Memorial Garden

The site is irregular in shape and the layout of the garden conforms to the natural contours of the grove.  It is not a "formal" garden in the French manner, but a "natural" garden in a modified woodland setting that will fit well with the natural feeling of the grove.

Key to the garden is an easily accessible, easily traversed garden path.  It is capable of accomodating wheel chairs and walkers.  The main path is concrete with large stone pebbles incorporated into the surface  The garden is surrounded by an open, 2" high  sitting wall. Plantings are controlled by the memorial garden committee and will be woodland shade plants that are low to the ground, principally vinca minor, miniature sedum and Irish moss.  The sitting wall is a way to set the garden off from the adjacent activity area and can be used for all activities - to sit on one side in the garden, and to sit on the other side for activities (including eating at picnics, etc.)  "Something there is that doesn't love a wall" will not apply to this wall!   The use of a wall for this purpose will substitute for benches in the memorial garden.  The wall will have openings for ready access into the garden from several points.  It is not intended to serve as a seperator wall in the conventional sense but as a place to rest, and to delineate the garden.  The wall, about two feet high,  is built of flat Pennsylvania  and New York fieldstone.

Questions and Answers:

Who can be memorialized?
All current and past members and contibuting friends and their families or significant others.  In addition, others who wish to be included and are accepted by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees.

• Plaques:    Memorials will be bronze, 5 x 8" in size, with the names and dates in raised, cast letters.  They will be installed parallel with the ground (slightly tipped towards the path), raised 3" above the garden floor.  They are permanently attached to a 5" x 8" x 18" granite stone base which is deep enough to prevent frost heaving and heavy enough to resist removal.    All newly placed plaques will be identical in size and  will be randomly located by the family or friend of the deceased within viewing distance of the paths but no closer than 18" from the edge of the path.  Following the installation of the first plaque for a family, the society will make every effort to provide reasonable space around it for members of the same family.  There is no "ownership" associated with placing a memorial in the garden.
• Memorial book:  A large, permanent memorial book will be maintained by the memorial garden committee to provide a record of deceased members and friends. Space will be allocated for the inclusion of biographical and geneological information, prose, poetry, photos or other suitable data to commemorate the person may be included. The memorial committee will rely on individuals and families to gather and prepare information for the book.  Until such time as this is done, the committee will enter basic information which may be superceded by family material at any time.

What about ashes?
If the family (or friend) so wishes, ashes may either be scattered in the garden or buried under the memorial plaque.  It is not necessary to have ashes in order to establish a memorial plaque.  

What is the cost of a memorial?
The cost, as of 2009, is $900.

How about plantings?
The memorial garden committee will be responsible for choosing plantings.   In keeping with the naturalized setting, woodland plants will be used as well as naturalized spring bulbs and other appropriate plants.