Tucked behind the Vermont State House in Montpelier, just outside the windows of the cafeteria where legislators, staff, and visitors dine, is a forgotten garden that was once overrun with invasive goutweed and is now being brought back to life. A collaboration between The Nature Conservancy, the State of Vermont’s Department of Buildings and General Services, and Vermont Master Gardeners are working to rehabilitate the garden for the enjoyment of the more than 150,000 visitors who pass through the State House each year.
Since work began in 2007, Master Gardeners have brought the goutweed under control. Landscape architect Jean Vissering was hired to develop a landscaping plan. The all-natives garden will be installed in 2011. Posters in the State House cafeteria will update visitors on the garden’s progress and provide information on how to recognize, remove, and replace invasive plants and how to use natives in landscaping. The site will be used for workshops for gardeners and professionals interested in learning how to garden with natives.
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