Montclair ‘Demonstration Garden’ Gets Enthusiastic Support From Community

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Northeast Earth Coalition (NEEC) and Friends of Crane Park will have a community gathering at the Montclair park on Sunday, Aug. 20 from noon to 4 p.m., to celebrate the completion of the first step of the Crane Park Demonstration Garden.

The garden – which has drawn enthusiastic support from nearby residents and community stakeholders – includes native plants from the Northeast that are beneficial for pollinators and birds.

Organizers said that the four-season garden will include perennials and evergreens, as well as some edible plants. During the first step of the garden, now in progress, more than 150 blooming summer plants will be introduced to the soil.

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Montclair Facebook page here.

The garden will provide on-site educational information both about the importance of native plants and their relationship with pollinators and the environment and about the possibilities of integrating edibles into an attractive garden. Professionally designed signs will describe the garden and identify the plants and their purposes.

“Much of the project will serve a pollinator garden, planted predominately with flowers that provide nectar and other food sources for a wide range of pollinating insects and birds, such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds,” said Daniel Cruz, a 4th Ward resident who has been serving as a community liaison for the garden.

Hopefully, the project’s style of “holistic planting” can be used as a model for future sustainable and eco-friendly gardens in other parts of town, Cruz said.

• See related article: Bloomfield Couple Create Wildlife Habitat In Their Backyard (PHOTOS)

Master gardeners Jose German and David Wasmuth who founded the Montclair Backyard Habitat Project, are in charge of the design and planting of the demonstration garden. Park area residents Marie Saint Victor and Tony Allen will also be spearheading the project as members of Friends of Crane Park.

The project has gained the support of Israel Cronk and Montclair Center BID, organizers said.

For additional information about the garden, contact neearthcoalition@gmail.com or Jose German at (646) 225-8414. Donations to support the project can be mailed to Northeast Earth Coalition, Inc. P.O. BOX 550, Montclair, NJ 07042. Contributions are tax deductible.

Learn more at www.neearth.org.

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Daniel Cruz