WALKING TOUR OF THE GARDEN

WALKING TOUR OF THE GARDEN

In 1993 the Master Gardeners of Daviess County dreamed of creating a botanical garden as a community service project. Pursuing this dream Susie and Bill Tyler donated 8.3 acres of land to the City of Owensboro for the express purpose of developing this garden. A few years later another 1.22 acres was purchased by the Garden to make a private entrance to the Garden from Carter Road.

The first step was to change the topography of the 8.3 acres. Fill was added and drainage tile laid. A gravel road was put in and later an irrigation system and electricity were installed.

1. WATKINS MEMORIAL ALLEE: As you come from the parking lot near the silos, you will be entering the Garden through the Watkins Memorial Alee which was donated by the Fleur de Lis Garden Club in honor of Leroy Watkins, a local nurseryman.

2. WELCOME CENTER: The house was donated by Allison and Artis Truett and moved to the Garden in 2002. The black iron railing bordering the patio dates to about 1860. At one time it was used to enclose the Daviess County Courthouse. The fence was repaired and installed around the patio in 2003 by Sherman Brunner, a local artisan. The Welcome Center contains a horticultural library and administration offices. Upon approval the Welcome Center and other areas of the Garden may be rented for private dinners, luncheons, weddings, meetings and other events. Please contact the Director for more information.

3. ROSE GARDEN: Several nationally known rose growers and nurseries donated over 120 roses to begin the garden in 1998. There are now over 250 roses in this garden. They consist of miniatures, floribundas, climbers, hybrid teas, David Austin English and old fashioned roses. The David Austin English roses combine the hardiness and disease resistance of old-fashioned roses with the repeat blooming and double flowers of modern tea roses and floribundas. Each of the rose varieties blooms at different times and require different pruning and insect and disease prevention.

The six-foot tall fence surrounding the garden is patterned after the fence in the rose garden at the Missouri Botanical Garden and was made by Barbara and Wayne Russ. The entrance arch was also designed and made by the Russ’ as a memorial to Nancy Murphy. The trees at each corner of the Rose Garden are Little Girl magnolias.

4. MARY TAKAHASHI MEMORIAL GARDEN: This garden is a memorial to Mary Takahashi who was a well known Ikebana flower designer and author. It was completely financed by donations from her many students throughout the country and by local organizations. Traditional Japanese Gardens use much symbolism and Japanese culture requires the garden not be entered but be viewed as an entity from outside the fence. This garden was designed and installed by Masahi Oshita, a Japanese Master Gardener.

The garden is arranged with a Japanese stone lantern as the principal element in the center. From the frontal view there is a Master Rock as a Guardian Rock on the left, flanked by supporting rocks. Another rock grouping on the right-hand side of the garden provides a balanced composition.

A traditional Yotsume-Gaki Japanese garden lattice fence frames the garden and evergreen holly trees in the background create an enclosed small world. The Master Rock and surrounding plants represent the scene of a profound mountain with shoals of river stones leading into a sea of pea gravel. This miniature landscape represents nature as a whole. The center is open, and the stone lantern placed near the back of the garden guides us like a lighthouse into this peaceful land.

This garden reminds us of Mary Takahashi who loved flowers. A variety of carefully selected plants and trees, the addition of the stone lantern and aspidistras “cast iron” plants, which symbolize Ikebana, ensure visitors enjoyment of nature in the Mary Takahashi Memorial Garden through all seasons of the year.

5. CHILDREN’S GARDEN: This garden will have many smaller gardens designed for children, each with its own theme. Presently some thematic gardens include a Butterfly garden, a Zoo garden, a Pizza garden and a maze of China Girl Hollies. Other gardens will be added in the future.

6. DAYLILY GARDEN: This garden was established in 1998 with plant donations. There are approximately 350 different cultivars in this garden. Peak bloom season is mid June - mid July, but some varieties will re-bloom until frost. The WKBG plans this garden to become a Display Garden for the American Hemerocalis Society. This garden provides many of the plants for the annual Daylily sale.

7. IRIS GARDEN: Many plants in this garden were donated by the local Iris Society. They include bearded, Siberian, Japanese, Louisiana and dwarf irises. Most irises bloom in the spring though some bloom later and some re-bloom in the fall. The picket fence behind the Iris and Daylily gardens was constructed and installed by Dick Temple.

