Downtown Community Garden Gets an Interesting Addition

On Friday morning the River and Roots Community Garden in downtown Riverhead received an interesting addition to the already lush garden: the installation of a vertical living wall that reads within its foliage "R.R.C.G.," the garden's initials. 

Growing throughout the living wall are plants of all kinds including vegetables, herbs and even watermelon.  The vertical garden has its own irrigation system to ensure proper and consistent watering.   

The garden was installed by Melissa Daniels, Sabrina Buttitta and Anthony Caggiano of Plant Connection Inc., a company based in Riverhead. It also specialize in installing green roofs as well as interior or exterior vertical pre-grown gardens. 

Amy Davidson, co-founder of the community garden said she first heard about the vertical gardens when she saw them and Plant Connection on News 12 last year.  Since then she has kept the idea in the back of her mind, waiting for the community garden to become established.  She then reached out to the company about donating the living wall. 

"The wall is beautiful and practical." said Davidson "The community garden has been great for downtown and the living wall adds to its beauty."

Plant Connection will also be donating its time in maintaining the wall. The wall is located in the in the Northwest corner closest to Main Street.