Month: December 2017

We are overwhelmed with the support we have received from the community for our first garden.

To see a list of donors click here.

Our members have sponsored forty percent of the plants, trees and shrubs sponsored for this garden. You can donate in memory or honor of someone. Please consider sponsoring a plant, tree or shrub as your year-end gift. Planting will begin in the first quarter of 2018.

Renowned botanical garden consultant, Rick Daley, just completed his third visit with the Board of Directors. He met with citizens, members, neighbors and community leaders while in Montgomery.

“I am genuinely impressed with progress of the Garden, the leadership, and the City’s support. The
Garden can be a transformative institution for Montgomery and is laying a strong foundation to play a critical role as a cultural, educational, and scientific institution of the first order.” Rick Daley, founding partner, EMD Consulting.

The Board of Directors and Rick Daley toured the installation of the Montgomery Botanical Gardens. Board President, Heather Coleman Davis, stated Rick’s vast experience and knowledge of all aspects of creating and managing a botanical garden have been a tremendous help in honing our plan and helping us be efficient and prioritize our next steps.

Read more about Rick Daley here.

Our next step is to commission a Master Plan which will include plans for the design and type of gardens, traffic flow, infrastructure, and parking. If you would like to contribute or learn more about the Master Plan, please contact Jacque Foshee, Executive Director, at 334.462.0434.

The Montgomery Botanical Gardens at Oak Park is proud and honored to be a part of this recognition. Despite the rain and the cold weather, the board of directors for the Botanical Gardens was on hand to welcome the many members, donors and neighbors.

Everyone came to celebrate Oak Park and to hear from Mayor Strange, Dr. Laura Dorsey and Heather Davis. After recommitting to preserving Oak Park as a greenspace, Mayor Strange introduced Dr. Laura Dorsey, founder of Gardens for Peace. Dr. Dorsey described her first visit to Oak Park saying the structure and the plan was here.

She continued by saying “Today as Mayor Strange mentioned, the dynamics of resources that press in on these green spaces, I want to tip my hat to everyone here that is stepping forwarded to work together to create this space for individuals that want to sit and be quiet and for the communities that want to participate. I am here to
celebrate with you and acknowledge what you are doing and bless this because we need peace and to
reach out to one another around the world.”

She emphasized that gardens around the world are different and that their stories are different but all people love their land. She encouraged those present to honor the relationships we are creating and recognize the skills that go into this design, the horticulture, the resources and the partnerships we are forming. She stated “You are just beginning by joining hands with people in other communities around the world that are saying whatever the tensions are in our community we are here and we stand for a more peaceful world and doing what we can do
right here. I look forward to move in truth and hope.”

Dr. Dorsey with her founding members created Gardens for Peace to promote the concept of the garden as a place of peace and meditation, the organization makes a contribution to the general social welfare of all, and to the elimination for tensions, discrimination and prejudice, that are inconsistent with the peace symbolized by the garden.

Heather Davis wrapped up the event highlighting the progress in the first Phase of the Montgomery Botanical Gardens. The walkway and the irrigation will be completed this month. Planting will begin in a few weeks and continue into next year. There is still time to sponsor a plant, tree or shrub that is being planted in Phase 1.