The Town of Clinton Conservancy Gardens is working to beautify this Hunterdon County community.
CLINTON - The Town of Clinton Conservancy Gardens is the brainchild of Town Councilman Al Rylak.
As chair of the Smart Growth Committee, Rylak decided the town needed more than smart growth, it needed a plan to beautify the community, according to a news release.
Councilwoman Beth Sosidka joined the Conservancy, as did a few merchants and a number of interested residents.
Dickens Jewelers & Design Studio was the first merchant to become a sponsor with a generous donation. Weichert Realtors also gave the Conservancy a donation.
Ducks splash down for annual race in Clinton
The Clinton Guild had the new large flowerpots planted with flowers that attract butterflies. As the merchants will be the major beneficiaries of the work the Conservancy is doing, it is setting a goal of getting sponsorship for every instillation, according to the release.
The Clean Plate restaurant was the first to plant a butterfly garden and host plants of tropical milkweed and parsley so butterflies will have a place to lay their eggs. The caterpillars will be on display so patrons can watch them progress through their life-cycle and emerge as butterflies.
Attorney Dan Makoski from Gebhardt & Kiefer, P.C volunteered to draft papers to allow the Conservancy to form as a nonprofit charitable organization and, in record time, they were granted 501c3 status, it was stated.
Since then the Conservancy has worked with Country Garden Club and the Green Team, planting butterfly gardens at the Red Mill Museum Village and helping with the planters on the Hunterdon Art Museum's terrace. They also planted butterfly host plants between the Hunterdon Art Museum and the river.
Hundreds take part in annual Sprintin Clinton
Future plans include working to improve the plantings at the "Welcome to Clinton" signs, identifying areas that "need help," painting murals, planting a major butterfly garden in town, working with the town and Hunterdon County to increase meadows in order to benefit pollinators, educating the public on the life cycle of butterflies and offering new members a planting plan for their own butterfly garden.
Trustee Norma Kania of Weichert Realtors is developing a website and Facebook page containing information, and trustee Kathy Madden is determined to help make the town become a "Butterfly Habitat" with the help of Country Garden Club and Clinton Conservancy Gardens.
Those interested in making a donation or becoming a member or volunteering can call Norma Kania at 908-803-0720.