LYME/OLD LYME — It is always interesting in early January of one year to crunch the numbers and see which stories drew the highest number of readers in the previous year. This year was no exception — there were some predictable winners like the announcement of the Old Lyme 2021 Citizen of the Year and the unexpected (and unsuccessful, as far as we know) auction of the Old Lyme Shopping Center.
There were several pandemic-related articles such as the opening of applications for ARPA grants in Old Lyme and a dramatic increase in the number of Connecticut towns in the Red Zone in April. The decision by the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme to hold its White Elephant Sale after a two-year Covid-enforced hiatus was greeted enthusiastically by many readers as was news that Lyme-Old Lyme Schools had dropped their COVID mask-mandate.
Controversial issues always prompt a rise in readers and predictably the whole business about the then-insuperable obstacles facing Old Lyme’s Open Space Commissions’ efforts to acquire two parcels of the Ames property fell into that category. Similarly, people wanted to read all about the appointment of a new face to the OL Economic Development Commission against both the recommendation of its chair and over an incumbent. The still-ongoing saga of the Tantummaheag access dispute made the list as did the subject of armed guards in Lyme-Old Lyme Schools.
Sad news also invariably attracts increased readership and so the announcement of the passing of our beloved food writer Lee White is on our list as is the unanticipated departure of the then-director of the Florence Griswold Museum.
There were surprisingly few politically-related stories in our Top 15 for 2022, even though it was a feisty election year. The one that did make the list related to a well-known Old Lyme resident being the major funder of a new Republican PAC in the state.
We knew Maureen Haseley-Jones’s gardening columns were popular, but it was a slight surprise that February’s — of all months — crept into our Top 15. Congratulations , Maureen!
But the biggest surprise of all was the most-read story of the year, which, against all odds, was the second and final segment of a two-part-story about the history of tobacco in Connecticut!
It is a particularly topical article for today — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day — because (and who knew?), MLK worked in the summers of both 1944 and 1947 on a tobacco farm in Simsbury to earn money for tuition. He wrote to his father that, “there was no discrimination at all,” north of Washington DC, adding that up North, “We go to any place we want to and sit anywhere we want to.”
King wrote in his autobiography, “It was a bitter feeling going back to segregation after those summers in Connecticut.”
Corey Kilgannon wrote in the New York Times that the dream of equality that MLK first glimpsed in Simsbury helped reshape his world view, adding, “It was during those summers that King began his path to becoming a minister.”
Congratulations to our very own Tom Gotowka on being the author of our most-read article in 2022!
We have a feeling the article was picked up by some research entities, which may have increased its readership numbers, but that takes nothing away from the simple fact that it recorded more readers than any other article in the whole of 2022!
The complete list of our Top 15 most-read articles for 2022 in descending order is as follows:
Hello everyone; so much to do and so little time in this holiday season … remember to breathe, stretch and take time out for yourself each day.
Maureen Haseley-Jones is “The English Lady.”
On a pleasant December day, go out into the garden — there is still time to plant your spring bulbs. The earth is still workable so enjoy the fresh air and the gentle exercise before you indulge in the Holiday festivities.
Plant the bulbs three times as deep as they measure in their upright position. For example, the Daffodils should be planted nine inches down below the frost line. Last month, I suggested that you put a bag of composted manure in the shed or garage to spread around the bulb area after planting. However, if you do not have the manure now, when the bulbs peak up from the soil in spring, you can obtain the composted manure and sprinkle it around the emerging bulbs.
At this moment, I am sitting in my armchair with a delicious cup of Earl Grey tea, inhaling the air wafting from the kitchen, the fragrance of cloves. It is an old family tradition that I follow each December, filling my great-grandmother’s brass saucepan with water – adding whole cloves – bringing the water to the boil, then turning it down to simmer gently. The fragrance is a special memory of Christmas in the kitchen in Gran’s thatched roof cottage on the grounds of our plant nursery in England.
On this side of The Pond, in early winter before snow falls or even on a sunny day with snow on the ground, there are construction projects that can be accomplished with patios, decks, ponds, and dry stonewalls to repair and build. By accomplishing these tasks in winter, you will be ready to plant in spring.
