Information+about+the+Project

After the Aiken Center was renovated in 2012, the landscaping around the building was found to be lacking the same sustainable and progressive traits to match the inside of the building. Consequently, GOA Landscaping interns set to work to help create a complete Landscaping Plan for the Aiken Center. This plan includes multiple different species of Vermont-native grasses, trees, shrubs and other plants. It was created in the hopes that it could be installed in different stages, headed by different interns throughout the years.

This spring, the goal was to install the first stage of the plan, which is an edible garden on the west side of Aiken. However, a few different obstacles stood in the way of installation. The plan still had to be approved by the Campus Planning Committee, and we had to find a nursery to provide the plants. Also, the landscaping company, Landshapes, had to be contacted in order to coordinate the stone walls that were necessary to support the garden, as it will reside on a hill. This process would include Landshapes contacting Dig Safe, a service designed to outline any piping underground that may be disturbed by any type of construction. We also had to meet with Rosemarie Leland, the Grounds Manager of UVM, in order to inform her of our plans and get her approval.

The original plan was to incorporate 6 species: black chokeberry, lingonberry, lowbush blueberry, Northern highbush blueberry and red mulberry. After hearing back from Campus Planning and meeting with David Raphael red mulberry was interchanged for Allegheny serviceberry. We contacted three different nurseries and got quotes from Greenhaven Nursery and Gardener's Supply Company.

Although the original plan was to install this spring, after meeting with Landshapes it turned out that the stone wall would be much more expensive and complicated than originally anticipated. Because of the long winter Gardener's Supply was delayed by two weeks as well. These two factors meant a delay in the project, and we were unable to install the stone wall or plants by the end of the semester.

The Landscaping Plan: