Nature is an incredibly sacred place for one to experience spirituality, and therefore a memorial garden is a great asset to any church. Mt Zion United Methodist Church knows the importance of outdoor spiritual spaces. The members have asked for garden design ideas from the Clemson University Horticulture 461 class. The site in Central, SC includes a proposed addition to the church, with parking, an existing baseball field, and a cluster of well-established trees.

The concept of the design by Renee Boyer was to create three spaces along a sacred path. The destinations along the path include the Biblical Garden, the Labyrinth, and Memorial Garden. The Biblical Garden consists of an education garden, where each biblical plant will have a plaque that identifies the plant and its biblical significance. For example the plaque next to marigold will explain that the religious name of the flower is Mary's Gold, and would quote the 16th century riddle " What flower is that which bears the Virgin's name, The Richest metal joined to the same?" Across from the education garden is a healing garden full of medicinal plants, all, which have religious significance. For instance, Mint was mentioned by Jesus in his rebuke of the Pharisees (Luke 11:42), and was used for culinary and medicinal purposes in ancient times. Rosemary is another example of an herb with many religious legends, such as the flowers of Rosemary were white until Mary spread her cloak over a rosemary bush to dry and after that the flowers were forever blue. It is a symbol of remembrance, friendship, and love.

The second space is a labyrinth, a form that resembles a maze, but actually is one path with one entrance and exit. Labyrinths have been built since ancient times crossing cultures, for the experience of spiritual journey with a sacred destination. Members can take the sacred journey through the labyrinth or can choose to take a path through the labyrinth, without ever taking the sacred walk. This is possible via a ramp that takes a person one level above the labyrinth for an incredible view of the geometry. If one chooses to take the sacred journey, they will come to a small circular destination under the deck. Here there will be an opening in the middle of the deck to allow visitors to focus on the sky. A biblical climbing fig vine will soften the structure of the above deck.

Beyond the labyrinth, one will walk the trail through the existing wooded area to the final destination, which will be the Memorial Garden. The Memorial Garden will consist of memorial plaques set in a grid, as well as fig trees set in a grid. The trail will loop around the memorial garden so that the trail has no end. Irises (Iris chrysographes 'Pacific Coast Hybs") will border the Memorial Garden, a soft border with biblical symbolism.

To make this site unique, all plants that are proposed on this site have biblical significance. All materials used to create this sacred outdoor space will be made of natural materials. This is important because there is a special sacredness to being one with nature. Using all natural materials on site is representative of being one with nature.

The plant material except for the labyrinth is low maintenance, and grows well in this area. There may be a volunteer group who would keep up the pruning of the labyrinth. The trail needs little care, as well as the deck. The garden is an extremely sustainable garden, due to the use of natural materials.
The plant materials consist of large trees such as Cedar of Lebanon, an evergreen that provides screening to the parking lot from the gardens all year around. Smaller trees such as Fig Trees, which provide a great texture and an amazing fruit to the garden, and Tree Boxwoods, a tall slender forming tree to act as the walls of the labyrinth are proposed throughout the gardens. Again, all of these plants are biblical symbols. There are numerous herbaceous plants such as Rosemary, Mint, Chamomile, Thyme, Sage, and Lavender in the healing garden. Irises will line the Memorial Garden, and the ground cover, periwinkle, and other clusters of biblical flowers will grow in the educational garden.

Seeds and small plants may be used to cut down on the cost of the starting garden. They will eventually grow into a lush sacred garden for the soul.
The journey through the many outdoor rooms creates a spiritual world for all members of Mt. Zion United Methodist. The design creates a chance to be one with nature and feel a great spirituality in many different ways, whether it is an educational experience, a remembrance, or a sacred walk for the soul.