Nothing is worse for lettuce than baby bunnies, but few things are as adorable and charming as seeing the little scoundrels being born and nesting.
Gardeners have a love/hate relationship with rabbits, but for a family of newborn rabbits in the Gardens for Charlestown plots on Main Street, it’s been all love.
“We get a fair amount of furry friends in the garden, but this is the first time we’ve really had rabbits nesting in the plots,” said Heather Repicky, communications coordinator for the Gardens. “One of gardeners came out to prepare the plot for the summer and came across what turned out to be a big nest. He discovered it about two weeks ago and we just tried to leave them be…They’re adorable. They’re very, very cute menaces.”
Repicky said the rabbits seemed to have grown up quickly, which is common for them. As soon as they opened their eyes and had their full fur, they were out of the nest and on their own. She said they have been around too.
“They’re still in the Garden and we have seen them around,” she said. “We have plenty of furry friends in the Gardens and we’ll have three more now.”
As the rabbits have become comfortable in the Gardens, so too have gardeners, who have been practicing social distancing as they prepare their plots and get fresh air.
“It’s very nice to have a little green space in the fresh air,” she said. “We have some guidelines on how to garden during COVID-19. We’re using protocols in line with the governor’s and mayor’s directives in terms of social distancing. Our garden is open and gardeners are tending to their plots. We’re starting to get into the season when planting happens and we’ll probably have more activity coming up.
“We’ve actually been encouraging people to come to the Garden to enjoy fresh air and the spring flowers that are at the garden as long as they practice social distancing,” she continued.
Already some gardeners have planted lettuce and peas, as they grow in colder months. Some have prepared their summer tomatoes and other vegetables from seedlings at home, and once the weather warms, Repicky said they would be likely be planting.