An Exceptional Greenhouse in the Making

One very lucky Homewood nonprofit organization is getting a greenhouse makeover this summer. The greenhouse, belonging to The Exceptional Foundation, was erected about a year and a half ago by Eagle Scout Mitchell Bruhn. Phyllis Haynes, Event Coordinator at The Exceptional Foundation, says that Mitchell “did the all framework as a Boy Scouts project, but we never had the inside done.”

Now, the vacant inside of the greenhouse is undergoing a major transformation thanks to the Junior League of Birmingham and Scott Stone from Common Ground Produce. While the Junior League will provide volunteers and funding for the project, Scott Stone will revamp the interior of the greenhouse, complete with planting areas and raised beds for wheelchair access. Scott has plenty of design, construction and gardening experience through Common Ground Produce, whose previous projects include the community garden at Mount Laurel and the “Unity Garden” at Girls Inc. of Central Alabama.

Scott’s main goal is to provide The Exceptional Foundation with a functional and aesthetically pleasing addition to the facility. “This will allow the folks here to experience the wonder of watching plants grow in a beautiful and peaceful setting,” he says.

Participants of The Exceptional Foundation have already begun painting the red brick exterior of the greenhouse to a moss green. Later, they’ll draw on their artistic abilities by adding colorful hand painted vines. Phyllis says the participants will also make stepping stones and even give their new greenhouse a name.

Phyllis is hoping the greenhouse will be “in bloom by the end of this summer.” The Exceptional Foundation’s eager participants will be the ones to regularly take care of their greenhouse garden. Scott is ready to get down to the dirty work with the other volunteers and says, “There won’t be any cucumber sandwiches until we harvest the cucumbers from the exceptional garden!”

Birmingham Home & Garden magazine will follow The Exceptional Foundation’s greenhouse project here on our blog, so check back regularly to read about their progress and look at pictures!

Check out our friends online:

The Junior League of Birmingham: www.jlbonline.com

Common Ground Produce’s blog: http://commongroundproduce.blogspot.com/2009/06/weve-got-exceptional-project-coming-up.html

The Exceptional Foundation: www.exceptionalfoundation.org

-Barbara Silor
Birmingham Home & Garden Intern