3555 Victoria Street N
Shoreview
DESCRIPTION:
The garden is 36 x 36’, full sun, on amended clay soil, and contains about 35 species of native plants. (July 2021) Added 2023: Spotted Beebalm, Coreopsis, Pussy Toes and Narrow Leaf Coneflower.
The garden is located behind the school, near the gym on Vivian Ave., and up a hill in the NW corner of the playground. Not easy to see from Vivian Ave.
HISTORY:
Created by high school senior, Niklas Damberg, as his Eagle Scout project in summer 2012. Maintained briefly afterwards by his father, Dr. Greg Damberg. The design was assisted by Landscape Alternatives, also the source of the initial plants. Plant funding came from memorials made in memory of a local woman scout leader.
Rescued in August 2016 by Shoreview Clean Water committee members and neighboring Big River Big Woods members. (The garden had become engulfed in thistle, buckthorn, and lots of quack grass.) Todd Durand, school principal at the time and his family helped with the initial cleanup, removing the path weeds and digging out 6 small trees! By September 6th he had transported several trailer loads of the copious debris to the compost site. The Quack grass and thistles were the biggest volunteer challenge in the beginning of the rescue process. We had to resort to Roundup spot spraying for the Quack grass in April 2017.
Volunteer neighbors helped cut down the Ash tree located in the center of the garden.
Sponsored September 8, 2016, as a Big River Big Woods (Wild Ones chapter) Shoreview Project. This is an excellent, ongoing source of volunteers to maintain the garden.
Project leader: Karen Eckman