While the Lily Pool has remained closed during the restoration of Caldwell’s historic pavilions, our stewardship staff have made the Pool’s gardens their focus, accomplishing extensive work throughout the space. Work to restore Caldwell’s gardens to his original vision has been ongoing since Spring of 2022, but has been accelerated by our crew’s ability to work unencumbered this season.
A primary goal of our horticulturists is to restore the soil’s health, particularly in areas that have suffered compaction and erosion from off-path travel by visitors over the years. Many visitors don’t realize stepping through the garden beds not only tramples fragile plants, but also causes lasting harm to the soil, leaving it barren and inhospitable. It only takes a few treads to press out the oxygen roots need to survive and grow, especially in a dense clay soil like that of the Lily Pool. Without roots to hold the soil, it’s briskly carried away by wind and rain. Some of this eroded sediment also washes into the pool, degrading its quality.
Currently, aggressive grasses are being methodically weeded and plastic netting painstakingly removed to allow the carpets of violets and bursts of ferns envisioned in the Lily Pool’s original design to thrive in their place.
