By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Photo/Melanie Petrucci
Northborough – On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, Oct. 14, members of the Northborough Garden Club gathered to dedicate a Memorial Garden in memory of deceased club members at the Old Town Hall on Main Street.
Club member Amy Graham shared that two long-time members, Betty Tetrault and Marie Taylor, left memorial funds to the club upon their passing. Both had asked for donations to the club in lieu of flowers.
The members brainstormed ideas on how to use the funds.
“One of the other members and I were taking care of the tubs [at Old Town Hall] and all of the shrubs that were in here were overgrown,” Graham explained. “I said, ‘maybe we should think about replacing these plants and have it be like a Memorial Garden?’”
The project began in the spring of 2016 after the club received permission from the town. The Department of Public Works were enlisted and instrumental in doing the heavy lifting. The club then planted a garden that would be colorful all year long with a mix of perennials and annuals.
Club President Joyce DiGregorio opened the brief dedication program with remembrances of Tetreault and Taylor. She also welcomed club member and Northborough Selectman Julianne Hirsch to speak.
“Gardens make us feel better, they are truly therapeutic,” Hirsch said. “Gardens force us to be in the present moment, observant of the delicate ecosystem and grateful for the flowers that might be gone in a few days.”
Daughters of Tetreault and Taylor, Julie Taylor-Moran and Janice Ferenchick shared memories of their mothers and thanked the Garden Club for this honor.
Special acknowledgments were made to Rocky’s Ace Hardware of Northborough who supplied mums for the fall planting, and the Northborough DPW who supports the garden with mulching.
It is the club’s desire that residents enjoy the garden and think of those people that they have lost in a beautiful and peaceful setting.
