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Right, from the top, down: Part of the rain garden, with bench. Larry Zimmerman, Doug's father, speaks at the dedication. Closeup of rocks brought in my friends and family. Above: Many plants went into the rain garden. Linda Lemmon photos and courtesy photos.
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Family
Doug Zimmerman's family, left to right: Mother Joan Zimmerman, wife Bet Zimmerman and father Larry Zimmerman.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
WOODSTOCK --- Bill Brower, chairman of the board at the Palmer Arboretum, may have said it best: "Doug is still solving environmental problems and getting people to work together…."
The dedication of the rain garden-erosion control project, straddling the Woodstock Historical Society's Palmer Hall and the Palmer Arboretum, to Doug Zimmerman June 8 drew nearly 100 people many bearing gifts of special stones. Bet Zimmerman, widow of the long-time environmentalist and 10-year volunteer at the town's Historical Society, said stones came to the "Z Garden" from Woodstock to Switzerland and everywhere in between.
Bet said: "The Woodstock Historical Society, Town of Woodstock, and the Palmer Arboretum Committee partnered with the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD) on this project. It was funded with generous donations made to the Woodstock Historical Society in Doug’s memory, and a sizeable Clean Water grant that Jean Pillo of the ECCD obtained from the U.S. EPA through the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Faist Engineering Inc. donated engineering expertise. The Arboretum committee assisted with the design. The Town of Woodstock Highway Department constructed new catch basins to capture excess rainfall. And last but not least, many individuals and organizations volunteered time, supplies and equipment to make the garden and the dedication a reality. Remaining donations will be used to fund a plaque, plant tags and long-term maintenance."
"Afterwards, people added their own rocks to the rip rap around the storm drain - rocks that came from Woodstock CT to Switzerland and everywhere in between. The garden has some Bleeding Heart plants from our garden, a granite bench Doug’s brother and sister-in-law gave us as a wedding present, a painted rock Doug’s sister made as a child, and a bluebird nestbox built by Tom Comfort," she added.
Bet Zimmerman said the demonstration rain garden-erosion control project at the historical society in Woodstock seemed like a great fit: "Doug loved the outdoors, gardens and Woodstock. He spent his career protecting the environment. He volunteered for the Historical Society for 10 years. He watched the weather channel a lot. A lot of tears were shed when he died. He died June 8, 2010.
Pillo, Watershed coordinator for the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District, said the garden is a tribute to environmentalist Zimmerman, but also, on the practical side, would solve the 40-plus-year problem of storm water overflowing from the parking area and eroding the soil down slope on the arboretum. The new rain garden's catch basins, rip rap, moisture-loving plants, grass and materials slow stormwater, filter it and release it slowly.
Pillo recalled a fable called "Stone Soup," in which a pot of soup was started with a few stones. Then everyone in the village contributed stones and eventually, working together, the village created a feast.