2007

The origins of the concept of a veteran’s garden began as an idea of Lynn Kiley and Mary Northcutt which dates to 2007. During the planting of their respective trial garden plots at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial, they noted the deplorable condition of the hillside garden. Suddenly, Lynn who was facing the hill jumped up and said, “This should be a Veterans Garden”. Mary Northcutt (then president of the Grosse Pointe Garden Center) asked what she had in mind. The two ladies began discussions with the Grosse Pointe War Memorial (GPWM) board and Dr. Weber (then president of the GPWM Association) during the summer of 2007.

Mary Northcutt said that Lynn Kiley was the driving force behind the project. Lynn had done extensive research and ideas were presented, discussed and several designs were drafted. Many hours of research with landscapers and meetings took place until 2009 when an artist’s rendering of the plan was created, including a pondless water feature, low maintenance plantings of shrubs and trees that fit a patriotic theme, lighting, and irrigation.

Unfortunately, both ladies received a diagnosis of cancer at about the same time and plans came to a halt. Both made contributions to the project. (Lynn Kiley $1,000 and Mary Northcutt $5,000)

2009-2010

Meanwhile, the hillside garden continued to decline, and invasive weeds and grasses took over. In August of 2009, Shirley Martin (Grosse Pointe Garden Center Board Member) issued an ‘SOS’ to area Master Gardeners. Two Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) Advanced Master Gardeners answered the call. Debbie Graffius and Alaine Bush began removing invasive weeds and grasses, clearing impassable paths and planting sun-loving, drought-tolerant perennials, chosen for their leaf texture, bloom time and bloom color as well as their use as a food source for birds, bees and butterflies.

2011

In January 2011, a Veterans Garden Committee was established under the direction of Dr. Weber and his assistant Teri Carrol. Marieke Allen was asked to chair the committee. Original members were: Shirley Hartert, Robin Heller, Mildred Hurley, Dolores Serra, and Marion Vesely. The first meeting occurred on October 26, 2011. No official minutes were taken.

2012

In January 2012, committee meetings began with formal minutes. Committee members included; Marieke Allen (Chair), Marion Vesely (Vice-Chair), Sarah Flynn (Treasurer), Alaine Bush, Adrienne Gregory, Debbie Graffius, Shirley Hartert, Colleen Kelley, and Dolores Serra. Work began to create an official Veterans Garden brochure. Alaine Bush suggested selling personalized brick pavers as a means of fundraising.

During the spring of 2012, Phase I of the garden renovation began. The stump from the old Elm was ground out. Treacherous steps of a stacked stone wall were removed, and the stones were used to restore the integrity of the upper garden retaining wall. Unstable steppingstones throughout the garden were replaced with two slag-based paver paths. Those stones were then used to build pads for two new benches. Over 500 spring-blooming flower bulbs were also added.

In June of 2012, Dr. Weber and staff hosted an appreciation dinner for the Veterans Garden committee, Lynn Kiley and Mary Northcutt in the dining room of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. Pewabic tiles were presented to Alaine Bush and Debbie Graffius for all the work they had done voluntarily to restore and develop the Veterans Garden. Pewabic tiles were also presented to Lynn Kiley, Mildred Hurley, and Marieke Allen for their contributions to the restoration of the garden. It was a lovely evening that demonstrated the renewed spirit of cooperation between the War Memorial and the Grosse Pointe Garden Center.

The Veterans path was installed, and paver sales began. A donation of $250.00 per personalized, commemorative, brick paver was suggested by the GPWM. In June 2012, the first pavers were sold. By the end of 2012, 37 brick pavers had been sold.

During the Veterans Day Festivities, on November 11, 2012, the Veterans Garden was officially dedicated. Later that year, Dr. Weber retired, and his staff departed.

2013

2013 Veterans Garden committee members included; Marieke Allen (Chair), Marion Vesely (Vice-Chair and Secretary), Sarah Flynn (Treasurer), Ginny Brown (Publicity), Alaine Bush (Advanced Master Gardener/project manager), Adrienne Gregory (Technical support/graphic arts), Shirley Hartert (Archives, Grants), Dolores Serra (Archives, Fundraising), and Jean Azar (Ex-Officio).

The garden continued to flourish. Lively discussions about the future of the Veterans Garden including the installation of a water feature, statuary and signage ensued. The current GPWM directors decided that a water feature was no longer feasible due to liability issues. A DAR Grant sub-committee (grant writers: Alaine Bush, Adrienne Gregory, and Shirley Hartert) submitted a $3,000 matching funds grant proposal to the National Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for Phase II renovations to the garden. Unfortunately, the grant was not awarded to the Veterans Garden.

