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- Target volunteers
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- Working with camellias
Recent Updates
Read the July 2010 newsletter.
Work is always underway to further beautify LeConte-Woodmanston. This year we plan to inaugurate the memorial and expanded gardens, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the year 1860 from which our data for the memorial comes, and the 250th anniversary of the year the LeContes acquired Woodmanston. More information will be available when a specific date has been set. In April, as part of Comcast Cares Day, nearly 40 volunteers were involved in laying bricks for the walkway in addition to their efforts working on flower beds and mulching the garden. Read this article for more details. More bricks for the walk were laid by Target volunteers at the end of May. Read an article about their efforts. The man who constructed our gate columns is currently at work on "The Walk" memorial. As a result of all these efforts, the main boulevard has now been completed.
One of the newest additions to LeConte-Woodmanston is the Children's Garden which is designed to educate children about native and non-native plants and to provide planting opportunities for them. The project was funded by Target and completed by Stacy Ferrier, our grounds manager, board members and volunteers. Check the news page or the July 2010 newsletter for pictures of the garden.
Master Gardener, Ann Gherich is researching and planting a Herb Garden in the formal garden area. This planting project was funded by a grant from the Garden Club of Georgia and the Richmond Hill Garden Club. The other part of that grant will be used to purchase bulbs to plant later this year.
A "Camellia Forest" has been established in wonderful pineland area at Woodmanston. Camellias were rescued by volunteers from a garden that was part of a very old estate in Savannah. Camellias were also saved from a garden in Waycross that was in imminent danger. Some were very old and would have been difficult to find otherwise. The Camellia cuttings, from Waycross alone, totaled around 1000. A camellia nursery has also been established.
A Wildflower Meadow, sponsored by the Long County Garden Club, has been planted and includes Blackeyed Susan, Spider Wart etc. Fort Stewart contributed native plants for meadow. A wandering creek has been dug for drainage.
Non-native azaleas have been planted in the picnic grove and native azaleas have been planted along the trails.
Plans are in the works for the construction or purchase of benches for the trails. A SCAD bench design may be used for this purpose. A bridge will also be constructed over the canal at the rice field. New trails have been cleared in the uplands and an excavator is being used to finish digging for the new pond expansion.
LeConte-Woodmanston continues to receive recognition. Recently Jeannie Cyriaque, who is the point person for the National Park Service's Gullah-Geechee National Corridor and comes from the Historic Preservation Division of the DNR in Atlanta, visited the site and acknowledged that it will be part of the corridor.
We have been involved in several outreach events in the past months, including the Earth Day celebration. Activities included tree planting at Riceboro Creek and face painting at celebrations in Hinesville. Read more about the Earth Day celebration. We also participated in the "Back-to-School Rally" at Briar Bay Park.
We have welcomed several groups to the site including the LeCounte family whose members held their annual reunion on the plantation.
Foundation membership continues to grow. The foundation's annual meeting has been moved to the third Saturday in February. If you are considering becoming a foundation member please check our membership page.
Don't forget to check our news page for additional information.