Memorial Garden

Becky Christian

Nativity, said Stephanie Allen recently, does hospitality very well, and that includes our Memorial Garden, which is open to everyone. But three years ago parishioner Lesley Troan had a vision for how to make the garden more welcoming and cared for.  Now plans for Memorial Garden renovations are coming to fruition.

Thanks to a contribution from the Troan Foundation in memory of Lesley’s husband Larry, as well as contributions from some other parishioners, almost $40,000 has been raised to transform the space.  A committee comprised of Lesley, Nancy Reed and Lori Special (who has since moved to Denver) hired a landscape architect to develop a plan which was approved by the Vestry.

Now a landscaping and construction firm is improving the garden’s infrastructure by removing several poorly formed and troublesome trees, clearing out overgrowth and improving the drainage from the north property line to Estill House, which used to flood in heavy rains. 

Volunteers removed the former brick walkways to make way for wider, accessible concrete walkways. The bricks, which had been donated by Ford Thompson, were saved to create two gathering circles in the center of the garden. The plan calls for benches there so people will be able to gather, sit, meditate, pray, or simply enjoy the garden’s peace. Eleven red cedar trees and three Oklahoma redbuds have already  been planted.  Once the walkways, mulch planting beds, drains and grates have been completed, smaller plantings will be sourced from a local nursery that specializes in native plants, heirloom flowers, grasses and shrubs that are chemical-free. Opportunities for people to volunteer or to contribute toward the smaller plants will be announced in future issues of Glad Tidings.

Landscape design: Elliot Redding, VanHorne Design

Landscaping and construction: Scott Myatt, Myatt Landscaping

Smaller plants to be sourced from: Field to Cottage Nursery