Future Hart County Botanical Garden

The Northeast Georgia Master Gardeners have been awarded a 20-year lease by the Board of Commissioners for over six acres of land located in the future Recreation Department's new athletic fields and walking trails off the Elberton Highway. They will lay out and implement the design by University of Georgia Landscape Architect students. They will be responsible for the planting, maintenance, and identification of the plants in the garden.

While elements from all fourteen entrants will be used, three were chosen as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. The first place design by Zachary Davis is shown below:

Zachary Davis won first place for the above design of the Hart County Botanical Garden

A master gardener will oversee each area. Faye Ward will manage the Children's garden, butterfly garden, and tactile garden. Minnie Crider will oversee the bog garden. Jeanie Howe and Elga Bunk will supervise the memorial garden, and Rita Harper will be in charge of endangered species and native plants.

Representatives of the Northeast Georgia Master Gardeners, Peggy Mathews, Chairman (left) and Betty Floyd (center) accept the lease on the land set aside for the botanical garden from Dan Reyen, Chairman of the Hart County Board of Commissioners.