constructed sitting niches, sculptures, and a mosaic mural and a painted garden scene on abandoned concrete walls. The garden is accessible to "wheelchair hikers." We've also installed vandal-proof birdwatching telescopes that are also wheelchair accessible.

Londonderry's Kid's Committee raises funds to donate to community and school projects, by students who create and sell their artwork at a yearly art auction as well as other events. The committee is made up of 10 students ages six to 13. The entire student body voted to adopt the garden site on the Greenbelt and made a commitment to donate Kid's Committee funds yearly until the project is completed. In addition to the Kid's Committee funds, the school received two $2,000 grants from the Dauphin County Department of Community and Economic Development to use for the Greenbelt Garden Project.

Accomplished so far:

• Mapped the garden
  
• Prepared two planting mounds
  
• Created a stone lined planting bed
  
• Created six brownstone benches from recycled stones found on the site
  
• Collected large bricks from the site to be recycled to edge planting mounds
  
• Tested and amended the soil to prepare the beds for fall and spring planting
  
• Planted a butterfly garden, hummingbird garden, pizza garden and sunflower garden
  
• Repaired concrete walls
  
• Laid a fine crushed limestone path for wheelchair access
  
• Planted trees
  
• Painted a flower mural
  
• Created a mosaic phoenix mural
  
• Installed a row of flower pots
  
• Installed birdwatching binoculars
  

Anyone wishing to donate time and/or plants or other materials for this project please contact your child's classroom teacher for each classes' specific needs OR contact Cynthia Hardwicke, Londonderry Art Teacher, who is coordinating the Greenbelt Garden Project.

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