If you are not into heavy work, I suggest you call a landscape company that you trust to give you an estimate for your project. In fact, you my care to get in touch with my son Ian, at landscapesByIan.com for an estimate or a consult on stonework work or a design for the spring. Ian tells me that there is a scarcity of building supplies because of the pandemic, which might hinder your projects for your garden, unless you act promptly.
Snow is already here, so I hope you have the snow shovel handy or perhaps you require a new one? If so, buy a lightweight, wood-handled and plastic shovel instead of heavy metal. When the storm has passed and you are ready for cleanup, don’t load the shovel heavily, scoop lighter loads. You will get it done faster and with less aches and pains, or chance of injury. If you are not able to clear the snow yourself from driveways, walkways and steps, I’m sure there are some teenagers in your neighborhood who would be willing to help you out. We need the moisture from the snow for the soil and plants. My hope is that we also get a good amount of rain to carry us through to spring.
If you have not already done so, mulch around the trunks of roses, mound at least six to nine inches up the stems. As I mentioned earlier, buy a few extra bags of mulch and topsoil and store them in the garage or shed.
Tie down the long whip-like rose canes of climbers to supporting structures so they are not broken off by strong winds. If the shrub roses are planted in an exposed area, cover them with a rose cone or if they are larger, cover them lightly with burlap until April.
Amaryllises are a wonderful winter bloom since they enjoy an extended flowering period.
I just walked into my living room to check on my Amaryllis bulbs, which have striped blooms. Amaryllises can be enjoyed for a long time with little effort. As the flower buds begin to open, remove the pollen bearing anthers with tweezers, before they begin to shed — this will add days to the flowering period and remember to water.
Once the bloom is finished, deadhead it, remove the bulb from the soil and let it dry off. Store in a cool dark basement or some other cool dry place at about 55 degrees for 10 weeks without watering. When you want to start it again, pot up the bulb tightly in fresh potting soil and begin to water again. By the way, the Amaryllis is poisonous so do not let children or animals eat the flowers.
Outside my kitchen window, I can see the holly bush with lovely red berries, some of which I cut to decorate the house. Holly is a good weather predictor; few berries mean a mild winter, whilst many berries denote a harsh one. My red and black friends, the ladybugs, have begun to come indoors, earning their keep by consuming white fly and aphids, which often gather on houseplants.
This week, in the house, I am planting up my first group of paper white narcissus to get a head start on bloom in about a month. I store two dozen bulbs in the vegetable keeper of the refrigerator, away from the food. I plant half of them now and store the rest in a paper bag in the refrigerator, away from food, which I will plant later. With this method, I will have continuous blooms and fragrance through the winter months. By keeping the bulbs in the refrigerator, they stay dormant, until planted.
Paper-white narcissi give off a beautiful fragrance. Photo by Jonathan Diemel on Unsplash.
I plant my bulbs in pebbles, with just enough pebbles to anchor the bulbs and enough depth for the roots to grow. Cram a lot of bulbs in the pot so they are touching – the more bulbs, the more vibrant the display. Make sure the bulb pots do not have drainage holes; if they do, cover the holes with shards of broken pottery.
I place the planted bulbs in a dark, cool room or cupboard, always keeping the pebbles moist. In a few weeks, when the shoots of the narcissi are about six inches tall, I take the vases into a cool room on the south side of the house and place them about six feet away from the window in indirect light where they remain, keeping the pebbles moist until the buds appear. When the buds appear and the stems are about 12 inches tall, bring them into the area of the house to be enjoyed. Always place them about six-feet from a sunny window and away from draughts and heat. Keep the soil or pebbles moist throughout the life of the plants.
I know that the stems of paper whites get leggy and often topple over. My tall glass vases do not allow this to occur but if you don’t have tall containers, here is a suggestion to keep the plant upright. An English gardening colleague of mine gave me his ‘gin tip’. He pours a dessertspoon of gin (not the expensive stuff) on the soil or pebbles around the plants every couple of weeks after he has watered them. This limits the height of the stems, so they do not collapse, and the gin does not affect the bloom.
