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BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT
OF BERLIN’S BOTANICAL GARDEN

        Will O’Brien, Community Integrator, from the Community Services Center in Berlin, is bringing the Berlin community together through a common love for gardening and a desire to beautify Berlin as it tries to redefine itself in its very challenging economic times. Will shares a passion for gardening and considers himself a community activist. He has wanted to help facilitate connections for all people in thegreater Berlin community. He stated that as he was meditating in his garden, when he thought of the idea of designing a community botanical garden to bring the community together.               

        He started a group called the Unity of Connections, which has evolved into a gardening club. The Club consists of interested local gardeners including several individuals we serve, a number of local organizations and volunteers. Since this group was formed it has created a rose garden nestled in front of natural granite boulders, a daylily garden with rare signature hybrids from breeders, an evergreen garden and a butterfly garden that attracts beautiful Monarchs and other wildlife such as a black bear cub and a garden spider. The gardens are located at a historical site at Unity Street Park in Berlin and funded by the City of Berlin. Plans for 2008, call for completion of a botanical garden, which will have a native plant trail that consists of only rescued plants that stimulate all of the senses as well as educational exhibits geared toward children of all ages. The Berlin High School Graphic Arts program built new signs for this garden. Eventually every plant will have its own label including the Latin name. The gardeners have also used the resources of the local greenhouses, master gardeners, and UNH Cooperative Extension Program.              

        This has been a wonderful community project as it has brought collaboration, integration, and acknowledgement of all the volunteers. Several new relationships and connections have been made between the volunteers and visitors of the gardens. Plants and money have been donated from businesses and generous people from the community. The individuals’ gardening have been recognized in that there has been appreciation expressed from the Main St. Program and praise from visitors. As a result of this project, local churches and other businesses have requested the hired help of the people we support for their own gardens. This has been a very powerful and visible community activity that has increased the awareness of the value of diversity in our community. 

        The Unity of Connections garden group meets from 6:30-8:00 on the last Thursday of each month at Tea Birds Cafe on Main Street in Berlin for a presentation and brainstorming of ideas for the park. The dues are one canned good at each meeting to support a charity. Volunteers and new members are always welcomed.