Moor Home Xeriscape Project Set To Begin

Members of the El Paso chapter of the New Mexico Native Plant Society, the El Paso Cactus and Rock Club and perhaps El Paso County Master Gardeners are set to begin turning turf into a xeriscaped garden at the Lee and Beulah Moor Children's Home. Project Coordinator, Virginia Morris, writes:

"The Home is located on 14 acres of lawn, which is quite expensive to irrigate and maintain. This is the opportunity to put into practice what we preach – a project to convert turfgrass to a xeriscape landscape. Please join us for this familiarization tour and program kick off.

Jim Thomas, Senior Director of Development and Activities, will give us a walking tour of the Children’s Home and describe the activities and challenges faced by the staff and children.

A detailed program plan for activities of all participant organizations, with a facility map and a timeline for program completion will be provided. A broad break-down is as follows:

Phase I: Greenhouse and vegetable garden. Master
Gardeners?? Awaiting confirmation from Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Phase II: Cactus Garden. El Paso Cactus and Rock Club

Phase III: Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden. Native
Plant Society

Each time a volunteer arrives at the facility they must sign in at the Reception Desk. All volunteers will have to complete paperwork and provide a photo ID and social security card so a background check can be completed. (Please do this the first time you volunteer). These steps are necessary to protect the children.

For more information, please contact Virginia Morris at elpasovlm@sbcglobal.net."

Virginia was instrumental in a large scale cactus rescue last year in northwest El Paso and the xeriscaping of the El Paso County Sheriff's facility in far east El Paso.

The Children's Home is located at 1100 E. Cliff Drive (at the intersection of Octavia and Cliff).