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Meridian Gardens
The Meridian Garden Club has designed and maintains several gardens in Meridian Township. These include the gardens in the Meridian Historic Village, a Blue Star Memorial garden, the Twohy memorial garden, the garden at the township administration building, and the Okemos Post Office garden. Each garden has a team of volunteers who weed, plant, mulch, deadhead, and otherwise assure it presents its best face to the visiting public. Club fundraising helps to fund improvements in the gardens, such as the drip irrigation system installed in the Meridian Historic Village gardens in 2012 and 2013.
Administration (1972), Eagle (1972) and Blue Star (2008) Gardens
These gardens are located near the entrance of the Meridian Township Municipal Building. They are primarily shade gardens that include spring bulbs, grasses and a variety of Perennials. The Blue Star Garden is dedicated to men and women who serve or have served our country in the military. We hope to make it a welcoming site for all who enter the township buildings. Coordinator: Melody Potter Helpers: Anne Davich, Sheila Flynn, Jean Goetz, Sue Leahy, Tressa McAllister, Gail Meadows, Lorrie Schartow, Martha Shortlidge-White, Char Sulin |
Meridian Historic Village Gardens
The Backdoor Gardens (2009) include the vegetable, herb and fruit gardens behind the Grettenberger farm house, the outhouse garden, and the garden enclosed by the picket fence behind the red barn. The gardens are dedicated to horticultural education for all ages and the members who maintain it have developed a curriculum for Historic Village events that stresses a hands-on appreciation of vegetable gardening. Multiple Girl Scout troops in Meridian Township have assisted the backdoor gardeners with various tasks including updating the scarecrow, laying mulch, making root crop seed tape, decorating garden markers and rocks. Coordinator: Patty Cotter Helpers: Carole Armstrong, Cathy Claypool, Theresa Cooper, Elaine High, Colleen Hyslop, Sue Knapp, Simar Pawar, Kathy Stepanovich, Veneta Stoyanova, Joann Tuttle |
The Barnes House (1997) and Brick House (1988) Gardens contain primarily perennials and offer both sun and shade areas. The Brick House was originally constructed as a blacksmith shop and now serves as a General Store. The Barnes house is historically significant because it is the first frame house constructed in the Village of Okemos.
Coordinator: Brigitta Bruning Helpers: Peggy Bryson, LaNita Campbell, Sally Gray, Sue Kropschot, Miriam Minshall, Shirley Tsai, Sue Wittick |
The Chapel (2009) and Gazebo (1988) Gardens are primarily sunny spaces. The chapel is a replica of a nineteenth century New England style church with a belfry and steeple that originally was located in the village of Okemos. The gazebo is a lovely setting for photos. Coordinator: Sally Gray Helpers: Marcia Freridge, Rebecca Jones, Emma Reardon, Sharon Theroux |
The Grettenberger Farmhouse Garden (1986) is a rectangular flower garden complete with white fence. Visitors step back in time with the white fence and inviting brick path to the 1865 house. The yard is outlined with a purple lilac hedge and skirted with daffodils, shrubs and flowering perennials The “sitting rock” invites children of all ages to enjoy the garden.
Coordinators: Kris BeLonge and Kathy Koryba Helpers: Peggy Fankhauser, Sharron Frucci, Mary Lou Hatfield, Cindy Roach, Joyce Wang, Marna Wilson, Yin Zhang |
Twohy Memorial Pollinator Garden
Since 2013, the club has taken responsibility for replanting and maintaining this butterfly garden established in the Township in the mid-1970s to honor Claire Twohy, who played a pivotal role in the creation of Meridian Township’s park system as chairman of the Blue Ribbon Park and Recreation Taskforce. Today it's a cheerful space with comfortable benches situated to provide views of the lush perennials, colorful annuals, and butterfly puddling stones. The garden was re-dedicated by the township in July, 2014.
Coordinator: JoAnn Peterson Helpers: Mary Ballard, MaryAnne Martin, JoEllyn Roe, Katie Steinacker, Jan Swiss, Merry Warner |
Okemos Post Office Garden (2012)
The entrance to the post office looked neglected before a group of Meridian Garden Club members started a garden there in 2012. Many changes have taken place with beautiful flowers, trees, and shrubs greeting frequent customers. We enjoy the compliments on our work and the improved appearance. We're excited to work toward making the Okemos Post Office a bright spot in someone's day.
In August, 2021, this garden was awarded a Michigan Community Landscape Beautification Award by the Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association. Coordinator: Tressa McAllister Helpers: Kris Belonge, Brigitta Bruning, Kathy Koryba, Martha Shortlidge-White, Shirley Tsai, Sue Wittick |
Plant It Pink Garden (2016)
The Plant It Pink garden was created in 2016 as a place to honor breast cancer survivors and those who have succumbed. A path of commemorative bricks, a bench and a garden planted in pink provide a place to relax and enjoy the surrounding beauty. Proceeds from the continued sale of bricks fund maintenance of the garden. This garden is a National Garden Club First Place award winner. In May, 2019, the garden received the Michigan Community Landscape Beautification Award.
Coordinators: Madeline Masterson and Miriam Minshall Helpers: Carole Armstrong, Brigitta Bruning, Becky Cawood, Kathleen Denisi, Tressa McAllister, Sue Nieland, Merry Warner The garden was made possible by generous financial and in-kind support from the Capital Area Landscape and Nurseryman's Association (CALNA), Capital Region Community Foundation, H&H Mobil, Infinity Graphics, Okemos Meijer, Okemos Walmart, and Young Bros. & Daley. |