Exhibit highlights Waltham resident's work
By Christopher Rocchio/
Daily News Staff
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
WALTHAM -- A
landscape design group recently received some help from resident Patricia
McGinnis to begin sprucing up the 48-acre Espousal Retreat House and Conference
Center on Lexington Street.
McGinnis' plan for the Espousal Center is currently on
display at Waltham Public Library as part of an exhibit sponsored by the
Community Outreach Group for Landscape Design (COGdesign), a local non-profit
group.
"I believe what COGdesign does is very
important," said McGinnis. "We share a common philosophy that your
quality of life is improved by the quality of your environment."
McGinnis said landscape design had always been just a
hobby until she began studying at the Landscape Institute of the Arnold
Arboretum at Harvard University a few years ago. As part of the program in which
she was enrolled, McGinnis needed to complete an independent project as a
certificate requirement, which she characterized as being equivalent to a thesis
paper.
"Because I was a student, my project had to
benefit a non-profit organization," she said. "I was connected with
COGdesign because of our overlapping interests."
Lucia Droby, COGdesign's executive director, said the
organization had been working with the Espousal Center to find a volunteer
designer. McGinnis was the perfect fit. McGinnis completed her plan for the
center and presented it to them in May 2005, which was also when she received
her certificate from Harvard.
To implement the plan, McGinnis and COGdesign turned
to the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, which meets regularly at the
Espousal Center. Over the past several months, volunteers from the garden club
have been donating plants, shrubs and their time to create a bountiful cutting
garden full of perennials.
Santo Signa, administrator at the Espousal Center,
said other than the garden providing beauty for the grounds, fresh flowers can
also be cut and displayed throughout the center, from the chapel to the dining
hall.
"There was a constant need for fresh flowers at
the center, so we gave them a dynamite cutting garden," said McGinnis.
"The volunteers from the garden club brought in some wonderful plants and
shrubs, which are both unique and lovely."
Other than the cutting garden, McGinnis said her plan
addressed a slope behind the center, which she said had been a combination of
exposed rock and grass. Volunteers have started planting a variety of shrubs and
day lilies on the slope.
"I'm happy with the progress being made,"
said Signa.
McGinnis said she is primarily a residential landscape
designer, but is pleased with the relationship she's developed with both
COGdesign and the garden club. She said implementing her plan at the Espousal
Center is gradual because it can only progress as much as the limited budget and
volunteer hours will allow.
"There's still a whole bunch more we want to do.
Some of it may never get done, while other goals can be accomplished with the
further contribution of plants and volunteer efforts," said McGinnis.
"It's really wonderful to see it develop."
Droby said COGdesign has worked on more than 70
landscape-design projects since the organization was incorporated as a nonprofit
in 1997. Other projects on display at the library throughout July include a
residence for low-income elderly in Newton, a community garden in Dorchester and
a public park in Arlington.
"All of the projects undertaken by COGdesign are
really important because they touch upon some serious social issues we're
dealing with as a culture and community," said Droby.
The COGdesign exhibit is on display at Waltham Public
Library in the showcase near the children's room on the ground floor. To help in
Patricia McGinnis' efforts at the Espousal Center, contact her at 781-899-0994.
Christopher Rocchio can be reached at 781-398-8009 or crocchio@cnc.com.
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