The 2nd annual Veterans Day Tea, held on November 10, 2013, was a huge success, with guest speaker Lt Col John “Greg” Corbett and music provided by The Grunyons.

Brick paver sales continued throughout the year. By the end of 2013, 55 pavers (total since 2012) had been sold. The 2007-2013 Veterans Garden history document was created from notes by Shirley Hartert, Delores Serra, Ruth Ellen Mayhall and minutes of committee meetings. The final draft was completed by Alaine Bush, January 2014.

2014 

2014 Veterans Garden committee members were; Marieke Allen (Chair), Marion Vesely (Vice-Chair and Secretary), Sarah Flynn (Treasurer), Ginny Brown (Publicity), Alaine Bush (Advanced Master Gardener/project manager and Archives), Adrienne Gregory (Technical support/graphic arts), and Jean Azar (Ex-Officio).

In May 2014, Phase II of the Veterans Garden renovation began with pruning and tree/shrub removal in the upper left corner of the garden. The existing sprinkler system for the garden consisted of two sprinkler heads, one of which did not work. Repair required tunneling under walls and walkways. Additional sprinkler heads were added to provide more efficient use of water and to irrigate the garden more effectively.

New plant material was installed in the upper left corner of the garden in the fall of 2014. Spring flowering bulbs were added to the newly renovated upper corner and along the upper level of the garden. This brought the total for bulbs planted in the garden since 2009 to over 600.

One of the retaining walls for the tiered garden was in need of repair, as blocks frequently fell off into the garden and onto the walking paths. Stabilizing this wall required removing the existing structure, adding a new slag-based foundation, and resetting the wall. This project was completed in October.

The 3rd annual Veterans Day Tea held on November 11, 2014, was a great success. A string quintet played background music as guests enjoyed light refreshments. Certificates were awarded to the new paver and monetary donors. Guest Speaker Dr. Larry Stephensen spoke about the military service history of the Alger family. The evening ended with a wonderful rendition of patriotic songs performed by Maire 4th and 5th grade Girl Scout Troop 78206.

By the end of 2014, a total of 72 brick pavers had been purchased and installed in the Veterans path.

2015 

2015 Veterans Garden committee members were; Marieke Allen (Chair), Marion Vesely (Vice-Chair and Secretary), Sarah Flynn (Treasurer), Ginny Brown (Publicity), Alaine Bush (Advanced Master Gardener/project manager and Archives), Adrienne Gregory (Technical support/graphic arts), Joan Gossman and Jean Azar (Ex-Officio).

Many personnel changes occurred at the War Memorial at the end of 2014 and early 2015. The Veterans Garden committee worked diligently with War Memorial staff and outsourced maintenance companies to assure the continued success of the garden.

Veterans Garden Committee meetings focused primarily on fundraising for future projects and maintenance.

2015 garden improvements included: pruning of the large Juniper at the top of the hill and repair of crumbling steps at the bottom tier of the garden. A safety handrail was added.

The garden continued to flourish, maturing perennials exhibited lush foliage and bountiful blooms. Maintenance consisted of weekly to bi-weekly weeding and deadheading. Occasionally new perennials were added, ever mindful of our pollinators. Additional spring-flowering bulbs were added, bringing the new total to over 1140 since 2009.

In October, The Veterans Garden received a “Michigan Award” for beautification, from Keep Michigan Beautiful, Inc, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.

By the end of 2015, 85 brick pavers had been installed in the Veterans Path

2016 

2016 Veterans Garden committee members were; Marieke Allen (Chair), Marion Vesely (Vice-Chair and Recording Secretary), Sarah Flynn (Treasurer), Ginny Brown (Publicity), Alaine Bush (Advanced Master Gardener/Archives), Adrienne Gregory (Secretary/Technical support), Joan Gossman (Fundraising), Jean Azar (GPWM Liaison), and Robin Heller (Ex-Officio).

In May, the Veterans Garden Committee spearheaded the replacement of the existing arbors adjacent to the trial gardens with 2 new “Royal Garden” wrought iron arbors.

2016 garden improvements included repair of another section of the peony bed retaining wall and pruning and injecting the large Magnolia tree at the bottom of the Veterans Garden.

