Photo of the Week - May 30, 2011

Bee in a Peony
Closed Loop Park
Lacey, Washington
May 30, 2011

The site of the former Thurston County landfill has become a high of all sorts of community activity. Home to the Thurston County transfer station, Hazo-house and a Goodwill drop off location, the landfill site is also home into a brand-new off leash dog area, a playground made with recycled materials and a beautiful garden tended by volunteers of the WSU Master Gardener program. Closed Loop Park is Thurston County's one and a half acre demonstration garden built on a portion of the Hawks Prairie Landfill that was closed in 1991.

Closed-Loop Park is one of the first parks to be built on top of a lined landfill. The 60 ml plastic liner only 16-18 inches from the surface covers decades of accumulated garbage. The liner prevents rain from soaking through the garbage which would create toxic leachate (or "garbage juice") that could sink into the groundwater.

Master gardeners tend to a wide variety of plants including two notables-a wonderful variety of sedums and a beautiful collection of over 90 peony varieties donated by Pacific Northwest Peony society.

In May and early June, is worth making the trip to Hawks Prairie to visit Closed Loop Park.

http://gardening.wsu.edu/closedloop/