This is the first of a series of posts we will be making to update you on the progress of our newest garden, the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden.  Work is well underway now with most of the paths, walls and structures in progress, so with temperatures in the upper 50’s, today’s seemed like a lovely day for an inaugural hot dog roast.  To celebrate the completion of the fire pit, Executive Director Maureen Heffernan invited staff and crew for a feast of fire-roasted hot dogs with choice of bun along with a selection of fine potato chips and condiments.  With the barn and cottage (the cottage is visible in the background of the photograph below) nearly finished, there were plenty of wood scraps to get the cook fire blazing.

The fire pit is located next to the activity shelter – an open air pavilion with a living roof that will provide guests with shelter and seating .  The asphalt on which folks are standing will be the base for pavers that will go in this winter.  Getting the asphalt poured was a critical milestone that will keep the project on track for our July opening.

The three stone whales that will greet visitors as they enter the garden arrived back from the shop today.   Sculptor Carole Hanson worked with the staff to identify the three boulders on site and she will to begin lightly carving them into whales that will “swim” in the center of the entrance plaza.  Each whale will randomly spout water – no doubt to the delight of our young visitors.  Accordingly, the blow holes had to be pre-drilled and the rocks otherwise prepared for carving, so we shipped them up to JC Stone in Jefferson, ME – one of the few shops around that can handle such large stones.    – Bill Cullina, Plant and Garden Curator

Maureen Heffernan and project manager Nick Caristo try out the cook fire while staff and some of the work crew look on.

Foreman Jason Lang of Jorgensen Landscaping supervises the offloading of the largest “whale.” Even without carving, this 4 ton boulder already does suggest a whale’s head. It will be fun to see how Carole brings out its personality. Though it usually sets moorings and docks, Rideout Marine’s crane was just what we needed to lower the stones from the delivery truck.

Sculptor Carole Hanson has begun marking and carving the stones that will become the whale fountain at the entrance of the Children's Garden.