Regarding alcohol, another tip my grandmother whispered is to add a few drops of brandy or port to invigorate potpourri that has gone stale. Personally, I pour a few drops of either lemon oil or lavender oil on the potpourri.
I know that many of you spread salt on walkways, and driveways to thaw ice. However, the salt ruins plants, when it seeps into borders. Use an alternative like unscented kitty litter or sand that works well. In spring, just hose off steps and paths; the sand and kitty litter are good additions to your soil.
There is still time to prune dead or diseased branches from established deciduous trees and shrubs; it is an easier task to do at this time of year, as you are able to see what needs to be done without foliage obstructing your view. If you would like to have a fall pruning, call a reputable arborist to give you a quote and whose team will come and use their practiced eyes to give you a great result.
Last winter, squirrels, raccoons or whomever, got into the birdseed in the milk shed. I bought out the supermarket’s supply of cayenne pepper that week and sprinkled it on my birdseed to keep the marauders at bay. This trick will also keep those critters out of your garbage. I also sprinkle cayenne pepper in the bird seeders for the feeders and on the suet blocks – the heat of the pepper does not affect the birds – they do not feel the heat.
To keep moths and bugs away from cupboards and in clothes; collect some remaining herbs that may be still available, perhaps sage and lavender. Tie them into bunches with string and slip over a hanger in your closet or in drawers — just this week, I put bunches of dried sage in my closets and drawers. Insects do not like fragrance and will keep away.
A few bags of soil and mulch in the garage or shed will be useful after frost. Often the frost heaves plants above the soil and exposes the roots. The plants roots can be covered and protected with the soil and mulch, until they can be resettled again when spring arrives.
When a plant is knocked askew by wind, ice or snow, do not be in a hurry to straighten it, quite often the plant will bounce back on its own. However, uprooted trees or shrubs should be straightened immediately and staked, roots covered with soil and mulched, then resettle the plant in the spring. When snow is heavy on the branches of the evergreens, gently brush the snow off with a broom — gently being the operative word.
When you receive or buy cut flowers during the holiday you want them to last. To accomplish this, vases need to be squeaky clean. If there is a build up of dirty residue that regular soap and water won’t budge, try adding a little coarse sand to dislodge the mucky residue then use soap and rinse well. For a narrow- or globe-shaped vase use a bottlebrush.
Poinsettias always add color to any space.
Poinsettias
I receive many questions about how to keep Poinsettias alive. I have a friend, who has kept the same poinsettia alive for eight years. After blooming, she places the plant in a cool room, watering when the top of the soil feels dry, then in late May puts it — still in its container — in the garden. In September, she brings it into her porch and begins gently watering.
A combination I enjoy is poinsettias in a container with ivy and forced spring bulbs.
I was always curious as to how Poinsettias got their name. Last year I heard an old story on that very subject. In a tiny village in Mexico, the tradition on Christmas Eve was to put gifts before the Crèche at the Church. A poor young boy, who had nothing to offer, went outside and knelt in the snow praying for a gift to give the newborn king. Where he knelt, a beautiful plant with vivid scarlet leaves appeared beside him and the boy joyfully presented his gift to the Christ Child. Mexicans therefore call the plant Flor de la Noche Buena (Flower of the Holy Night) and many believe the plant resembles the Star of Bethlehem. Dr Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first minister to Mexico in the 1830s, brought the plant to the United States and it is for him that the plant is now named.
On a delicious note to end my tips this year – I present my recipe for English trifle – a scrumptious dessert at Christmas.
ENGLISH TRIFLE
This dessert is made of layers, made over a three-day period; it requires this length of time for each layer to set. I use a nine-inch tall glass bowl, as the appearance of this dessert is as mouth-watering as the taste.
Ingredients:
2 pints of strawberries or raspberries (you can use frozen strawberries or raspberries, and omit the sugar) 2 tablespoons of sugar on fresh fruit 1-package ladyfingers or sponge cake or pound cake 1-cup Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry (omit the sherry if you do not want the alcohol) instead use water to make the Jell-O 1 small package strawberry or raspberry-flavored Jell-O 1 small package of vanilla custard mix or Birds English custard (see note) 1 pint whipped cream
Combine washed and drained fresh strawberries/raspberries and sugar in a bowl and set aside at room temperature for about an hour.
