Adopt-a-Garden returns to Downtown Bangor

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - April showers bring May flowers and now, you can, too!

Adopt-a-Garden is budding again in downtown Bangor.

Since 2014, the Downtown Bangor Partnership has invited the public to claim a plot to plant flowers, decorate and maintain through the spring and summer.

The project has grown from 40 plots to 150 available.

With many returning gardeners, organizers say the benefits are twofold: downtown gets a spring makeover and residents get a chance to take ownership of the shared spaces.

“I think downtown Bangor and downtowns in general, they’re community spaces. There’s a lot of public space here,” describes Elizabeth Lundy, Executive Director of Downtown Bangor Partnership. “People very often are isolated, especially when there’s such a strong work from home movement. They’re disconnected from their neighbors around them. And programs like this bring people out, get them interacting, talking to new people, help them feel that sense of stewardship and responsibility for the public spaces that they own a little part of too.“

You can adopt available plots online now, which vary in size and location.

On April 25, the public is invited to volunteer for the downtown clean-up day.

May 16 will see the start of the Adopt-a-Garden fun, kicking off with their community Big Dig Day that gets plots ready for flowers and other decorations.