To see photos of the entire path reconstruction process and to learn more about the Memorial and Honorary Gardens, click HERE
In 2002, Keep Pickens Beautiful established a Memorial and Honorary Garden near the Chamber of Commerce in Lee Newton Park.  The garden was redesigned in 2015, and is currently undergoing another significant refresh.
Initially, members of the community could make a donation in memory of their friend or relative, and KPB would install a marble plaque with a tree or shrub.  That same year, a pergola was installed adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce building with benches for seating.  Over time, the markers were hidden by the growing plants, were damaged by lawnmowers, or got buried by brush or silt; the pergola was overgrown by the ornamental plants that were installed around its perimeter.
Memorial Garden Renovations
Keep Pickens Beautiful redesigned the Memorial and Honorary Garden in 2015.  Boulders were strategically placed for comfortable, shady seating near the creek, additional marble benches were added, all the marble markers were relocated, and paths were installed from the Chamber building to the seating area.  However, since 2015, Lee Newton Park has experienced some significant floods and the paths were not designed for this abuse, so they suffered.
This past winter, KPB cleared all the plants from around the pergola.  There is still work to be done because the plants were extremely invasive – holly bushes, wisteria, and English ivy – so it’s going to take some work to completely eradicate them since KPB won’t use any chemicals in their gardens.  KPB will progressively add edible plants around the pergola to expand the Edible Jasper project – 3 fig trees have already been added along the back; blueberries and kiwis will be added in the future.
Path Reconstruction and Improvements
Once the weather cooperated, the paths were reconstructed.  KPB worked with Whiten Land Management to redesign the paths to handle the expected repeated flooding it will need to endure.  They removed the original paths, dug a proper foundation and filled it with crushed marble, reset the marble edges, and filled the paths with a substrate that should withstand any abuse it’s faced with.
In addition to rebuilding the paths, KPB is working to help address the water drainage issues in that part of the park.  A section in the bend of the path was low so it held water and the area behind the path was a constant swamp.  The front area has been filled and mulched; it will be planted this fall or next spring as an Edible Jasper garden.  The back area has been filled and will be monitored during future rains, and once the water is properly draining, the area will be reseeded.
This project couldn’t have been accomplished without the incredible generosity of the Pickens community:
- Triple P Farm & Dirt Works donated their time and equipment to remove the original paths and to dig down a few inches for a proper foundation.  They also donated the hauling of the marble gravel and path materials.
- Polycore donated the crushed marble for the path foundation.
- Southscape provided the path materials at cost.
- KPB President Vered Kleinberger volunteered 3 days of assisting with digging, hauling, and spreading dirt and path material.
Next time you’re in Lee Newton Park, be sure to notice the improvements and enjoy some quiet time in the Memorial and Honorary Garden near the creek.  Watch for future Edible Jasper workshops in the park!
Visit https://keeppickensbeautiful.org/programs/beautification/memorial-garden/ to learn more about the Memorial and Honorary Garden.
Join Keep Pickens Beautiful community. This is a great opportunity for you to meet your neighbors, have fun, and learn new things, and you’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to improve the quality of life in our county.
Contact KPB at KeepPickensBeautiful.org or stop by their office at the south end of Main Street Monday – Friday, 11:00-3:00.