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Together we can help make Glastonbury a more beautiful, greener place to live.

Town Partnerships

Glastonbury Dog Park tree planting
Town Dog Park
In May of 2011, GPIP partnered with the Town Parks and Rec. Department to beautify the new Dog Park. We donated and planted 25 trees (green ash, elms, oaks, a rosebud, tulip trees and flowering pears) mostly on the south side of the park to provide shade. Others were planted in a nearby conservation area. The planting took 3 men and a T650 Bobcat 1 day to complete.
tree planting at dog park Glastonbury Dog Park
Smith Middle School Courtyard
Beginning in the fall of 2010, the Smith Middle School courtyard began a huge transformation from being a tired, overgrown eyesore to becoming a colorful and attractive outdoor classroom space. Partnering with the Town, SMS administrators and students, GPIP spearheaded the project of digging up all of the old perennials with the students so that they could sell them at a plant sale; then replacing the shrubs and vegetation with new vibrant ones. After the Town re-graded the courtyard and repaired the sprinkler system, B&B Landscaping provided equipment and labor to blow in compost. Next, the Town planted grass seed in the four quadrants. GPIP continued to work with students planting bulbs, setting up several thermometers (with the help of local meteorologist Joe Furey) to measure temperatures in and outside the courtyard to see if the courtyard would be warm enough for any unusual or exotic plants. Currently GPIP members Della Winans, Susan Dixon and Edie Kelly are working with SMS teachers to plan for spring plantings.


Most exciting was the initial presentation of a new Husquavarna solar powered robotic lawnmower that was purchased with the students plant sale money, private donations, a grant from the Glastonbury Education Foundation and a donation from GPIP. Used to maintain the new grassy areas in the courtyard, the lawnmower immediately piqued the interest of many students and created an enthusiasm for science and technology in this new outdoor classroom.
Smith Middle School
Smith Middle School faculty
Youth and Family
Youth & Family Services
Again, GPIP partnered with teens to provide new landscaping at the Youth and Family
Services building in Town. They dug out all the existing overgrown plants and replaced them with colorful, low maintenance plants. The students were so enthusiastic about the project that they placed popsicle stick name tags on the plants they put into the ground so they could take care of them as they grow. Jarrod Sancoucy, Bob Shipman and Deborah Kent provided professional help and guidance.
Addison Park
October 2009 brought not only a new addition to our garden projects but also a new group of faces. This was GPIP's first group of all teen volunteers who worked along side Jarrod Sansoucy, designer of the garden, Bob Shipman and Chris Gullotta. Together with the Town Parks and Rec. Department, GPIP transformed the existing over grown garden of burning bush and juniper to a new low maintenance colorful garden.
GPIP volunteers
Addison Park gardens Addison Park
Battling Bittersweet and Other Invasive Plants
Please click the link above for more information!

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