Prayer Garden

 Grow flowers of gratitude in the soil of prayer.  

~Terri Guillemets

 I love 'before and after' pictures of gardens, so I am taking photographs of the Prayer Garden at our church as we revamp it. The Prayer Garden was created several years ago in remembrance of two beloved church members.  It was built originally as an eagle scout project by the talented son of a church member, and is now due for a face lift. For more information go to the Church's website ... click here and scroll down to 'Prayer Garden.' I recently spent a morning there as part of a work party. It was amazing how much work was accomplished by the group, weeding, composting, and planting. I can't wait until it is finished before posting pictures, so here are some images of the garden so far.

You enter the small, enclosed space through a new arbor that replaces an old rotted one. The focal point at the end of the stone path is a bell that I believe hung in the original bell tower.

The beautiful plant next to the bell is a bleeding heart, one of several that have graced the garden for some years.

Dicentra Bleeding Heart

The garden is shaded by a crabapple tree, looking amazing this springtime ...

Crabapple blossoms

Another tree that has been here for some years is a dogwood, pruned into the shape of a cross.

We envision several new plants for the garden, starting with a hydrangea and a clethra planted in memory of a former pastor and his wife.  It is said that plants sleep the first year, creep the second, and leap the third. These sleeping shrubs are looking strong and healthy for their first year.

Clethra alnifolia Summersweet

Hydrangea quercifolia Oakleaf hydrangea

The hydrangea is located in a shady corner behind the fence that hides the air conditioners.

Three handsome benches were also given a facelift and placed where they can provide rest to the visitor enjoying the serenity of the garden.

One of three benches in the Prayer Garden

The words that come to my mind when considering a prayer garden are 'peace', 'serenity', 'rest', 'solace'. To this end, we decided not to use any bright colors in the plantings. At the moment there are a lot of pinks, but we will also use mauves and whites. We planted blue and white phlox also.

 

Aquilega Canadensis Columbine

A honeysuckle vine is being trained to grow over the arbor.

Lonicera Honeysuckle

There is a lot to do before the project is finished, and I will post the progress. The rest of the church garden is a lovely foundation planting, and the church members maintain that area also. The irises are in bloom today. Although the church is only a few minutes from my house, they are blooming earlier than mine, as our home is at a slightly higher elevation.

When the new Prayer Garden is finished, it will be rededicated by our Pastor. Most of the credit for the revamp goes to my dear friend, and fellow master gardener, Julie, who is masterminding the project and has done much of the grunt work. Other church members come forward to help as needed. I am blessed to have such a wonderful church family, many of whom share my love of gardening.


Have a blessed week!
Pamela x

Rhododendron

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