In a 9-inch glass bowl, cover the bottom of the bowl with ladyfingers or sponge cake or pound cake, cut into 2-inch slices. Drain the strawberries and reserve the juice. Cover the cake with the fruit.
Add sherry to the reserved fruit juice to make one cup. Prepare Jell-O using the fruit juice/sherry mixture as the cold-water part of the Jell-O mix, and hot water for the other part. Pour the Jell-O over the fruit and cake layer, then refrigerate until it sets (usually about two hours or overnight).
When the Jell-O is set, prepare the custard and spread over the cake/fruit/Jell-O layer. Refrigerate until custard is set.
The day you serve the trifle spread a thick layer of unsweetened whipped cream over the top.
If you are serving more people, repeat the cake, fruit, and Jell-O layers and top with the whipped cream.
The nine-inch bowl serves 6 to 8.
Note: I use Birds English Custard mix, which can be found in specialty food stores and most supermarkets.
If you have any gardening questions, feel free to email me at MaureenHaseleyJones@gmail.com. Have a wonderful Holiday and I’ll see you in your garden in January. Be safe and well.
About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.
Welcome to mid-fall everyone. I love the cool breezes and soft sunshine and the soil is still warm for you to plant until around now in the first week of November.
This is an ideal time to divide summer blooming perennials, which have been in the ground for three years or more. Dividing perennials gives them a new lease on life and encourages more prolific bloom next season. The rules on transplanting also cover dividing.
Early spring blooming perennials such as Iris can still be divided up when there is enough root growth to anchor these divisions before frost heave becomes a problem.
When dividing Iris, cover the horizontal root divisions (the rhizomes) with just enough soil so they do not topple over, any deeper and they will not flower, and add composted manure around them when planted.
PLANTING AND TRANSPLANTING PLANTS
When planting a tree or shrub, dig a hole at least one and a half times as wide, not deep, as the root ball. An important rule to remember on planting and transplanting is not to plant the tree or shrub any deeper than it is in the container or wrapped in burlap. Or when transplanting any plant, tree, shrub and perennial is not to plant any of these plants any deeper than it was originally in the soil; planting too deep can be the death of plants.
If you are unable to dig to any depth for a plant in the case of ledge in your garden, berm up the soil on the ledge and plant so that part of the root ball is above the soil grade, mounding soil around it.
Handle your tree or shrub by its root ball, not by the trunk or branches. After planting and transplanting add composted manure and, one part compost to three parts manure. If you do not have compost, manure is excellent. Water deeply, slowly and thoroughly when planting and at least twice a week through the fall until the first hard frost, which in this area of New England is usually about the second week of November.
The following trees are not good candidates for fall planting:
Birches, Larches, Gingko, Oaks, Magnolia, and all flowering fruit and flowering trees as well as the Eastern Red Cedar. These trees have a fleshy root system and their feeder roots are not large when young and take time to establish, therefore are susceptible to frost heave.
Perennials that do not like to be planted in fall are Artemisia, Lambs Ears, Foxglove, Penstemon, Anemone, Campanula, Kniphofia, Lupines, Scabiosa, Ferns and Grasses.
Plant garlic this fall – garlic is the antibiotic of the garden. Plant it under fruit trees to avoid scab and root disease, next to ponds or standing water to control mosquito larvae or pour garlic water into ponds, bird baths and fountains to deter adult mosquitoes.
At this juncture, I want to speak as to what Franklin D Roosevelt said in 1937; ‘The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself’. America has not heeded that warning. Precious soils in this country and around the world are being destroyed by dangerous practices in industrialized agriculture and poisonous chemicals, which completely disrupts our eco system and poisoning all living things.
The Humus component – good news for organic gardeners – in your own garden you can build and retain a rich growing environment by building the Humus component. We are all carbon-based creatures as is all life on earth. Not only humans but also our soil microbes need carbon to flourish. To attract carbon from the atmosphere needed to build the humus component.
