Watson And Bassett
Neighborhood: Newhallville
Type of Site: Vacant Lot 
Address: Watson and Bassett, New Haven, CT
2019 Greenspace Report
When a group of Newhallville neighbors founded the Watson and Bassett greenspace twenty-five years ago, they set out to reclaim and beautify a small corner lot, designing a community garden around a heavily trafficked cut-through path. In the 2019 season, Watson and Bassett continued in this tradition, working energetically to improve upon the existing space, while also adding new features. The group started the summer by weeding and mulching around the perimeter of the park. Then they planted seventy-nine shade-tolerant perennials in the back of the lot, establishing a new planting bed in the process. The group ended with infrastructural improvements and maintenance: replenishing the stone dust path, adding a new bench, raising the level of the lawn, and reseeding the grass. The work was often strenuous given the core group’s modest size, but Watson and Bassett still managed to achieve all of its goals for the summer.
2019 Accomplishments
- 3 shrubs planted (Moonshadow wintercreeper)
- 79 perennials planted (Ajuga, vinca, variegated hostas, coral bells, lady’s mantle, variegated liriope, daylilies, purple sage)
- 2.5 yards mulch spread
- 10 events
- 23 volunteers
- 94 volunteer hours