Since the creation of the Veterans Garden Committee in 2012, over $20,000 had been spent on garden upgrades and repairs. All maintenance work in the garden continued to be on a volunteer basis. While paver sales and donations were sufficient to fund these projects, the committee was looking for more financial footing for the future. To that end, the Veterans Garden Committee began planning a major fundraising event. The Grosse Pointe Garden Center, the Veterans Garden sponsor, hosted Celebration 365, an event held at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial on October 20, 2016. The Veterans Garden received 1/3 of the profits, $6,647.00.

By the end of 2016, a total of 107 personalized brick pavers had been sold.

2017 

2017 Veterans Garden Committee members were; Marieke Allen (Chair), Marion Vesely (Vice-Chair and Recording Secretary), Sarah Flynn (Treasurer), Ginny Brown (Publicity), Alaine Bush (Advanced Master Gardener/Archives), Adrienne Gregory (Secretary/Technical support), Joan Gossman (Fundraising), Jean Azar (GPWM Liaison), and Robin Heller (Ex-Officio).

The garden continued to flourish throughout 2017. The Committee, under the direction of Advanced Master Gardener, Alaine Bush, designated a formal Garden Work Day Schedule for larger maintenance projects on the last Monday of each month from March through October. Alaine maintained a weekly schedule for regular maintenance. Issues with Opossums inhabiting the garden were remedied with live bait traps; 3 opossums were re-located away from War Memorial property.

Teak benches were refinished over the 2016-2017 winter months. The Veterans Path was widened in October to provide more availability of pavers as well as to improve the width/space for walking. 122 total pavers had been sold and installed since 2012.

The committee decided to invest 10,000 in a Merrill Lynch fund.

The 5th Anniversary Celebration was the highlight of the year. Approximately 60 veterans, donors, and people significantly involved with the renovation of the garden since 2007 attended the patriotic event on November 12, 2017. At the end of the evening, Marieke Allen, chairwoman since 2011, turned over the gavel to Joan Gossman.

92 volunteer hours were spent in the garden in 2017, bringing the total since 2009 to 822.

2018 

2018 Veterans Garden Committee members were; Joan Gossman (Chair), Marieke Allen (Chair Emeritus), Marion Vesely (Vice-Chair and Recording Secretary), Sarah Flynn (Treasurer), Ginny Brown (Publicity), Alaine Bush (Advanced Master Gardener/Archives), Adrienne Gregory (Secretary/Technical support), Jean Azar (GPWM Liaison), and Robin Heller (Ex-Officio).

The Committee continued to have a Veterans Garden Work Day for larger maintenance projects on the last Monday of each month from March through October. Advanced Master Gardener Alaine Bush, maintained a weekly schedule for regular maintenance.

In September, the Veterans Garden and the Trial Gardens were toured by the MSUE Master Gardener College attendees, a recognition of the importance of these gardens by the governing body of Master Gardeners in Michigan.

An application was submitted and accepted to have the Veterans Garden designated as a Monarch Waystation. The garden met the required criteria including; minimum size, full sun exposure, optimum drainage, and soil type, shelter for all life stages, multiple species of nectar and larval host plants, three-season plants to sustain pollinators from the breeding season through migration in the fall, and a sustainable management plan. The Veterans Garden is now included in the Monarch Waystation Registry, an online listing of Monarch Waystations worldwide, and received a certificate and weatherproof garden plaque.

The total number of personalized installed pavers installed in the Veterans Path grew to 133, since 2012.

Volunteer hours spent in the garden since 2009 exceeded 931.

2019 

2019 Veterans Garden Committee members were; Joan Gossman (Chair), Marieke Allen (Chair Emeritus), Marion Vesely (Vice-Chair and Recording Secretary), Sarah Flynn (Treasurer), Ginny Brown (Publicity), Alaine Bush (Advanced Master Gardener/Archives), Adrienne Gregory (Secretary/Technical support), Jean Azar (GPWM Liaison), and Robin Heller (Ex-Officio).

The Committee continued to have a Veterans Garden Work Day for larger maintenance projects on the last Monday of each month from March through October. Advanced Master Gardener Alaine Bush, maintained a weekly schedule for regular maintenance. As a continued function of our Monarch Waystation certification, several Monarchs were raised and released in the garden. The VG committee spearheaded the establishment of a Grosse Pointe Garden Center Pollinator Garden adjacent to the Trial Gardens and continued to provide maintenance for the arbor gardens that surround the Trial Gardens.

Committee members attended both the Memorial Day services and the Veterans Day breakfast. 

