Adrian Chen’s Eagle Project Beautifies Buckman Ahead of LEX250 Celebrations
Adrian Chen, a Freshman at Belmont Hill School, completed his Eagle Project, a beautiful transformation of a bed of weeds at the entrance side of Buckman Tavern. This contribution helps the town prepare for LEX250. An Eagle Project is a community service project that an Eagle candidate must complete to demonstrate leadership. It must be completed along with other requirements to earn the Eagle Scout rank. The project must benefit an organization outside of the Scouts BSA (formerly Boy Scouts of America) and must be completed by the Scout’s 18th birthday.
Chen’s Project “Buckman Tavern Lexington 250 Garden Restoration” was completed with three focal goals. Chen explained that the first goal was “updating the prominent garden beds adjacent to the Tavern on the west and south sides, replacing the preexisting plants with mainly native, period appropriate, and low maintenance plants.” The second goal was “mitigating water infiltration into the structure at the foundation by utilizing soil at the base of the building” and the third goal was “improving the general appearance of the site in preparation for the Lexington 250 celebrations.”
Buckman will be at the center of the 250th celebrations and was due for a makover. Chen recalled that before this project the two Buckman Tavern plots were overgrown and unattractive. He noted that the plants were dying, wilting, and very disorganized. The project began by removing all the existing plants, then replacing them with native, curated low-maintenance perennials, intended to bloom in time for the Lexington 250 celebrations!
Many others have helped Chen along the way with this project. He said on October 26th, over a 6-hour period from early morning to afternoon, 20 people helped him with this transformation, 10 scouts and 10 adults. Prior to the transformation, Chen researched various native plants, had multiple discussions with the beneficiaries, and then sourced and purchased low maintenance, preferably native, small species that he stored and cared for until the day of the project. Prior to the start of the project Chen contacted Dig Safe so they could survey the land to ensure that there would be no hazardous underground cables in the area. He also coordinated with the Lexington Department of Public Works (DPW) so that personnel could be present to provide fill and equipment.
The process began by removing all the plants on both sides of the Tavern while saving the daylilies. The perimeter of the south plot was then edged, while the plot was turned over and tilled in order to remove any remnant roots. Fresh topsoil and grass seeds were added to the plot by the DPW. They hosed it down and gathered new plants, arranged them and finally, planted them.
The DPW helped Chen seed the plots and then added a layer of gravel on top, angled against the foundation to help with drainage. After, a layer of topsoil was added red, white, and blue tulips were planted on top.
Chen, who is a member of the local William Diamond Junior Fife & Drums Corps where he plays the fife, wanted his project to contribute to the beautification of the Lexington community to coordinate with the 250 celebrations.
Chen said that Mrs. Michelle Jarvis, his Eagle Scout Coach, helped guide him throughout the project experience. He said she is a mother of an Eagle Scout herself who has experience with gardening. She taught him how the project worked, revising the project’s paperwork, and offered her unique perspective on gardening. Jarvis stated that Chen is “an exceptional young man. He is very focused, organized, kind, and demonstrates strong leadership qualities.” Jarvis noted she is very happy with the final product, stating that the project came out fantastic! She continued to state “This coming Spring, 250 red, white, and blue flowering bulbs will bloom for the 250-Celebrations. Additionally, the rehabilitated garden bed, planted with a variety of native plants, will nicely complement the historic site.” He was also aided by Mrs. Carla Fortmann, who lent her gardening tools for the project. As one of the caretakers for the Buckman Tavern Herb Garden at the rear of Buckman Tavern she wondered if the transformation of the flower beds would be a project in which an Eagle Scout would be interested, and Chen was. She commented on the project that “Adrian proved a capable supervisor and had several helpful scouts. I was able to provide tools from the Interfaith Garden, thyme plants from the herb garden as a top border and my 2 cents for plant placement, although the boys did most of this.” She noted that “the plants selected are all native and should spread and fill in over the next 2 years to provide an excellent plant bed for all time, really, with minimal necessary maintenance.”