Ready , Set , Grow !
Amy Ottaviani , Cindy Gilberti , Ellen Northy and Merrianne Cacali stand on the snowy site of the future garden .
PHOTO BY KATHY RUDOLPH
New garden in Robin Hill Park will feature annual and perennial flowers , trees , shrubs and more .
When you view the photos from the Nimick family in the historical archives at their former home ( now Robin Hill Center in Robin Hill Park , Moon Township ), you can ’ t help but notice a special photo of Mrs . Nimick . Taken on the grounds of her home and featuring her six children as well as other local kids she homeschooled , it illustrates her passion for children and nature .
In that same spirit , Marjorie ’ s Garden , the former herb garden at Robin Hill Park , is being recreated so that both children and adults can enjoy it .
“ One of the reasons we wanted to move the herb garden was because it was dangerous on the hill and hard to access with the uneven cobblestones ,” says Merrianne Cacali of Moon Garden Club .
The club had maintained Marjorie ’ s Garden , which was on a hillside to the south of Robin Hill Center , and will continue to do the same with the new garden , which
“ The new garden will be a very therapeutic setting — a place for senior center meetings , walks , yoga , or for graduation and holiday photos .” has not been named yet . Funded by donations from the community , the new garden is located on the north side of the center , which was the former site of the Nimick family tennis court .
The new garden ’ s design is being created by Cacali , fellow Garden Club member Ellen Northy , and Amy Ottaviani , who oversees Community Engagement and Partnerships for Moon Township . Students from the former ITT Technical Institute in Oakdale also assisted with ideas before the school closed last fall .
“ It ’ s been a joy collaborating with the students , the Garden Club and Moon Township Department of Public Works on this project ,” says Ottaviani .
One of the goals is to expand the new garden to include more than just herbs . Various themed gardens within the garden will feature annual and perennial flowers , trees , shrubs and more . The flat site of the new garden is also framed by a rolling green hillside and plush trees , and is ideal for ADA walkways with lighting for easy access .
“ The new garden will be a very therapeutic setting — a place for senior center meetings , walks , yoga , or for graduation and holiday photos ,” says Ottaviani . “ It also could contain art displays by Moon Area students , or other groups like West Hills Art League or the Piece and Quilt Club .” Last summer , four raised stone beds were added to each of the garden ’ s perimeters and a circle with raised stone beds was constructed in the center . Ideas for this center space include a possible fountain , benches , or a sculpture . A large pergola donated in honor of the late
By Kathy Rudolph
Mrs . Nimick homeschooled her six children and other kids in the area .
Patricia Stillwell , who was a Garden Club member , will also be installed . “ I have a background in special education , so I ’ m always thinking about the children I ’ ve worked with ,” says Cacali . “ It would be great to incorporate a feeling garden , a smelling garden — anything that we could get the entire community to use . We really want everyone to be able to come to the new garden and enjoy the wider walkways and seating put in strategic places so visitors can sit down if needed .”
The Garden Club is also planning to donate a garden shed . “ The shed will contain a nice porch with a garden area in front that can be used for community events such as free planting demonstrations ,” says Northy .
To honor Marjorie ’ s Garden , a sundial , various plants and some cobblestones there will be removed and incorporated into the new garden . A timeline rock explaining the history of the garden will also be on display . “ It will be nice for people to know there was an existing herb garden and the history behind it ,” says Ottaviani . “ We want to do this new garden justice . The herb garden has been important to so many people for so long and we want to be respectful of that .” Marjorie ’ s Garden was founded by the late Marjorie Rode around 1978 . Currently , ideas for the site include planting wildflowers and / or taking the area back to its natural vegetative state . The tentative date for the new garden ’ s grand opening is July . “ It ’ s a work in progress ,” says Northy . “ We decided a long time ago that we couldn ’ t do it all at once and sometimes that ’ s better . Now that the big parts are done , we can add to them .”
“ There is no way to ‘ build ’ a garden ,” says Cacali . “ A garden is an evolution . It is never finished . You look at other gardens and become inspired and get ideas and find new things to add to it all the time .”
The new garden would not have been possible without the hard work of volunteers .
“ Moon Township is committed to growing and nurturing its valuable resident volunteer community ,” says Ottaviani . “ We are passionate about engaging a responsible and dynamic volunteer team to provide stewardship for the Robin Hill Perpetual Garden . Engaging resident volunteers through stewardship is one of the best strategic tools to achieve our mission to preserve and develop an interactive garden historic landmark with substantial time and talent to preserve this special garden .”
For more information or to donate , visit moonparks . org . n
PHOTO BY KATHY RUDOLPH PHOTO COURTESY OF MOON TOWNSHIP
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