To begin the process of humus – add composted manure three times through the year – early May, July and October/November. Manure builds soil structure and provides a rich planting environment for the following season by encouraging the millions of soil animals down below to manufacture nutrients for the roots of the plants.
Plus add mulch in the form of natural brown fine bark mulch or wood chips that you produce from your garden – aged wood chips with a combo of leaves, twigs and branches.
With manure and fine bark mulch, you are building the humus component. The manure and mulch attract carbon from the air, which builds the richest organic planting environment – the humus component.
Mulching the garden and in particular any plants planted, divided or transplanted this fall with two inches of fine bark mulch, after the ground begins to cool in late October, will keep warmth and moisture in the soil and protect the roots of your plants through the winter.
You are probably asking what are the benefits of humus?
Humus acts like a sponge and holds 90% of its weight in water
Because of its negative charge – plant nutrients stick to humus with nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and other elements, which prevents these from washing away, and acts as nature’s slow- release fertilizer.
Humus improves soil structure making it loose and friable, which helps plant root in the soil and makes for better access to nutrients, water and oxygen.
Humus also helps’ filter’ toxic chemicals from the soil, mulch like carbon-based water filtration systems filter toxins from your water.
We cannot control industrialized agricultural practices – but in your own garden you can make a difference. Grow the soil and the soil will grow the plants.
Mulch and peat, which provides the acidity is particularly important for any newly planted broadleaf evergreens installed in September. As mentioned previously, evergreens are shallow rooted, and can heave above ground in hard frosts. I suggest that you store a few bags of topsoil and mulch in the shed or garage. When you see exposed roots from frost heave, cover them with the soil and mulch until the plant can be resettled next spring.
Now let’s look at what should be done now in the vegetable garden focusing first on cover crops. Next week I will cut down the finished crops and dig them lightly into the soil.
This year, my choice for a cover crop in one area of the vegetable garden, is Alfalfa, which has 3.4% nitrogen content, and on the opposite side of the garden I will plant Buckwheat, which has 1.4% nitrogen content which provides nectar for beneficial insects. I will then cover the seeds with organic composted manure. There are many cover crops to choose from; I use white clover and rye grass in alternate years. In spring when the earth is workable not too wet or cold, the cover crop is turned into the earth as ‘green manure’.
The less hectic pace of fall provides an opportunity to rethink your gardens. The garden’s pre-winter grooming can wait for a few weeks. You may feel that you would like a professional design, having thrown good money after bad and nothing looks right.
If that is so then contact someone that you trust to work with you to create a plan in the fall and winter, which can be phased in beginning next spring. Engage someone who will listen to your wants and stays within your budget. My son, Ian of Landscapes by Ian.com always says ‘it is not what you do in the garden, but how it makes you feel’.
SPRING BULBS
Plant spring bulbs in early November.
Early November is the time to plant spring bulbs. When purchasing Daffodils, – choose early, mid- season and late blooming Daffodils, and by doing so you will have a succession of bloom. Be adventurous this year and go for masses of a single color for the greatest impact. No matter how small your planting area, it is the intensity that counts, with two or three dozen red Tulips or a hundred Daffodils planted on your woodland edge.
Buying daffodils in large numbers in less expensive — it’s true the bulbs are usually smaller but that is not a problem because daffodil bulbs grow larger each year they are in the ground. Even though many say that the bulbs should be spaced six inches apart, there is no reason they cannot touch.
Apply some composted manure or bulbs food on the soil where bulbs are planted. Wear gloves when you plant bulbs as they contain a skin irritant, which may cause a rash.
The general rule is to plant bulbs about three times as deep as the bulb is tall and with the pointed end up. This method is appropriate for most bulbs although tulips should be planted about twelve inches down if you want to have bloom for a second year. Daffodils should be planted no less than nine inches down, which is below the frost line. Don’t plant the bulbs singly for the most colorful impact– plant in groups of odd numbers, 5,7 or 9 bulbs (odd numbers are harmonious in nature).
