Members of the Garden Club of Yorktown with Supervisor Ed Lachterman at the Veteran Memorials Circle
The first phase of the rejuvenation project entails replanting the main park circle—a former locomotive turnaround—with native plants that are sun-loving, drought-tolerant and beneficial to pollinators and birds. The garden will honor veterans by using native species that have evolved on American soil and represent the resiliency of the American spirit.
“We are really committed to feeding the butterflies and the bees, and we need native species to do that. This really honors the veterans, who this site is all about,” said the garden club’s vice-president Renee Fogarty.
The club’s goal is to create a formal, demonstration garden in the circle with interactive signage placed so that visitors can identify the plants in the garden and find more information about those plants using QR-codes that link to the club’s website.
The club hopes to finish the first phase of the garden by Veterans Day.
“Native plants and native flowers are an integral part of environment, and they should be part of our landscaping in the Town,” said Supervisor Ed Lachterman, who visited the work site on Wednesday. “The fact that they are here at our Veteran Memorials Circle, dressing it up, shows a respect for the veterans, a love for our town, and we appreciate all that the garden club is doing for us.”
The circle behind Town Hall—renamed in June—is the location of five memorial stones, armed services flags and other tributes to current and former service members. Bedford resident Bob Detmer—a Vietnam veteran—was riding his bike on the Empire State Trail next to the circle when he stopped to look at the garden club’s work.
“I’m very excited about this project because I love plantings and I love Yorktown,” said Detmer. “This is truly an amazing project that people would take their time to make something that’s beautiful for all of us to enjoy. It’s really appreciated.”
