Now that the 4th of July Independence Day holiday has passed, summer is now in full swing in Greenwich. The transformation of the family cemetery property off Relay Place in Cos Cob continues!
There is much to celebrate -and more to come.
The images below were captured on Friday, July 8, 2022. The new perennial flower beds have blossomed into an attractive border between the cemetery access way and the neighboring residences.
We have witnessed the proliferation of black-eyed susans, asters, lavender, Queen Anne's Lace, cone flowers and more. We expect this to continue.
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| Caroline Mills Smith Mead, died 1910, was Greenwich's first female real estate developer. The perennial gardens that now constitute the access way to the cemetery where she is interred will be dedicated to her legacy. |
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| The entrance at the terminus of Relay Place, Cos Cob. Tree work is being planned remove intruding tree branches in the upper-left of the image, as well as cleaning up and widening the entrance way. |
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| Upon entering, a grass pathway divides the perennial flowering beds from each other. The beds on the right have been planted with a variety of mostly summer perennials. Mulch provided by Mike Helupka's tree service continue to hold weed's down. The black walnut tree on the embankment -originally scheduled to be removed- will be pruned up and retained. In the future, the grass and lawn mowing will be eliminated, with mulch and fieldstone path stones in place. |
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| Just beyond the black walnut tree are these pollinator gardens. The Cos Cob Mill Pond is to the left side of the image. In the distance are residences located off Strickland Road and Loughlin Avenue. |
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| Black-eyed susans, cone flowers and other perennials are flourishing. All of the perennials were raised from seeds and roots. They were chosen based on their ability to withstand hot, direct sun conditions. |
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| This is a look-back from the halfway point of the access way towards the black walnut tree (center) and the entrance at the terminus of Relay Place, Cos Cob. The Mill Pond is on the right side. |
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| A view looking south at the Cos Cob Mill Pond. |
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| Another view looking south at the Cos Cob Mill Pond from the access way, with yuca plants flowering and in full bloom. |
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| The wall of the cemetery is seen in the distance. The grass path leads visitors to the graves. The Mill Pond is on the left side of the pathway and pollinators. An apple tree will be pruned back. A large, dead sumac tree will be cut down and removed in the coming months. |
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| The Mead Family Cemetery is covered with mulch. Most of the small and medium-sized trees will be removed. The two large oak trees will be pruned. Based on feedback from Peter F. Alexander of Site Design Associates, a concerted effort will be made to plant ground covers, such as periwinkle, rather than grass. Indeed, eventually all grass will be permanently removed. |
