Recognition

On Thursday, October 7th, one of our own, Beth Fischer, was recognized for her long-term commitment to the Joe B. Parks Riverwalk Public Gardens.

The gardens are located between 400 Central Avenue and Chestnut Street along the banks of the Cocheco River in Dover, NH.

The Mayor and other officials presented a park bench with her name on it which was placed in the garden near bed 9.

Beth has been involved since the very beginning in 2007 when Joe B. Parks, a Dover horticulturalist, wanted to create a garden and donate some of his prize rhododendrons for the river walk where residents and visitors could enjoy them.

Since that time, it has evolved into 17 beds, tended by community volunteers and Master Gardeners, and coordinated for the past 14 years by Beth and other community members.

Beth has been a UNH Extension Strafford County Master Gardener since 2003. She is also a Marine Docent and a Natural Resources Steward. She coordinated the installation and now the maintenance of the medicinal and rain gardens at the Woodman Museum, is part of the Dover Waterfront Project, member of Rotary, works on several other committees, and holds down a part-time job. 

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”

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  Congratulations, Beth!

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  Beth and Dover Mayor, Bob Carrier

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  For the past couple of weeks, community volunteers, James Verschueren, Carlo Nittoli, Dan Rawlings, Dover High School Students and their Horticulture Teacher, Heather Fabbri, and Master Gardeners have been working to revamp bed 10.

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  Bed 10 update completed and ready for spring

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  Over the years, MGs have been involved in planting, pruning, fertilizing, and tending beds. The update to bed 10 involved MG volunteers and a SCMGA grant for plant materials.

Want to join the team that maintains the gardens? Have a green thumb or maybe even a black thumb when it comes to growing things? No worries, there’s a job for you. Contact form.