The Skowhegan-area Bloomfield Garden Club is receiving a Plant America Grant for $1,000 from the National Garden Clubs, Inc.

The grant will be used to rebuild the gazebo gardens in the historic Coburn Park, located at the eastern end of Water Street along the Kennebec River in Skowhegan.

Shown are the gazebo and surrounding grounds at Coburn Park in Skowhegan. Mel Burnham photo

The Skowhegan Board of Selectmen gave its support before the grant was submitted. The Skowhegan Coburn Park Commission is matching the grant money to support the goals of the project and will give the gazebo itself a facelift with materials and volunteer hours, according to a news release from Pam Partridge with the club.

The club was one of at least 140 clubs applying for the grant. Work is scheduled to begin this spring, with projected completion in July. Additional support is coming from Lynch Landscaping, who is providing and delivering super loam and mulch, and financial support is coming from the Skowhegan Rotary Club, the GFWC/Skowhegan Women’s Club and the Bloomfield Garden Club.

The public, invited to help at any stage of the project’s progress, can learn activities such as edging, planting, soaker hose installation, and mulch application. Once completed, there will be a public celebration at the gazebo.

For more information, email Debra Burnham at 197debb@gmail.com, and visit the Bloomfield Garden Club’s Facebook page to keep up to date on the project’s progress.

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