Girl Scouts use green thumbs to earn Silver Award

A community garden is taking root at the foot of Montgomery’s water tower takes to a group of ambitious Girls Scouts who are working to earn their Silver Award.

“We wanted to do a more long-lasting project for the community, and we thought there should be a community garden, so we decided to make it happen,” explained 14-year-old local Girl Scout Tahlia Buckingham.

Pre-COIVD, Buckingham and her fellow troop members Audrey Krugerud, Alissa Napper, and Katie Bell asked permission from Montgomery’s Park Advisory Board to turn an approximately 30’ x 20’ area of city property at 749 Rogers Drive (at the foot of the city’s water tower) into a community garden.

Their request was granted.

However, the global pandemic caused a yearlong delay.

“We wanted to do this last year, but COVID hit and so many things were up in the air… So really, the girls have put more than a year of planning into this project,” stated Troop Advisor Erin Barry Buckingham.

The city helped the girls prepare the ground for planting. Then, the girls dug in.

“We sectioned off thirty 10x10 plots, using stakes and string and planted marigolds around the garden to deter pests,” Buckingham explained.

Using an $800 gift from the Montgomery Community Foundation, the girls selected and purchased multiple rain barrels for the garden.

“The city helps keep the barrels full, so anyone working in the garden doesn’t have to bring their own water or lug water very far,” Buckingham shared.

So far, only six of the 10’ x 10’ plots have been rented, but that isn’t deterring the Girl Scouts.

“We decided to plant a few of the plots...

To see more on this story pick up the July 15, 2021 Montgomery Messenger.