Garden Wish List for Town Hall

    Even as winter winds on, the seeds of a future garden on the grounds of East Hampton Town Hall are firmly in place, with plans to begin planting daffodils, jonquils, and boxwood surrounding the  entrance sign by Earth Day this spring.

    The town’s litter committee has taken on the project, which it is envisioned will ultimately result in plantings of native, heirloom, and deer-resistant herbs, flowers, and shrubs around the historic Town Hall buildings and along walkways leading to and from various town offices. It will be an all-volunteer effort at no cost to the town.

    Monetary donations, which are tax-deductible, are being sought, and can be sent to the Town of East Hampton, 159 Pantigo Road, East Hampton 11937, earmarked “Litter Committee — Town Hall Garden.”

    According to information distributed by Deborah Klughers, the litter committee chairwoman, after a recent planning meeting, about $500 will be needed for the Earth Day garden — with four to six boxwoods and about 100 potted daffodils and jonquils to be planted under the sign.

    To finish other plantings included in the design’s first phase, the cost will be about $3,000.

     Organizers will seek donations of plants from local nurseries, and have suggested setting up plant registries at local stores — a list of plants needed for the project, which shoppers could purchase at the business for donation to the town. Signs would be designed for display at the shops. Committee members hope that businesses might offer a discount on purchases for the Town Hall project.

    Besides providing a plant wish list to businesses, the committee would advertise the project and delineate its needs through local media outlets.

    After the first planting, which will be celebrated with a gathering on Earth Day, April 22, next to go in the ground will be lavender, catmint, yellow yarrow, and more boxwood.

    The gardens will reflect traditional practices and designs, as well as organic gardening techniques. In addition to the litter committee members, plans are being developed with help from Marguerite Wolffsohn, the town planning director, and Colette Gilbert, an herbalist who recently installed a garden at the East Hampton Historical Society’s Mulford Farm, and Sara Shepherd, an herbalist and master gardener.

    The planners anticipate participation by students, senior citizens, and the disabled, for whom a sensory garden would be planted.