U City in Bloom’s New Hoop House
Over this past year, a “hoop house” has been going up near the Mary Fahey Pavilion on Vernon (just east of the Dog Park). This structure will help U City in Bloom overwinter plants, both for next year’s Spring Plant Sale, and for use in our gardens. It will also protect both newly potted perennial plants, and volunteers doing this work, during the fickle spring weather when potting is done for the Sale. UCB horticulturalist, Jesse Gilbertson, conceptualized this project over a year ago and said “This space will save money by increasing the quantity and types of plants we can generate ourselves rather than buying from nurseries. This helps us stretch our donations further and gives our garden designers more home-grown options.”
By the end of 2018, the area the hoop house would be erected on had been leveled and prepared. The first parts of the structure were delivered on January 3rd.
Under the Jesse’s direction, staff and volunteers have almost finished the construction of the hoop house, and just in time for the early arrival of winter. This project was not without its challenges. Unexpectedly, the Metropolitan Sewer District undertook extensive work in this area not long after the project began. To the staff’s horror, the contractor first saw the newly cleared, leveled, and graveled area as an ideal parking lot for their heavy equipment. Quick intervention by City Hall and Parks Operation Supervisor Ewald Winker convinced them to access the property as far east as possible, and to stay off the prepared area, before much damage was done.
Finally, in October the hoop structure and the plastic covering were in place. There is still electrical work to be done, but already some plants have been sheltered in this light-filled, protected space. The hoop house sits within a locked fence. If funding permits, a shed will also be placed inside this fence for storage of the many miscellaneous items – signs, tents, banners, and other items – currently housed in various volunteers’ garages, attics, and basements. We look forward to many years of use from this wonderful new addition. To celebrate, there will be some “hoopla” at the Hoop House this spring with drinks and snacks – watch for the date, to be announced after the new year begins.