Small bulbs like crocus, can be tossed gently into a shallow trench with composted manure on the bottom of the trench, about three inches deep and plant them where they land, pointed side up. For larger bulbs like tulips and daffodils dig a trench about nine inches deep and three or four feet long also of course with composted manure on the bottom and scatter these larger bulbs in the trench, also with the pointed end of the bulb faces up!
Personally, I treat Tulips as annuals because their first year’s bloom is the best, after that first year the bloom is never as full and vibrant; the only exception to this is the parrot tulip, which flourish for years.
Tulips are the ‘caviar’ of the bulb family. The best method to prevent them from becoming a tasty item on the rodent’s menu is to soak them in an organic deer repellent, which also repels rodents. Allow the tulip bulbs to dry before planting.
If you are unable to plants your bulbs immediately when purchased, keep them in a cool, dry place in paper bags. The best time to plant spring bulbs in the Northeast is in mid- November.
Observe Mother Nature; plants in nature do not grow in straight lines but in gentle curves that connect harmoniously with the earth.
TREE WORK
Choose a licensed arborist. This work is much less expensive to have done in the fall after the foliage has fallen, then the arborist is able to see more clearly what needs to be done and the work goes faster – meaning less labor time and less expensive.
If you have deep shade and want more sunlight in an area, ask the arborist to thin out the tree’s canopy and prune lower branches to make for a sunnier area, this will give you more choice of plants, that grow in dappled rather than deep shade.
If you have a badly damaged tree, meaning over 50 percent damaged or diseased then have it removed, which allows for a sun garden or perhaps the vegetable garden you have always wanted.
I do not cut down my spent perennials in fall, leaving them up so that I can enjoy the browns, grays, and yellows and faded greens, which blend gently with winter’s muted landscape. The seed heads of the perennials are wonderful snacks for the birds and in the dead of winter, what better sight than a red cardinal on the Winterberry bush in the snow.
Also wait until next April to cut down ornamental grasses; their graceful foliage is lovely to enjoy with the icicles on them shining in the pale winter sun.
Any spent perennials that show disease should be cut down but if the plant is more than one third diseased it should be dug up and discarded. The diseased material cleaned up and discarded it in the garbage not in the compost. Clean up any fallen plant debris from the soil and ONLY if it is disease and weed free, can it be added to the compost pile.
PEONIES
In November after the first hard frost, cut down peonies to within six inches from the ground and add some composted manure around the base of the plant.
SIGNS OF FROST
You can foretell a hard frost when you notice the afternoon temperature falling fast under a clear sky. Assess the wind, by taking a long strip of plastic, like a shopping bag from the supermarket, and hang it from a tree branch. If the bag flutters about a foot in either direction, you do not have to worry about frost, but if it blows vigorously then frost is on the way. If you still have plants in the garden that are of concern, cover them with salt hay, newspapers or light weight old quilts and put a brown paper bag from the grocery store over smaller plants like herbs, anchored down with rocks.
Your houseplants should be indoors by now, following their summer sojourn outdoors. Wash the pots thoroughly and add fresh potting soil. Then replant the plant at the same depth it was at originally and put in the sink or shower and allow water to wash the foliage and water the plant well. If the plant has outgrown its pot, transplant it to the next size clean pot, only one and a half inches larger.
If you have any gardening questions, feel free to email me at MaureenHaseleyJones@gmail.com and I will see you in your garden again later in November.
About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.
These are the signs acknowledging the individuals, organizations and businesses, which ‘Sponsored a Row’ last year. We are proud to say that there is a sign for LymeLine.com there!
OLD LYME — The second annual Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG) Sponsor a Row campaign kicked off Oct. 1.
The LOLFSG is immensely grateful to individuals, families, organizations, and businesses, who sponsored the garden this season.
Volunteers donated more than 700 hours and more than 2500 pounds of food to local food pantries.
Jim Ward, Food Share Garden President, noted that the LOLFSG board is, “Already planning for the 2023 season and is confident that they can double the output of the garden.”
The annual cost to maintain a garden bed from seed through delivery is approximately $250. All money will go directly towards the operating expenses of the garden, including seeds/transplants, fertilizer, weed barrier fabric. irrigation tape, electricity, and tools.
