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Community Corner

Daffodils at Mill Pond Park


Note:  Mill Pond Park is located off Fairview Ave in Long Valley.  The Columbia Trail crosses our Park behind the Toll Brothers ‘Regency in Long Valley’ development.

 

Helen Andrews Memorial Garden in Mill Pond Park

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Come enjoy a walk in the Park.  April into early May is a great time to start your walking season and Mill Pond Park is a great destination.  The daffodil garden should be coming into bloom and is a lovely sight to see.  Many varieties were planted so bloom time is staggered giving walkers the opportunity to visit more than once.  These multiple visits may encourage you to continue along the trails to see various spring plants emerging from winter’s grip, and enjoy the birds as they do their spring thing.

The sights and sounds are always changing so plan on visiting Mill Pond Park throughout the year.  There are plants that flower early and some that bloom in late spring or summer.  Also, the river is close at hand so you may catch a glimpse of a Great Blue Heron fishing for lunch or Canada Geese or some duck variety teaching their young what life is all about.  Feel free to carry your fishing pole (and current license) if you enjoy the sport.  Just keep in mind when the river is closed for stocking.

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In 1996, Washington Township Land Trust created the Helen Andrews Memorial Garden in what was our only park property at the time.

Helen & Stan Andrews were strong supporters of WTLT and our efforts to preserve both open space and the Obadiah LaTourette Grist & Saw Mill on East Mill Rd near the center of town.  The Andrews’ were one of the first farm families in Morris County to put their land into the NJ Farmland Preservation Program.  They donated two large oak trees from their farm to be milled into two massive beams needed for the Hurst Frame in the mill. 

After Helen passed away, several of us working in Mill Pond Park saw a lovely Swamp White Oak tree in an open area.  We decided that this would be an appropriate area for a garden to honor Helen.  We chose daffodils, although they are not native plants, as they are not on the deer dining menu.  Stan was very pleased with the idea and enlisted his friend, Keith Cronshey to help.  The area was mowed by Stan and Keith provided valuable advice and man power.  Other volunteers donated daffodil bulbs and labor to make the Helen Andrews Memorial Garden a beautiful reality.

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