We drive by them all the time, those bushes along Rt. 104 just east of the Bay Bridge that spell out WEBSTER, welcoming residents and visitors alike to our fair town. But did you ever wonder about their history, who originally planted them and who takes care of them now?
According to Webster Chamber of Commerce president Barry Howard, the WEBSTER bushes installation was a project spearheaded by the Chamber in 1986 as a beautification project. The Chamber commissioned the design in February of that year, got all the required permits by September, then arranged to have the bushes and stone scape installed. The sailboat motif in colored stone mosaic was added in 1993.
The landscaping company who originally planted the bushes went out of business, and Thomas Landscape took over their maintenance just a year or two later. The company has been taking care of them every year since, for more than 35 years, at the Chamber’s expense.
Many will remember that back in 2010, vandals destroyed the bushes, cutting every single one of the plants to the ground. At the time, the Chamber asked people if something like a welcome sign should be put in instead. But the community stood behind their much-loved WEBSTER shrubs, and overwhelmingly voted to replace them. With help from a radio-thon fundraiser hosted by WARM 101.3, 75 new bushes were purchased and planted.
It’s been more than 10 years, and the new bushes are doing pretty well, but it’s going to take them a while to get back to their former glory.
“They’re coming around,” said Thomas Landscape owner Rick Thomas. “Last year we started doing an organic-based fertilizer on the plants and it’s definitely helping.”
“It’s an extremely hard area to grow plants because of the steep slope,” he added. “You don’t realize how steep it is until you’re standing on it. Water and nutrients just roll down it. It’s a tough area to grow anything.”
Between the Chamber of Commerce and Thomas Landscape, the WEBSTER shrubbery continues to get regular TLC. The stone scape was repainted a few years ago, and Thomas staff members head up there three times a year for general maintenance. They’re even giving some thought to perhaps changing out the stone design in front “to keep things fresh.”
“I think it’s still viable,” Rick said. “People like to look at it. It’s fun; we’ll be up there trimming and weeding and cleaning up and people drive by, waving and cheering.”
I’ll be one of those people waving and cheering next time I see you up there, as a thank you for keeping our favorite town landmark looking great.
Thomas Landscape is located at 775 Ridge Rd., Webster.
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(posted 3/3/2024)
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I always wondered who maintained them – thanks for sharing, Missy!
Julianne Groff
Dick isn’t kidding about the grade on that hill….pruned those babies a few times myself and I have killer calves….Deirdre
😆