WILBERFORCE — Wilberforce residents are invited to attend an update and informational meeting about the Central State University (CSU) Seed to Bloom Botanical Garden from 5 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 17, in the Ground Floor Conference Room of E.J. Emery Hall, Brush Row Road, Wilberforce.
The meeting will provide residents with an update on the construction in the garden and the anticipated opening. Community member interested in having a garden plot will be able to ask questions and learn more about the opportunity. A “sneak-peek” into what the garden will offer to visitors will also be presented at the meeting.
The CSU Seed to Bloom Botanical Garden is located on the campus along State Route 42 E and will be opening in April. The garden parking lot entrance is on Wilberforce-Switch Road.
The CSU Seed to Bloom Botanical Garden is the vision of Central State University President Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond, who envisioned an inviting space where members of the community could relax and people of all ages could learn.
As part of the Agricultural Production Area, the CSU Seed to Bloom Botanical Garden is part of the Botanical and Community Garden Project and provides an inviting space to interact with its natural beauty. Providing a unique stage for horticultural education in a collegiate atmosphere, the garden offers learning opportunities for CSU students, local schools, and the greater community. The garden area will include:
—-Agricultural Learning Area. Horticultural/agricultural education will begin at the learning shelter complete with in an interactive, covered space room for visitors and students to “get their hands dirty” while learning about soil health and plant growth.
—-Forest Amphitheatre. The garden boasts a natural setting for learning as students sit on stone-walled seats with space for 30 people while facing the forested corner of the garden.
—-Forested Grove. Visitors and garden learners can “breathe in” nature with a curved trail through the naturally forested corner of the garden.
—-Stone Paths. The garden is designed with gently curving pathways to encourage visitors and learners to wander and look for pollinators and other visitors to the garden. The flora throughout the garden highlights native, new and interesting plants for learning purposes.
—-Raised Beds. Demonstration sites and community gardens will be used to encourage visitors and learners to create their own gardens as well as incorporate food and agricultural production into their landscapes.
The CSU Seed to Bloom Botanical Garden will be opening in mid-April. Hours for visitors after the opening will be daily from 8 a.m. to dusk (one hour before sunset.)
For more information about the community meeting on March 17, contact Central State University Ag and Natural Resources Program Leader Cindy Folck at 937-376-6101 or [email protected].