During the hot dry summer, it was discovered that the sprinkler system in the garden was not working, with a bubbling sound coming from beneath the concrete steps leading down the hill. Since hardscape repairs fell under the WM responsibility, repairs were postponed until spring 2020. Hoses and sprinkler heads on timers were temporarily added in the garden. Unfortunately, these did not reach all areas of the garden and weekly watering by volunteers was needed.

The total number of personalized installed pavers installed in the Veterans Path grew to 139, since 2012.

Volunteer hours spent in the garden since 2009 exceeded 1028, having added over 97 volunteer hours in 2019.

2014 – 2019 Archival notes compiled by Alaine Bush

2020

2020 was a most unusual year. The Coronavirus (COVID – 19) pandemic shut down schools, sports, businesses, and many other activities. In March, the Governor of Michigan ordered a statewide lockdown of all non-essential services. This lockdown order lasted until 4-13-20. Subsequent lockdowns were extended to; May 1, May 15, and May 28. Beginning in June, restrictions were very gradually lifted.

The War Memorial closed campus, following the governor’s restrictions. We were unable to maintain or even visit the Veterans Garden. Veterans Garden Committee meetings were also canceled, to comply with social distancing requirements. 

Although the garden was still closed to the public, a skeleton crew, practicing social distancing, was allowed to begin the season’s maintenance on June 1, 2020. The sprinkler system, broken since early spring 2019, had not been repaired and hand watering became a requirement. All in all, the garden looked great; a testament to the wisdom of designing drought-resistant, perennial beds and using native plants. The sprinkler system was finally repaired on July 6.

Our first Veterans Garden Committee meeting of the year was held outside on August 6, 2020, at Chairwoman Joan Gossman’s home, with 6 feet social distancing practiced. A Veterans Garden update letter was approved and sent to our donor family.

The War Memorial remained closed to the public throughout 2020. Despite pandemic restrictions, the Veterans Garden Committee, along with a few other dedicated volunteers, logged 85 hours in the garden in 2020. These hours included time spent in the Arbor Gardens that surround the Trial Gardens. The Arbor Gardens have been tended to, since 2010, by the Veterans Garden volunteers. The Pollinator Garden, spearheaded by the VG committee in 2019, underwent a renovation. Since 2009, 1,113 hours have been donated to garden maintenance.

Due to the yearlong closure of the War Memorial to the public, no personalized brick pavers were added to the Veterans Path. 139 pavers are installed.

2021

The 2021 Veterans Garden Committee members were; Joan Gossman (Chair), Marieke Allen (Chair Emeritus), Alaine Bush (Advanced Master Gardener/Archives), Adrienne Gregory (Recording Secretary), Sarah Flynn (Treasurer), Ginny Brown (Publicity), Jean Azar (Fundraising), and Marion Vesely (Member Emeritus). 

The COVID 19 pandemic of 2019-2020 continued to be a factor in 2021. At the beginning of the year, the War Memorial remained closed to the public, as it had been throughout 2020. By late May, the WM opened the gardens to the public. Numerous comments and emails praised the beauty of the gardens.

The sprinkler system, broken since early spring 2019, and repaired in July of 2020, was again not functioning. Major construction at the War Memorial had resulted in the old system and pump having major issues. The VG committee set up a temporary system with a hose and a large rotating sprinkler head. A battery-operated timer was purchased and set to run every 3 days. It was still necessary to hand-water the perennial beds (the VG volunteers have taken care of these beds since 2010) that surrounded the Trial Gardens. There were not enough faucets to set up a system in these beds because the Trial Gardens volunteers needed those outlets. The WM staff also used these faucets to water the back lawn. All in all, the gardens looked great; a testament to the wisdom of designing drought-resistant, perennial beds and using native plants. Four yards of mulch were applied to the VG and arbor gardens in May, which tremendously helped with moisture retention. On July 1, it was reported that the sprinkler system had been repaired and was up and running.

The magnolia tree located in the lowest level of the garden had been declining for years. It was taken down in October. Repair pruning and re-shaping of the hydrangeas at its feet was necessary. Hostas were relocated to shady areas of the gardens. Peonies were divided and used to refill the bed.

As the COVID 19 pandemic was still an integral part of life, fundraising and the sale of personalized brick pavers were not pursued. Veterans Garden meetings were held via Zoom. Alaine visited the garden for maintenance on a weekly basis and held monthly volunteer workdays for larger projects. Volunteers spent 156.25 hours in the gardens in 2021 bringing the total hours spent since 2009 to 1269.25. 

2014 – 2021 Archival notes compiled by Alaine Bush