MEMORIAL GARDEN 5 March 2002

Behind a beautiful old church full of history and life is the site of our class project, a memorial/meditation/prayer garden. Mt. Zion United Methodist Church has served the small town of Central, South Carolina for several generations. The community built the granite sanctuary and wood-construction office space, and it currently houses a congregation of roughly 200 members, primarily adults. The church wishes to enhance their current property by adding a garden where people might go to pray, reflect, and remember past loved ones, and also provide a place to possibly spread ashes. This plan will be implemented in the field/woods area behind the church, with visibility from the road, parking area, and the proposed addition to the back of the sanctuary.

The property behind the church includes space where the new addition is proposed, and one aisle of parking. There is currently a small baseball diamond in the northwest end of the site, and a dense woods area in the southern corner. The most predominant landscape feature of the property, aside from the expanse of grass stretching from the ball field to the woods, is a grand Southern Red Oak. This tree is on the near edge of the woods, and is quite old. Other trees comprising the natural woods are Eastern Red Cedar, Water Oak, Winged Elm, Sugar Maple, Poplar, Pecan Tree, and Boxed Elder. The understory includes Blackberry, Wild Rose, and several invasive exotics. These are: Eleagnus, Privet, Honeysuckle, Smilax, and English Ivy.

The focus of the project was on the land behind the church, concentrating on the woods area. A complete demolition of these woods is recommended, eliminating the problems of an old and unsafe oak tree, as well as the continuing growth of the invasive species. The life span of the memorial garden will far outrun the life cycle of the Southern Red Oak and the baseball field (already replaced by a newer field at a different location). A proposed wildflower meadow will revitalize the northwestern area of the property, contributing to the aesthetics of the site and possibly creating a new ecosystem in the wildflower meadow.

In the woods area, a memorial stone wall will take an organic shape to mimic the natural feel of the site, and flow freely along the contour of the topography. This wall will be a retaining wall, and as the grade falls to the western boundary the wall will be more freestanding. The stone will reflect the architecture of the church buildings, and its terminal points will be accented by a spiral detail. The entrance to the area beyond the wall is marked by a ground surface of scattered stones tapering off into the turf space, and two Chinese Elms situated on either side in the planting beds. To accent the wall a row of Eastern Redbuds will follow the curve that are underplanted with Periwinkle, a traditional cemetery plant. To enhance the area, planting beds will contain a variety of colors and textures. Kerria, Indian Hawthorne, Miscanthus, Iris, Salvia, and Sedum will attract the eye and lead the visitor into the garden. In two locations along the wall a seating-wall is provided, separated from the wall by a raised planting bed. The bed will have Lenten Rose, and the seating provides an opportunity for any size group of people or individual to come and use the garden. A strip of perennials at the base of the interior of the wall includes Black-Eyed Susans to create seasonal interest and color from early spring until fall.

An opportunity for statuary or a fountain is located at the center of the circle defined by the seating wall at the end of the garden. The piece could possibly be given in honor of a deceased member of the church. Evergreen Daylilies will surround it to add color and interest. A focal piece of artwork such as this will be successful because the church has shown an appreciation for artwork previously. There are beautiful Italian-stained-glass windows throughout the sanctuary, prize pieces for the congregation. Artwork in the garden may therefore provide another link between the indoors and the landscape.

The garden area is enclosed on all sides except that facing the original woods area. Because of the demolition of those woods, this space will be built back with Sycamore, Flowering Dogwoods, Foster Hollies, Tea Plants, and American Beautyberry. These plants will create an informal yet solid screen. They also recreate some of the native and familiar plants of the upstate area. The groundcover will be natural leaf litter, contributing to the sustainability and convenience of the site.

Plant choices include native plants: Eastern Redbud, Sycamore, Beautyberry, and Black-Eyed Susan. Some plants were picked because they also have Biblical references, an added interest for the members of the church. These are: Sycamore, Salvia. The slope of the land is gentle enough to create accessibility for anyone wishing to visit the site, including the physically handicapped. Other interest in the garden may be in someday placing memorial plaques on the wall if the congregation wishes to do so.

The design presented here gives the church an intimate yet public space to meditate in. Integration of existing and new design principles creates a new and unique space but will compliment the church through subtle planting design and matching architectural details. The site is sustainable through its plant selection and ground surface choices, low-maintenance quality, and enhancement of the natural ecosystem. As the phases of the garden construction come together, so the church will enjoy this garden for the next several generations to come.