Barrington officials are inviting residents to a public workshop that will be focused on the creation of a resilience garden, which will be planted this spring at the government center property between the library building and County Road. 

The workshop will be held on Thursday, March 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Barrington Public Library in the Collis Family Gallery.

The interactive workshop will be led by landscape architect Kevin Alverson, who will present his designs for the garden and welcome feedback from attendees. A “resilience garden” is a garden that is designed to be resilient to the effects of climate change.

“The Government Center resilience garden will contain hardy, native, pollinator-friendly plants that will need less watering and care than more traditional gardens,” stated a press release from Karlo Berger, Barrington’s resilience planner. “The garden is intended to be a space for learning, relaxation, and appreciation of the natural world.”

Officials plan to open the garden this fall. It will feature educational signs and online resources to help and encourage residents to create simple and affordable resilience gardens of their own. 

The resilience garden project is a joint effort between the Town of Barrington and community partners which include the Barrington Garden Club, the Barrington Land Conservation Trust, Barrington Public Library, the Barrington Pollinator Pathway Committee, the Peck Center, the Barrington Resilience and Energy Committee, the Barrington Open Space Committee, and Barrington youth. 

The project has been made possible by a grant from the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District.

All are welcome to attend part or all of the workshop and share their views. Light refreshments will be provided.