Smithville environmentalists are seeking to transform the town into a certified wildlife habitat project.
Its latest initiative, on display since mid-November, is the Balcony Garden project, a community conservation area that will be used to educate residents about environmental conservation.
Norman Jones and Janet Jones, self-proclaimed conservationists, financed and directed the project. The couple designed and built the raised bed in about five months with help from Lost Pines Garden Club members, Smithville Garden Club members and city staff. The main goal of the project — along with National Wildlife Federation certification — is to encourage Smithville youth to learn about the environment, Jones said. Therefore, a park was built in front of the city entertainment center.
"We're trying to respect our family. That's the goal of this project," said Jones, president of the Lost Pines Garden Club. "We've always been here. We place great importance on conservation, and parks are part of that."
Flowers in the garden include Blue Sage, Pride of Barbados and Esperanza Gold Star.
Photo: Smithville lights up in Christmas parade
As Bastrop County has seen steady population growth over the past five years, proponents say wildlife habitat certification could attract more visitors to Smithville.
The city will attract more tourists and generate economic growth for businesses by positioning itself as an advocate for parks and wildlife, said Jose Rivera, the city's communications coordinator. He added that although the colony is small, its inhabitants are very busy.
“Even in larger cities, relatively speaking, you won’t see as many programs as here,” Rivera said. “The population here is quite elderly... There are a lot of people here who have time, and that helps a lot.
Jones said they started building the beds in the summer and designed everything with "innovative horticultural" measures in mind. He explained that in order not to waste water, they created a drip irrigation system that automatically adjusts the water level depending on weather conditions. He said they intentionally used mulch instead of soil to make maintenance more "user friendly" for volunteers of all ages . Ingredients are purchased from local companies.
Jones said he would like to see more people in communities plant gardens throughout the city because plants are more likely to thrive in a controlled environment maintained in the face of Texas heat and drought.
The Smithville Garden Club will oversee the care of the flower beds and monitor how pollinators and birds interact with the plants. While the park may seem sparse at first glance, she hopes it will become a thriving wildlife habitat, said Marsha Williams, the club's second vice president.
“We have an oath that we take every time we meet at the Garden Club, which is to protect our land, our water, our resources, everything,” Williams said. "It's important for our well-being."
Various conservation clubs are also working toward Bird City certification in Texas and Tri-City USA certification for Smithville, Jones said. He said that by continuing to implement conservation projects in the park, such as building more nesting boxes, they hope to inspire more young people to take environmental responsibilities.
Williams hopes the garden will inspire residents to make their own home.
“Teaching people how to work in the soil and instilling a love of gardening is very valuable,” he said. “If we can pass that on to the younger generation, that would be great.”
This article originally appeared in the Austin American-Statesman: Smithville's project to spread the love of gardening.
