PLYMOUTH – Volunteers will help improve and expand the Pollinator Garden at Terryville Public Library this Saturday.

Volunteers will be at the library at 238 Main St. from 8 to 10 a.m. to remove depleted soil and put down a new, nutrient-rich layer of topsoil and raising the grade. They will be led by Chase Porter, of Porter Landscaping, who is donating his time and expertise to the project.

"Chase is a lifelong library user," said Gretchen DelCegno, library director. "He came to the library for storytimes when he was a kid and will now be volunteering his time to help us. The work he is doing this Saturday will help to prevent soil erosion and even out uneven areas for a new, better, sitting area, where we will eventually be doing some new planting as well."

DelCegno said that the Pollinator Garden supports and maintain pollinators by supplying food in the form of pollen and nectar. This, she said, will ensure that these animals stay in the area to keep pollinating crops for continued fruit and vegetable production.

"The garden has a variety of plants, including milkweed, which she said is a critical component of monarch butterfly habitats which have been really depleted by development," she said. "It also has geraniums, bleeding heart flowers, Echinacea plants and a flowering tree. It's a beautiful space where people can relax in the sun or the shade, depending on the time of day. We have had some teen programs outdoors in the Pollinator Garden and sometimes the teens have snacks there before coming in to use the computers after school."

The Pollinator Garden also has two picnic tables and is within the wifi range for the library. Patrons are welcome to borrow library chrome books and take them out to the garden to do their work.

DelCegno added that the Pollinator Garden is maintained regularly by volunteers including retired librarian Lisa Bower Courtney and her husband Steve. During their visits, they weed and water the garden and add decorative borders to the garden beds.

For more information on Terryville Public Library, call 860-582-3121 or visit terryvillepl.info.

Brian M. Johnson can be reached at 860-973-1806 or bjohnson@bristolpress.com.

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