Buy a Brick!

     The Friends of Ned Wolf Park have created a great way for supporters to leave their mark in the park as we continue to raise funds for the Terrace Wall Project.  With your donation of $100 or more, we can offer you a custom engraved red clay brick [three lines of type with up to 20 characters per line] to be set into the park's paved terrace. But your donation will, more importantly, allow us to remove and replace the carcinogenic creosoted landscape ties that are decaying and shifting after 40 years.  Once our fundraising goal is met, a new stone retaining wall, raised to bench height, will create a multipurpose gathering place at the heart of the park.   The image above shows the pattern of the bricks that we will be replacing at the Terrace's center.   And with each 12 ordered, we'll engrave and install a block of these commemorative bricks so it won't be too long before you can visit your custom brick which will enrich the terrace and move us closer to the construction of a new stone wall.

     Take a look at this rendering to get a better idea.  The dry-laid Wissahickon schist wall will be topped with Pennsylvania bluestone.  So even when there isn't a spontaneous or planned group activity in the park, the new seating wall will bring folks closer to the banked planting beds which we will refresh with even more dynamic plantings.  And that low wall will be useful when the park hosts
art exhibits or plant sales.   We can more comfortably present talks about the plantings or facilitate the T'ai Chi classes or any number of new potential uses for our park once a group can simply sit down and engage together.

There are only 192 bricks available, so we hope you reserve one now.  Just pick up a brochure from one of the park's information boxes.   You can then fill out the order form with your inscription, enclose your check payable to "The Friends of Ned Wolf Park,"  seal the edges, add a stamp and mail it.   These personally engraved bricks would make a great holiday gift alternative that will be visible for generations.  And your community contribution will be well spent, long remembered, and much appreciated!








Below is the full sized order form for a custom engraved brick.  In lieu of finding a brochure at Ned Wolf Park, you may copy and print this form to use to place your order.   After filling it out, you may send it with your check payable to Friends of Ned Wolf Park to:

Friends of Ned Wolf Park
c/o Mark Klempner
6923 Greene Street
Philadelphia, PA  19119

New Month, New Colors...

It didn't take too many days in to November to produce a cold snap which accelerated the fall colors at Ned Wolf Park.  The drift of Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum') has taken on a lovely golden color, as the cherry trees above begin to yellow.

Check out the striking rusty orange tones of these glossy leaves.  This is a photo of our new Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemia 'Biloxi'.  This multi-stemmed specimen was planted in the spring of 2013 near the tool shed.  Eventually, this cultivar should grow as high as 20' tall, forming a handsome vase shaped tree.  If you didn't notice it this summer, it has medium/light pink blooms in July and August.

These three pumpkins didn't grow in Ned Wolf Park, but were imported to help set the harvest mood for our "Autumn Afternoon" event on October 19, 2013. (See previous post).  They were positioned to be inviting when seen from the sidewalks and to offer a bit of whimsy to some areas that needed a visual boost.  We accepted the good possibility of having the pumpkins "disappear" as Halloween approached, but now are delighted to report that they remain in place to offer a burst of color as folks start walking through the park a bit quicker now that temperatures are falling and winds are blowing.  Let's hope they'll stay until every Thanksgiving pumpkin pie has been baked..........

 

And these purple asters (Aster novae-angliae 'Purple Dome') are still in full bloom in this semi-shaded location near the park's only backless bench.   In the background is the large shrub Euonymus alatus commonly called 'Burning Bush' for reasons I might have had to explain last week!

And there are two varieties of Toad Lilies, a.k.a. Tricyrtis, that are now showing their exotic spotted flowers.  This one, with purple speckled blossoms is planted behind the two benches closest to McCallum Street.  And another with paler, white blossoms with softer plum-colored speckles, is planted near the big tree close to the central paved terrace.  Even last nights near-freezing temperature doesn't seem to bother these unusual late bloomers.   Look for some divisions of these hardy perennial plants at our next plant sale!  Rumor has it someone has lots to donate.

HAPPY HARVEST SEASON!

I'll admit that this image doesn't exactly reflect what we grow in the gardens at Ned Wolf Park.  And the photo was heightened for artistic effect.   But a visit to our park can surely help transport you out of the everyday and bring a little seasonal magic into your day,