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Sunken Garden at Leeper Park
<br />---Phase Two:
<br />October, 2015
<br />Phase One of this project, to Resurrect the Roses at Leeper Park, was begun by an all -volunteer group
<br />in late April, 2015, after several months of planning and consultations; and that first phase is nearly
<br />completed.
<br />The Sunken Garden is attributed to George Kessler, an early landscape architect and city planner. He
<br />created park and boulevard systems. His parks throughout the Midwest were typically connected by
<br />landscaped boulevards, and it is this concept of "connectivity" which typifies the Olmstead -Kessler
<br />parks of the day. Consequently, the concept was one of a grand design, rather than of plans for
<br />individual plants. (The Sunken Garden at Leeper started largely as a daylilly garden, and was first
<br />planted in 1926 with roses, long after both Olmstead and Kessler were dead.)
<br />Thus, the parterre garden concept is a design concept, rather than a "type of flower" concept.
<br />Nonetheless, the proposed design maintains the historical Kessler style, while striking a balance
<br />between it, and modern principles of landscape design.
<br />This project, by a small group of volunteers, has proceeded very well. We dug out, and cleaned out the
<br />weed -infested rose beds, pruned, replaced, fertilized and mulched the roses. Every rose was pruned,
<br />moved, or replaced. Some "old-time" perennials were introduced to the outer beds of the Garden, to
<br />add a diversity of color and type.. By the end of summer, there were hundreds of new buds, and the
<br />once nearly -dead garden is blooming again!! (In Spring, 2016, we will continue to work on the beds
<br />themselves, to slightly enlarge the individual beds to a uniform size, and to get those beds, and the
<br />Resurrected Roses in even better shape for The Garden's first full summer of 2016.)
<br />We are ready to start Phase Two, The Reflecting Pool Area:
<br />It has obviously been many, many years, since the "reflecting pool" had any water in it.
<br />Unfortunately, a water feature here is just not practical at this time. Water features are expensive, and
<br />difficult to maintain in our winter climate; they unfortunately attract the Canada Geese, which defecate
<br />on the pathways, and in the entire area, spreading disease, and making the area very unsightly. A
<br />shallow pool would also attract small children, and would probably require an unsightly fence around
<br />the area.
<br />Instead, we will make new beds, to "mimic" the original water feature/pool, re-creating the "open" feel
<br />contemplated historically. We will add back the historical statuary from the pool, after it is refurbished
<br />by us, and place them strategically into the new beds, on footings.
<br />This revision will give the revised "pool" beds the peaceful, contemplative feel that was originally
<br />intended.
<br />As you know, the Sunken Garden is comprised of beds in three concentric half -circles, on either side
<br />of the former reflecting pool area—a rectangular shape that is itself, approximately 18 by 38.
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