In appreciation, each $250 donation from Oct. 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023, will be recognized with a sign at the garden and on the LOLFSG website.
Donations in any amount are also welcome. Donations can be made at lolfoodsharegarden.org or mailed to:
LOL Food Share Garden Inc., PO Box 395, South Lyme, CT 06376.
OLD LYME — At its Special Meeting & Public Hearing on Thursday evening, the Old Lyme Planning Commission approved the proposed subdivision at 16 Neck Rd. with the addition of a 75 ft. Conservation Easement proposed by the developer — Keystone Capital Corporation — on the Connecticut River side of the property that will be maintained in perpetuity.
Members did not, however, support the Old Lyme Open Space Commission’s request to ask the developer for a $105,010 fee to compensate for the fact that no publicly-accessible open space is included in the plan.
The majority of Planning Commission members accepted that the open space proposed by the developer in the form of the Conservation Easement was adequate.
Commission Chairman Harold Thompson, Members Barbara Gaudio, and Don Willis and Alternate Matt Ward (seated for Rob McCarthy) supported the motion to approve the subdivision. Alternate Jim Lampos (seated for Todd Machnik) voted against the motion.
Lampos had proposed a 500 ft. easement and a reduction in the number of lots.
The land at 16 Neck Rd. is the same area where the HOPE Partnership endeavored to secure approval for a 37-unit Affordable Housing development back in 2018, which became a highly controversial topic in the community.
The new proposal is for a gated community of nine building lots.
Several other individuals had also submitted letters and emails related to the project.
The Open Space Commission’s letter, dated Sept. 6, and signed by its co-chairs Amanda Blair and Evan Griswold, states, “It appears that no open space is indicated on the applicant’s plan and, even if land were set aside, the gated premises to be accessed by private roadway would not afford public access.”
The letter continues, “In accordance with the provisions of C.G.S. § 8-25, when there is not a suitable area within a subdivision and when there are other areas with[in] Town that the Open Space Commission considers more beneficial to be preserved, the Planning Commission may authorize the applicant to pay a fee in lieu of open space of up to 10% of land’s pre-subdivision appraised value.”
The two-page letter proposes that, although, “It is the Planning Commission’s discretion to determine such payment,” the Planning Commission should request the 10 percent fee of the purchase price from the developer, which it states, “… would equal $105,010.”
These monies would then be used by the Open Space Commission to assist in the purchase other open space properties in the town as they arise. The letter explains, “Although we cannot identify the specific parcels, we will report to you that the Open Space Commission is now actively talking to or considering approaching the owners of at least four properties in Town for acquisition.”
Asked about the possibility of the Open Space Commission receiving a fee in lieu of the absence of open space in a building proposal, Griswold responded in a phone conversation with LymeLine that, “This has happened before,” citing the example of a proposed development on Binney Rd. submitted, “Around three years ago.”
He added, however, that a similar previous request by the Open Space Commission regarding a proposed development on Mile Creek Rd. was declined by the Planning Commission on the basis it was, “A family-oriented subdivision.”
The CT River Gateway Commission four-page letter, dated Sept. 8 and signed by the Deputy Director of the River COG [Council of Governments] Staff, Gateway Commission Torrance Downes, describes the property at 16 Neck Rd. as, “A highly visible riverfront parcel.”
In summary, the letter says, “The Gateway Commission would recommend [a Conservation] easement be placed along the banks of the Connecticut River at the western end of the property.”
It goes on to request that the Planning Commission should, “… use all of the regulatory tools available in its decision-making process to manage the development of the site – at least with respect to the western hillside of the property facing the Connecticut River.”
The letter continues, “Protection of natural areas including mature tree stands is recommended for consideration of open space designation,” noting, “Retention of an attractive and rural community appearance, which would include the treed hillsides of the Connecticut River, should be “one of the most important criteria used in land use decision making”.”
The letter concludes, “Community Appearance recommendations state visual details including preservation of natural site features and vistas are critical components of the town character Old Lyme is charged with protecting.”
