Flower beds at the City of La Feria’s Bailey H. Dunlap Memorial Library have received a face lift through the efforts of the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists.
The challenge
The front of the La Feria Public Library was looking a little desolate with the designated flower beds remaining empty for years. Heidi Linnemann, a La Feria resident and Rio Grande Valley Chapter member, wanted to do something about it, and the library staff was fully supportive. Unfortunately, it took three years (and a change in city administration) to get approval from the City of La Feria to allow the work to be done.
Getting started
Once city approval was obtained, we received excellent support from Alfonzo Rodriguez, the city’s Public Works Director. The first chore was to ensure that the new plantings would receive water. Al directed the city employees to provide a faucet for each bed which would tie into the existing irrigation system. Wanting to be able to control the water source, we replaced the standard faucet with a locking system. These locks would allow us to separately water each bed as needed. Keys for the locks were provided to both the city and the library staff in case of an emergency need.
The next step was designing the flower beds. We kept in mind that the areas were mostly shaded, and the beds were lined with three layers of ground cloth. While effective at keeping out the weeds, they could be a problem. Seeking advice from Mike Heep, a planting guide was devised and staked.
And then another snag: Providing planting holes was going to be difficult. Three layers of ground cloth covered truly compacted soil! Happily, Al Rodriguez came to our rescue once more. The City rented a commercial auger, and three strong workers drilled holes for 31 plants in less than two hours!
Team effort
Diane Hall, Rio Grande Valley Chapter member, and other friends planted the featured plants. Diane and her husband, John, helped install the drip irrigation lines, and we were ready to go. The plants are in and doing well. Stop by and have a look!