Visitors may enjoy a new public garden in Bay Village
By Thea Steinmetz
Insights
Published Sept. 10, 2008

Dee and Jack Ashby were the first one so greet me at the dedication ceremony of the new garden, sponsored by Rotary International, on the site of the Lake Erie Science and Nature Center. This facility, close to the shore of Lake Erie and nestled in the Metroparks in Bay Village, is visited by well over 100,000 people a year.

The Westlake-Bay Village Rotary International, founded in 1905, is a service organization, one of 56 in the district, dedicated to make life better for many. The group meets monthly at M Bistro in Westlake and its members span the years. Over the past 10 years, this organization has raised $250,000 to make use of in the service to others. The Abused Women’s Shelter in the Tremont area of Cleveland was a recent beneficiary of their efforts.

The idea for the Centennial Garden was first conceived in 2004. It was far from a simple road from the original idea to fruition of the project. A site  selection committee was formed and embarked on an arduous journey to find the perfect site for the garden. According to John England, one initial possible location investigated was at Crocker Park, but negotiations never got off the ground.

It was not until Debbie Sutherland, the mayor of Bay Village, entered the picture that a suitable site, with the proper requirements, was found. She was most supportive and suggested that the site selection committee get in touch with Larry Richardson, the director of the Lake Erie Science and Nature Center.  He believed that the addition of a child friendly garden was a good addition to the facility.

It took the cooperation of many of the members of Rotary International to work out all the details of this garden. Money was raised by donations through the Corley Foundation and fund raising activities.

A landscape architect, Jeff Campo and Cutting Edge Landscape Co. were engaged to design the space. As is the case with all public gardens, certain conditions have to be enforced. The space has to be safe for all visiting the site. Many children pass through and their needs have to be considered. The brick surface was placed over a base of cement, rather than the customary sand, so the bricks would not shift after heavy traffic and some elapsed time.

Everyone that comes to the institution passes the new garden. The design features  a wide brick entrance, drawing people in.  Four substantial barn foundation stones invite sitting on a circular brick pad. The plants featured presented a special challenge. After all, this area is part of the Metroparks system, which means critters galore that are always on the lookout for a feast of tender morsels. Astilbe and iris will bring color to this garden in the early part of the growing season. Hostas and ferns add perennial green growth. The spotted leaf of pulmonary adds interest. The small yew shrubs, neatly clipped,  add a permanent globe shape

The current president of Westlake-Bay Village Rotary International, Lynn Rasko, presided at the dedication of the group’s latest service project. The brass plaque at the entrance, with words by Jack and Dee Ashby, expresses the sentiment: “We dedicate this garden to the enjoyment of all who walk this way.”

The next time you find yourself  in the vicinity of Huntington Beach, be sure to visit this new garden.

The middle of September is the ideal time to slowly walk around your garden and review what was flourishing during the past growing season. During this evaluation, there are sure to be areas where you will want to do better next year. Don’t rely on your memory, get a pencil and paper.

Questions will come to the forefront, such as “did I have enough annual color to satisfy my wants?” Perhaps you feel that more perennials would cut down on the overall maintenance of your garden. In case you wish to plant more vegetables in the future, now is the time to plan for the space to be allotted. To this end, make sure there will be enough sun to make your veggies grow. Tomatoes and peppers need six hours of full sunshine and the other vegetables will only thrive under the same conditions.

Look upward at your trees and see if they need attention. Some dead branches can be quite heavy and cause bad problems during a strong November storm. Also, now is a perfect time to add some interesting new specimens to the overall charm of your landscape. It is always great fun to see an unknown or, at least a less familiar shrub or tree in a garden.

It is bulb buying time. I remind you yearly that in order to have spring color, these bulbs should go in the ground in October. I now mark my calendar when I want to schedule a bulb planting day. When it is on the calendar, I can’t claim that I forgot all about it.

When you start removing your annuals, please don’t relegate them to the landfill. Compost them and come spring you will be glad you did. For now, buy some mums and they will make you happy for the next few months.