Building Community with Bulbs
The Westcott Bulb Planting Project

Author: Sarah Pounders

Bulbs are bright and cheerful. The earliest varieties reassure us that spring has arrived. Green shoots emerge from winter-barren garden beds, followed by an array of eye-catching flowers — it’s hard not to smile when you pass a clump of blooming daffodils or tulips or notice the sweet scent of hyacinths, and massed bulb plantings are stunning. Not surprisingly, planting these spring-blooming beauties turns out to be a great way for students to connect with their community.

“Perennial bulbs, which multiply over time and come back for many years, are a cost-effective way to introduce spring color into neighborhoods,” explains Pete Wirth, organizer of the Westcott Bulb Planting Project, in partnership with the Westcott Community Center in Syracuse, New York. Inspired by a spring stroll that featured these cheery flowers, Pete initiated the project, which encourages individuals and groups to plant bulbs to beautify the community. Using donated funds, the Wescott Bulb Project purchases spring-blooming bulbs in bulk each fall and then gives them to residents and educators for free as long as they promise to plant the bulbs in public spaces, including front yards, schools, churches, libraries, and other community buildings. In 2003, the project distributed 2,300 bulbs. By 2006, that number had risen to 10,000 bulbs a year.

“This project shows children that we can all make a difference in our community,” says Pete. One bulb at a time, his community has come together to plant more than 40,000 perennial bulbs. He never imagined the project would get this big.

"Because people move more frequently today, individuals have lost their sense of neighborhood stewardship," notes Pete. “We hope this program will help residents of all ages put down roots.” Students at Ed Smith Elementary School in Syracuse have participated in the Westcott Bulb Planting Project for five years, planting 3,000 bulbs in that time. They enjoy the gardening and they’re proud of the positive impact they’ve made on their school grounds. Student comments about the program include: “I feel great about helping our community” and “It was an honor to make our school look better.”

Pete encourages other communities to get involved, and believes his project would work in any city in the United States. To get started, he recommends seeking individual donors, corporate sponsors, and public money designated for beautification and economic development. He also suggests organizing annual events such as a raffle to help to raise funds. For more information about the Westcott Bulb Planting Project visit www.bulbproject.org or contact Pete at pwirth2@verizon.net.