Where I work we recently purchased four lovely bronze planters that presently  stand outside the doors to the Carroll Center Tech building with full lush ’mums in them. Soon enough, these will die back as winter arrives.

Not wanting to see those planters empty, I purchased spring blooming bulbs and relocated the planters from outside to the glassed-in but unheated area in between the two sets of doors leading into the tech center. I think it will allow enough protection and sun light so the bulbs will not freeze over the winter.

There is also and outdoor strip of grass nearby approximately 25 foot long and 16 inches deep front to back. I pondered what to do with this small area and decided that spring blooming bulbs were just the ticket. I did some reading on both Daffodils and Crocus; mainly because they are both beautiful to look at and fragrant. I began browsing the web for businesses that sell gardening supplies and bulbs. Because I do not drive, it was simpler to procure my bulbs on line and going through Amazon, I ordered 40 Daffodil and 40 Crocus bulbs. Now, what to do with them.

Given the sizes of the Daffodil bulbs, I have decided that they will go into the planters as soon as the mums have been removed. I will first dip the bulbs in a liquid rodent deterring product and then strategically place them in a symmetrical fashion around the outer perimeter of each planter and put the remaining four in the centers in a cluster. I will then cover them with enough dirt to have them nestled deep enough for the winter chill in the foyer. I will intermittently water the bulbs to start their rooting process.

Now- what to do with the Crocus bulbs. I walked the length of the strip of grass; deep in thought about how to make the perfect presentation. It finally occurred to me that I wanted the Crocus to make a statement. Being proficient in Braille, this is what I have decided-

With the assistance of an extremely talented member of our maintenance staff, I asked him to create a wooden template. If you are a Braille user, you understand what a full Braille cell of six dots looks like. If you are not a user of Braille, picture either an engine’s gasket for a six cylinder vehicle or an egg carton having only six spots for eggs; two side by side and three down. I asked for each hole in the template to accommodates a round bulb planter tool in order to systematically plant the bulbs.

in the spring when they come up and bloom (hopefully), they would spell out Carroll Center in Grade 1 Braille. Each time I created a letter (or capital dot 6 sign), I would move the template to the right for the next letter; each letter created with the bulbs using the right combination of holes in the template.

Over time there is the hope that the Crocus will be prolific and spread; creating a carpet of flowers in that small area each spring and while my plan may not make sense to the sighted who do not know Braille, my little creation will not only make a statement but also honor our founder, Father Thomas Carroll.

Janet Pecorari