Activities keeping Soldiers Memorial Library volunteers busy

HIRAM — What happens when a bonanza of plants and stone intersect with Friends of Soldiers Memorial Library’s landscaping aspirations? Gardens galore!

Each year there are unsold plants left over at the end of the annual Soldiers Memorial Library Memorial Day Bake, Book, Bloom and Bargains sale. This year’s left-behind hostas joined three dwarf shrubs to soften up the hard, metal handicapped-accessible ramp at the library, 85 Main St.; daylilies inspired a new planting, dressing up the bare, stony slope on the Hancock Avenue side of the building. Volunteers prepared the triangle bed near the ramp at the library last summer by laying down newspapers at least 10 pages thick over the turf and covering with three-inches of plain cedar mulch. In June, the dwarf shrubs were planted through the dead turf.

In a similar mode, granite slabs impeding plans for a ramp at 8 Hancock St., adjacent to the library, were moved to the library side of the property and transformed into a raised bed, made possible by the generosity and manpower of Cliff Whitney of Hand Cut Granite. The thinnings of the organic vegetable demonstration garden planted by Maine Organic Farming & Gardening Association the day after an April snow storm have blossomed there beyond belief.
As more daylily donations come in, the Friends will expand the slope, adding compost and mulch. Anyone wishing to donate their excess hybrid orange, yellow, red, pink, salmon or white daylilies (please, no orange “wild tawny” daylilies) are very welcome to do so. More than 50 daylilies have been planted so far. Soon a donation of pine bark mulch will be laid to retain moisture, reduce weeds and retain earth on the slope in the face of more frequent rain deluges.
Library activity is not limited to gardens. At the library’s newly-gifted, former church building adjacent at 8 Hancock Ave., renovations continue apace. A new roof, front door to accommodate a handicapp-accessible ramp, and expansion of toilet facilities follow successful community activities, including yoga classes, concerts and the annual sale. For more information, call 207-625-4762.