Plans are under way to revitalize Beech Street Park.

The Fallbrook Beautification Alliance, in cooperation with the Fallbrook Village Association, has commissioned local ecological design firm A Vibrant Earth to redesign the park at Mission Road and Beech Street

If the boards of each nonprofit approve the plan at their meetings in December, the organizations will put together a budget and begin raising money for a makeover that would leave the park nearly unrecognizable.

The Vibrant Earth plan will take the park from an underutilized open space to something resembling a water-smart wonderland, complete with a butterfly garden and educational opportunities for schoolchildren.

The beautification alliance, devoted to improving Fallbrook's appearance, paid the firm about $1,500 to redesign the park, alliance President Jerri Patchett said. It commissioned the plan early this year.

"We thought this could be so much more," Patchett said of the park. "It’s such a jewel."

The new library under construction and three schools are in walking distance from the park, so its design will incorporate educational and literary elements, said park steward Diana Schmidt.

Educational opportunities will be woven into the park's new landscape, art installations and stage area, Vibrant Earth planner Clayton Tschudy said. The park plan also includes play equipment and drinking fountains.

Four gardens are planned for the park: an oasis garden, a rainbow garden, a butterfly garden and an island garden. Most of the plants outside of the oasis garden will require little water.

The oasis garden will be at the center of the park and require the most water, Tschudy said. It will feature colorful plants and trees, including desert willow, thornless palo verde and non-native jacaranda.

The rainbow garden will be colorful and will be at the edges of the park.

The butterfly garden and Channel Island-themed island gardens will offer the most educational opportunities, Tschudy said.

Children can learn about butterflies and their habitats at the garden, planned for a flat area next to Mission Road, where plants including pozo blue and native rabbit brush "should draw butterflies like crazy," he said.

Perennial annuals, including rose yarrow and California poppies, will need replanting each year, giving children a chance to learn about plant life-cycles and gardening.

Students can learn about ecology at the island garden, which will include Channel Island endemic plants.

Children will be allowed to imprint stepping stones with paw prints of wildlife from the surrounding habitat, Schmidt said, adding that the stones may lead to sculptures of the animals.

Garden, wildlife and art-related books can be incorporated into the learning experience as well, Schmidt said.

She cited books such as "Oh Say Can You Seed," by Bonnie Worth, and "Monarch and Milkweed," by Paul Muldoon, as examples of books teachers can use to supplement the park's educational opportunities and promote literacy.

Contact staff writer Morgan Cook at 760-740-3516.

 

CORRECTION: Author of book was incorrect

The original version of this story should have said the author of a children's book called "Oh Say Can You Seed?" is Bonnie Worth. The article said incorrectly that it had been written by Dr. Seuss.

We apologize.