Channel 5 Interview | Channel 5’s Alexandra Koehn interviews Thom on enhancements and changes coming to our West Meade neighborhood and the alliances that have formed. Click and learn more.
Channel 5 Interview | "For our public high schools, I worked alongside Metro staff, government leaders, and other business leaders to establish The Academies of Nashville: a nationally recognized, project-based, experiential learning initiative. Today, 350 businesses partner with Academies in all our zoned high schools, offering students mentorships, internships, and externships." Click and learn more.
Beautification News & Events
Turning eyesore into eye candy.
The Beautification Team masterminds a makeover for the Metro Pump House at the corner of Jocelyn Hollow and West Meade. SOON, you won’t see the pump house for the trees!
Not too long ago, Patricia Knight reached out to a fellow Master Gardener, Julie Berbiglia, who works at Metro Water, with questions about this property and the likelihood of making it a focal point of the neighborhood rather than just a plain piece of Metro property.
Julia was able to secure approval for the District 23 Beautification Team to make improvements to the property, and assigned a Metro horticulturist, Sarah Welz, to work with the District 23 Beautification Team on tree selection, placement, and other planting ideas. Wayne and Ann Underhill, Paul Prill, Andrea Pruijssers, and Patricia (all Master Gardeners), met at the property to give input and feedback on trees, plants, and ideas.
After Sarah walked the property, she suggested specific trees (some based on our feedback, and some based on tree viability). Sarah committed that Metro Water would provide the trees at no charge, dig the holes for the trees, and water the trees for a year! This is a huge benefit to the Beautification Team because although there is a water source at the property, it takes a significant commitment of time and physical energy to keep larger trees watered. Ultimately, the plan was approved by Metro's landscaping director and they committed to planting the trees in March 2024. The Beautification Team wants to host a planting day for the community, so neighbors can be involved.
Metro will continue to mow the property which is another great benefit. The trees are site-situated so that they can move about and around the property easily to water and mow.
There is more to do; the Beautification Team needs to create a more detailed plan for the remaining areas of the property, secure the supplies, and create signage to educate the neighborhood on the activities. They plan to convene some folks this fall/winter to begin that work. Sarah feels that over time, the Beautification Team could qualify as a certified arboretum, but of course, that's a longer-term project.
The Beautification Team is looking forward to seeing it transform into something the neighbors will enjoy!
— Patricia Knight
Cancelled Due To Rain: The District 23 Potluck this Sunday, June 11
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Due to the significant chance of rain Sunday, and particularly around 3-6 p.m., the District 23 Potluck is canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience, and we'll look to schedule in late summer or early fall.
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Why should you care?
Last week, 57 new, large trees were planted in the Warner Park Community Neighborhood (between Highways 70, 100, and east of Harpeth Trace). Residents—of all ages—came to lend a hand.
Source of the trees? Root Nashville — a public-private campaign, led by Metro Nashville and the Cumberland River Compact, to plant 500,000 trees across Davidson County by 2050. So far, over 30,242 Trees have been planted to date. https://rootnashville.org/
Root Nashville delivered the trees. Residents planted and will care for the trees: magnolias, red maples, swamp white oaks, crabapples, and sweetgums.
Why should you care?
Nashville is losing trees. Our urban tree canopy is critical for the public health and environmental resilience of our city. Simply said: we must restore Nashville’s canopy to maintain clean water and air for the future.
If you would like to captain a canopy renewal in your neighborhood, CLICK HERE.
A special shout-out to Alan Dooley for spade-heading the effort as Warner Park Community’s Neighborhood Planting Captain.
Recycle Right Lunch 'n' Learn Workshop
Thursday, January 5 @ 11am
Hosted by
Jenn Harrman, Zero Waste Program Manager
Allie Omens, Construction and Demolition Recycling Coordinator
Simone Chhut, Zero Waste Associate
Do you have questions about recycling in Nashville? Join Zero Waste Nashville to learn about the importance of recycling and how to recycle right. This webinar will cover:
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The 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
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How recycling works in Nashville
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What can and cannot be recycled
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Why not everything can be recycled
Participants will also have a chance to win a Get Rowdy Recycle Right T-shirt.
Plant & Seed Swap 2022 was a Budding Success.
Two Saturdays ago, friends, neighbors, and novice gardeners came together to swap stories, seeds, bulbs, and plants. The afternoon included abundant opportunities to pick the brain of a master gardener, collect seeds, and pot up a few desirable flowers, herbs, and/or verdure, like Burl Oak Saplings, Redbud Saplings, Wild Plum Saplings, Lenten Rose Plants, White Rose Of Sharon Saplings, Thyme, Oregano, Yellow Sedum, Purple Aster, Purple Irises, And Seeds Galore: Garlic Chives, Giant Butternut Squash, Love In A Mist, Calendula, Morning Glory, Venus Poppy — JUST to name a few!
“Fun was had by all! It was a great exchange of plants and ideas,” recounted Patricia Knight, District 23 Beautification Team Chair, “We still have seeds, so message us at District23beautification@gmail.com if you'd like to have some. And, check back to our web page and Facebook for upcoming events, news, and beautification tips.”
a BIG THANK YOU to…
Everyone who attended
GroWild ambassador, Colleen Gonce Whitver and Hans-Willi Honegger, for sharing their seeds, saplings and expertise.
Andrea Pruijssers for coordinating the Plant & Seed Swap and sharing her Master Gardener expertise.
Heroes are few and far between these days. HOWEVER, we have our own version of The Avengers.
Back in the summer, the Friends of West Meade Hills (FWMH) began organizing a tree-planting initiative to enhance and rehabilitate the canopy in the West Meade Hills area.
SIDE-NOTE: Over the past few years, our neighborhood has seen a significant number of trees — nearly 10% — dropped for development and new construction. Tree canopies help blunt the effects of global warming and keep our neighborhood cool.
FWMH used letters, fliers, and Instagram to reach out to residents on Rolling Fork Drive, part of Currywood Drive and St. David Episcopal Church. They started small, but the response was BIG: 115 trees will be delivered the first week of March, planted, AND will begin to enhance and rehabilitate West Meade’s canopy.
Willi Honegger (the Neighborhood Captain for the West Meade Tree Planting Project) spade-headed the initiative and partnered with @root_nashville to provide the trees for the neighborhood.
Another SIDE-NOTE: West Meade will not be eligible to participate next season, however other District 23 neighborhoods such as Hillwood or Belle Meade could participate and expand the District 23 canopy even further.
Follow Friends of West Meade Hills Instagram @friendsofwestmeadehills.
Check back! We'll update this page and our facebook page with upcoming events, news and beautification tips. If you have any suggestions, questions, or your own beautification events to share, please email them to D23 Beautification Team at District23beautification@gmail.com