Native Plants, Local Heroes and a Town's Climate Vision Bloom at Plant-A-Palooza

PHOTOS by Kacey Hatch

The Berkshire hilltown of Washington transformed into a hub of environmental enthusiasm and community pride on Sunday, May 18, during “Plant-A-Palooza” — a collaborative event designed to sow the seeds of climate resilience and hometown connection through native plants, pollinators and grassroots restoration.

Held at the Washington Town Hall, the event was part environmental fair, part garden dedication and part hometown celebration. Organized by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC), the Town of Washington, Berkshire Botanical Garden (BBG), and the local Girl Scouts, Plant-A-Palooza marked a key moment in a larger grant-funded effort to mitigate climate change-related flooding and restore the health of Depot Brook, a local stream burdened by the impact of climate change.

At the heart of the day’s activities was the unveiling of a new native plant garden dedicated to Washington veterans, including Don Hatch, who was present to speak. Planted around the Town Hall flagpole in a neatly designed nine-foot circle, the garden is filled with native species such as milkweed (Asclepias) and hyssop (Agastache), offering a colorful and ecologically meaningful landmark for residents to enjoy.

Girl Scout Troop Leader Krystal Ferrari and her troop played a central role in the project, earning badges and community praise for their hands-on contributions to the garden. The garden dedication ceremony, led by the troop, was one of the highlights of the day.

“It’s designed to be low maintenance, full-season, and beautiful — something to lift spirits every day as people drive through the center of town,” said Kessa McEwen, a BBG horticulturist who helped lead the planting alongside BBG’s Shannon Welch and Claire Lynch.

But Plant-A-Palooza was more than a garden party. It launched a bold initiative to create a “decentralized nursery program,” empowering residents to grow native plants in their own yards. These plants would eventually be used to restore riverbanks and riparian zones along Depot Brook, which is prone to flooding that can cut off access to nearly 15 homes during heavy storms.

And the turnout? “A ton,” said McEwen. “I felt like the whole town came out. People were just really glad we were doing this.”

Thanks to BBG educators Jennifer Patton and Margaret Leahy, attendees enjoyed a variety of engaging activities, including a free native plant giveaway, seed packets and an “adopt-a-plant” station. A spin-the-wheel trivia game offered a fun way to learn about the importance of native species for pollinators and flood control. Visitors also enjoyed raffle prizes, complimentary T-shirts, and tasty offerings from a food truck. BBG hosted tables for invasive plant identification and conversations with master gardeners, while an on-site survey gathered community feedback and gauged interest in joining the nursery program.

“This event was just the start,” said McEwen. “We’re building something long-term — with plants, yes, but even more so with people.”

As wildflowers settle into their new home around the town hall and local hands begin raising seedlings across Washington, it’s clear that what was planted at Plant-A-Palooza wasn’t just a garden — it was a vision of community-led resilience in full bloom.