The Evelyn "Evie" M. Scoville Fund
To recognize and honor the legacy of our past Member and dear friend Evelyn (“Evie”) M. Scoville, the Board of Directors of Gardens for Charlestown, Inc., unanimously voted to establish the Evelyn M. Scoville Fund in January 2024. The monies from this fund will be used to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Gardens and in garden-related activities.
The Board established this fund to, for example:
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ensure accessibility to the Gardens by subsidizing Membership dues for those who have a financial need;
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sponsor individual(s) to participate in GfC-hosted or -sponsored activities and events who may otherwise be excluded because of socio-economic factors or a physical, mental, or intellectual disability;
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make certain that no person is excluded from GfC activities and events on the basis of their age, race, ethnicity, creed, religion, language, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender-identification, or gender expression; and
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partner with other organizations to assist with or host inclusive activities focused on gardening, nature, and the environment.
The Evelyn M. Scoville Fund will initially be funded using a portion of those donations made to the Gardens’ 2023 Annual Appeal.
2023 Halloween in the Gardens
Despite the weather, the Gardens were full of ghosts, goblins, witches, princesses, and super heroes on October 29th to enjoy spooky games, delicious treats, pony rides, balloon twisters, and lots of great Halloween fun. Halloween in the Gardens has become one of Gardens for Charlestown's biggest community events and we are so grateful for all who came out to support us.
We would like to particularly mention that we had more than thirty of our Members volunteer to ensure the success of the event. Thanks to each and every one of you! And an extra special thank you goes to Maddie Johnson and Jen Schulte who co-chaired the event this year.
In addition to the pictures below, we have posted photos from Halloween in the Gardens here.
2023 Lobster in the Gardens
On Wednesday, July 17th, nearly 100 diners helped support the Gardens by attending Lobster in the Gardens. This event has become one of our largest fundraisers and allows members or our community to enjoy a delicious meal against the backdrop of our 66 garden plots.
You can see more pictures from Lobster in the Gardens in the July 27th edition of our local weekly, the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge.
2023 Garden Tour of Historic Charlestown
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Thank you to everyone who braved the rain on Saturday, June 17th to support Gardens for Charlestown and the 2023 Garden. From attendees and volunteers to our sponsors and donors, it was a true showing of community.
You can see more pictures from the Garden Tour and our evening to celebrate all of those who made this event happen in the June 29th edition of our local weekly, the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge.
Celebrate the 2022 Season
your past generous contributions made 2022 one of our most active seasons yet . . .
Discovery Trail Opens
On Sunday, September 18, 2022, the Discovery Trail officially opened for visitors with a free, fun, family-friendly event enjoyed by dozens of guests. The permanent installation features nine stations throughout the Gardens, with "hikers" encouraged to follow the garden creatures on a trail of exploration. Each station has a riddle related to a nearby plant or garden feature, and when the cover is lifted, the riddle is solved. QR codes on each station provide a way for visitors to get more information and suggestions for children's reading on the topics.
The trail was funded by generous donations from the Gardens' Members and benefactors, with additional support coming from Charlestown Mothers Association and Bunker Hill Associates.
With your generous support, in 2021 we were able to further our mission in a way that not only engaged our Membership, but was beneficial to our entire neighborhood. Some highlights included:
2021 - Another Great Season!
The addition of our Kids' exploration plot, where kids can see, touch, and smell herbs as they grow.
The biannual Garden Tour of Historic Charlestown, featuring beautiful gardens throughout the neighborhood.
Our first ever Weatherfest! in June 2021 to celebrate the installation of our new weather station on top of the big shed.
Halloween in the Gardens, which had our biggest turnout ever!
On October 24th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., we celebrated Halloween in the Gardens with all of our neighborhood witches and gouls. It was a brisk, but bright day made even brighter by the many smiles that could be seen shining in every corner of our beautiful green space. Thank you to all of our volunteers as well as all of those who came out to support the neighborhood and Gardens for Charlestown! Enjoy the below photos from the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge.
Halloween in the Gardens 2021
Weatherfest
July 24, 2021
On Saturday, July 24, the Gardens held its first ever Weatherfest! We celebrated the addition of our new weather station with help from Charlestown's own weatherman, Eric Fisher from WBZ-TV. Our event was spotlighted in the Patriot Bridge and was a fun way for families to gather and learn some new weather fun facts while enjoying the beauty of the Gardens!
2021 Garden Tour of Historic Charlestown & Raffle
June 19, 2021
The 2021 Garden Tour of Historic Charlestown was a triumph! Nearly 300 people attended the self-guided tour, catching a rare glimpse of some of the most charming outdoor spaces in the neighborhood. Attendees remarked:
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"This was my first time on the tour and it was a really wonderful way to see a side of Charlestown I had not seen before. I enjoyed it immensely."
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"Thank you! The tour was lovely on a nice day to be enjoying the fresh air, gracious hosts and also supporting the work of your organization."
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"This is such a great way to get to know Charlestown and know your neighbors and give them kudos for keeping Charlestown beautiful."
The Gardens also raised funds by raffling off several prizes graciously donated by our friends and neighbors. Thank you to everyone for supporting this even and we're looking forward to the next Garden Tour in 2023!
Fall in the Gardens
September & October 2020
Cooler days and nights are settling in. We are raking leaves, enjoying everything pumpkin, and putting our gardens to bed for the season. Because of the hard work of our members, the Gardens remain a welcome green space for adults and children of all ages as we herald in the end of this year.
Garden Scavenger Hunt
July 2020
Do your little ones love identifying the herbs, vegetables, and flowers that are growing? Have you spotted one of our fury friends? See how many different things you can spy with your little eye.
Gardens for Charlestown announced a self-directed scavenger hunt in July 2020. Members and visitors were invited to print out a copy of our hunt page by clicking the image to the right. Copies were also provided in our latticed shed that is open to the public.
Thanks to all who participated in our fun! We hope you had a good time learning about what we have in our garden!
June Flowers
The flower that has marked the month of June has been the PEONY. These puffs of petals have come to have many different meanings--from romance and prosperity to royalty and honor. The Chinese name for peony even translates to "most beautiful. We hope that you have been able to enjoy some of these fragrant blooms during your visits these last few weeks. While there have been many things that we have not been able to predict in 2020, the peonies in our garden our a reminder of the constant beauty of our little corner of the world.
June 2020
Each summer our urban farmers are hard at work cultivating a variety of vegetables. You can find tomatoes, zucchini, squash, okra, cucumbers, eggplant, kale, onions, garlic, and more. Here are a few photos of just a few things you might find on your next visit.
August 2020
Summer Vegetables
Baby Bunnies in the Garden
This spring we welcomed a family of baby bunnies that one of our gardeners found nesting in his plot. While we try to keep these fury friends at bay during the season, their adorable little faces have been a welcome site to gardeners and visitors alike. Even though the bunnies left their nest when they opened their eyes and had full fur, they can be spotted hopping around throughout the garden. In fact, they have become quite the local attraction for families looking for some fresh air and a respite from quarantining.
May 2020
