Veterans, trial gardens celebrate combined 80 years of beautification at The War Memorial
Near the shores of Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Farms, you will notice a pair of gardens, each of which are commemorating anniversaries in 2022.
Nov. 11 will mark the 10th anniversary of the dedication of the Veterans Garden at The War Memorial (TWM.) This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the Trial Gardens. Both gardens are situated on the grounds of TWM.
Rescue efforts for what was then a neglected garden began in 2009 and to this day, the same dedicated group of volunteers from the Grosse Pointe Garden Center continue to maintain the Veterans Garden. The garden serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that veterans have made to preserve our freedom.
This Memorial Day, May 30, Veterans Garden volunteers will attend TWM’s service, providing light refreshments.
“We added plants that were important for the pollinators,” Alaine Bush, a master gardener for the Veterans Garden, said. “Pollinators weren’t a big focus in the world at that time and we paid attention to having things for the pollinators that bloomed from early spring to late fall.”
The Veterans Garden is maintained solely by volunteers who have given over 1,270 hours of their time since 2009.
This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the Trial Gardens at TWM.
The wheel-shaped design of the Trial Gardens was created by landscape architect Eleanor Roche as a test garden for flowers and bulbs. Nine perimeter and four inner plots emanate from an 18th century granite millstone from the former Windmill Pointe gristmill, donated by George Lauhoff.
“The anniversary shows that individuals and community members have an interest in growing different plants and what their imaginations are capable of,” Candy Sweeny, president of the Grosse Pointe Garden Center, said.
Each year, the Trial Gardens have a theme. In 2022, the theme is Milestone Celebrations. Sweeny said the Garden Center is also recognizing its 75th anniversary this year.
In describing the partnership between TWM and the Grosse Pointe Garden Center, Sweeny said it has been wonderful to have a garden site.
“It’s a beautiful place to be and it’s so inviting for people to be able to see something at The War Memorial grounds,” she said. “It gives you an idea of how some gardens used to be maintained.”
To learn more about the Grosse Pointe Garden Center, visit gpgardencenter.org.
Alex Szwarc
Manager of Communications and Advancement
313.881.7514
aszwarc@warmemorial.org