Gardens have been designed and designs are getting ready to bid.
The exciting expansion of Pedro Park at 10th Robert Street downtown has taken another step forward. Our partners at Aune Fernandez Landscape Design have completed the planting palette for the garden beds and the overall designs are almost ready to be put out for bid. The garden designs are particularly important to the 30 or so volunteer gardeners who have made the “Urban Flower Field” phase of the parks’ development such a success over the years. With continued volunteer participation, the garden beds at Pedro can be more interesting and ambitious than City-only maintenance can support.
The design responds to the site’s recent history as an art installation garden and the benefactor, Carl Pedro’s love of gardens. The goal is to create a singular garden space with dynamic plantings that offer visual interest throughout the seasons. The design supports pollinators and birds through a curated plant palette featuring food and habitat plant species.
The final design is also inspired by three successful public garden models at Highline Park (New York City), the Oudolf Garden (Detroit), and the Louis Sullivan Arch Garden (Chicago). Long garden beds will feature plants like Virginia Bluebells, Prairie Blue Eyed Grass, Bevan’s Variety Geranium , Kobold Blazingstar, Hula Dancer Coneflower, Montrose White Calamint, Little Spire Russian Sage, May Night Salvia, Blaze Little Bluestem And Oak Sedge, Prairie Dropseed, Butterscotch Bluestar, Tom Thumb Cottoneaster, Grey Owl Juniper, Celtic Pride False Cypress, and Blue Mist Witchalder.
There will also be four key areas for annual planting by volunteers and surrounding businesses. Construction is scheduled to being in Spring 2024 with completion and garden planting in Spring 2025,
Make your gift to complete Pedro Park today!
Images courtesy of Aune Fernandez Landscape Architects.