Police and Center Fire Stations
at Pleasant Street & Farmer's Row
The Groton Garden Club (GGC) first planted gardens at the Police Station when the building was completed in 1991, with over 300 daylilies and 40 flowering shrubs. While the daylilies still thrive, the shrubs have since disappeared. In 2015, the GGC renewed its involvement by placing two large barrel planters near the entrance, which are seasonally planted. A two-phase project began in 2017, replacing ivy on the hill with Barren Strawberry and adding shrubs beneath the new front sign. The club continues to maintain the site, including the area under the entry sign which boasts daylilies, bearded iris, and sedum "Autumn Joy."
At the Center Fire Station, the GGC's work began in 2015 with barrel and small planters, followed by a significant project in 2017: a 9/11 memorial garden was established around a piece of steel from the debris from World Trade Center attack. This garden includes 182 drought-tolerant plants. In 2022, the committee replaced overgrown junipers with a new garden featuring daylilies, blueberry bushes, and more.
Plant List
Central Fire Station
9/11 Memorial Garden:
Juniper - Juniperus horizontalis 'Wiltoni'
Bearberry - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Spurge - Euphorbia 'Bonfire'
Dwarf Amsonia - Amsonia tabernaemontana 'Blue Ice'
Bugleweed - Ajuga reptans 'Bronze Beauty
Catmint - Calamintha nepetoides 'White cloud'
Yarrow - Achillea millefolium 'Strawberry Seduction'
Dwarf Cinquefoil - Potentilla tridentata
Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Sedum spp.
Doorway Entrance:
Daylilies - Hemerocallis
Juniper - Juniperus virginiana 'Grey Owl'
Blueberry - Vaccinium corymbosum 'Superior' and Vaccinium corymbosum 'Patriot'
Siberian iris - Iris sibirica
Sedum 'Firecracker'
Sedum 'Lime Zinger
Sedum c. 'Lidakense'
Sedum 'Fireglow'
Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Sedum 'Neon'
Entry Sign:
Siberian iris - Iris Sibirica
Daylilies - Hemerocallis
Sedums
These thoughtfully designed gardens feature an array of drought-resistant species, carefully selected for their ability to thrive in conditions when water may be scarce. Among the standout plants are sedums, ajuga, and nepeta, all known for their resilience and ability to maintain their beauty even during prolonged dry periods.
Together, these plants, and those listed below, create a garden that is not only visually appealing but also sustainable and easy to maintain. This thoughtful combination of drought-resistant species ensures the garden remains vibrant and healthy with minimal water and care, making it a perfect fit for the environment and a lasting asset to the landscape.
Police Department
Barren Strawberry - Waldsteinia fragaroides
Daylily - Hemerocallis
Hosta
Pine - Pinus strobus 'Blue shag'
Red twig dogwood - Cornus
Sweetspire - Itea virginica
Andromeda - Pieris Japonica
Entrance sign:
Reblooming white bearded iris
Daylilies - Hemerocallis
Sedum 'Autumn joy'
Barrel plantings at both locations can include pansies and pussy willows in the spring; red geraniums, white calibrachoa, blue scaevola in the summer; mums, kale, gourds and grasses in the fall; greens and red berries in the winter
"However big or small your garden is, if you allow nature to touch your spirit, gardening will bring returns of peace, satisfaction, and well-being for as long as you continue to wander the garden path."
― Norman Hansen