8. HISTORIC DOCTOR’S BUILDING: This building was built in Curdsville in western Daviess County, Kentucky, in the 1890's and was moved to the WKBG in May, 2005. The building was first owned by Dr. H.H. McCain who practiced medicine there until 1904. At that time Dr. W.L. Tyler (grandfather of Doctors Bill and Terry Tyler) purchased the building. He practiced medicine there until the 1920's. The preservation of the building is important because it represents the era when herbal medicine was actively practiced in Daviess County. It is located near the Herb Garden so you can see some of the plants used medicinally at that time. The building will be developed into a museum showing how herbs were used to treat disease in the early 1900's in Daviess County.

9. FRUIT AND BERRY GARDEN: This garden, located behind the Doctor’s Building, was planted in 1994 and was the first garden to be planted. It includes Saturn peach (also called donut peach), Asian and American pears, various apples, apricot, cherry and crab apple trees as well as raspberries and blackberries.

10. GAZEBO: The lovely Vora Gazebo is dedicated to the memory of Rashmi Vora. It was designed by Bob Remark. The iron work with its East Indian motif was designed by Rita Jacobs, a local landscape architect, and created by Sherman Brunner. The Gazebo is available for rent for parties, weddings and other functions. The nearby elm trees were donated by Ammon’s Nursery in Burlington, KY, as part of a project to re-establish elm trees resistant to Dutch Elm disease.

11. HERB GARDEN: This garden was started in 1997. The design is based on the Herb Garden in the Cleveland Botanical Garden and contains many theme areas: medicinal, tea, culinary, fragrant, dye, a Peony walk and a Knot Garden. The Knot Garden is of early French design and is created of purple barberry, boxwood, germander and santolina. The original plants for the Knot Garden were donated by the Owensboro Herb Society.

Two areas are designated as trial Gardens. These will be used to see how well various plants will grow in this climate. The perimeter border contains Yews, Canadian hemlocks, Foster hollies, Northern Bayberry and boxwood. The fence is of English design and was constructed by Wayne Russ out of cedar which was once used as a medicinal herb. The armillary sundial was donated by the Fleur de Lis Garden Club.

12. ERICACEOUS GARDEN: This garden is located on the north side of WKBG. An Ericaceous garden is a garden for plants such as azaleas and rhododendrons that prefer soil having a higher than average acid content. The soil is being amended and trees are planted now to create shade and proper growing conditions for these plants. Initial funds to develop this garden were given by Chris Luettgen in memory of his parents who were rhododendron enthusiasts in Pennsylvania.

13. The wonderful rocks near the pond are sandstone and came from Henderson County and the Bon Harbor Hills area. They will eventually be placed in a more appropriate landscape design. The pond is filled with life including turtles, frogs, and snakes as well as algae and cattails.

14. ORNAMENTAL GRASS GARDEN: There are over 10 different varieties ranging in size from 2 feet to 15 feet. Some are native to Kentucky and all are perennials. They are cut down to the ground in early spring and will grow to their full height during the summer.

SEASONAL GARDENS: Various gardens are planted with annuals which are changed seasonally.

HISTORICAL TREES: There are historical trees in various locations in the Garden. These include the Elm trees, Colonel Sanders Ash, Kremlin Ash, Johnny Appleseed Apple, Ming Dynasty Cypress, Isaac Newton Apple, and Casey Jones Willow Oak.

MEMORIALS: Memorials are present throughout the Garden. They are available as gardens and as items such as trees and benches. Please contact the Director if you wish to give a memorial.

ADOPT-A-SPOT: There are many spots that are available for adoption. Please ask the Director for more details.

WILDLIFE: The Garden has quite a bit of wildlife. We have a fox, a ground hog, rabbits, a nesting killdeer, mocking birds, robins and many others.

FUTURE GARDENS: Some gardens planned for the future include a garden for the developmentally disabled, an English Cottage Garden, a Native plant garden, a Shade garden and a Pinetum. Please contact the Director if you have a special interest in one of these gardens.

VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers are the backbone of the Garden. Volunteer days are the 1^st Saturday and 3^rd Wednesday of the month, April through September. Contact the Director for more information and to sign up.

YOUR DONATIONS HELP MAKE THE GARDEN GROW

PLEASE NOTE:

With the donation of the $50,000 any one of the flower gardens will be named for the donor.

With the donation of $300,000 the Welcome Center will be named for the donor.

Yes, I want to grow with the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden!

Name:__________________________________ Date:_______________

Address:________________________________ Membership Categories

City: __________________________Zip______ Violet $25 Rose $500

e-mail__________________________________ Iris $50 Patron $1,000

Telephone: (________ )____________________ Daylily $100 Other$_____

Enclosed is my tax deductible contribution of $___________

Please mail check to:

Western Kentucky Botanical Garden

P.O. Box 22562

Owensboro, KY 42304-22562

Phone: (270)852-8925