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A Place of
Beauty...
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The
Vision...
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For you shall go out in joy,
and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills
before you shall burst into
song,
and all the trees of the field
shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall
come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall
come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the Lord
for a memorial,
for an everlasting sign that
shall not be cut off.
Isaiah 55:12-13
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Since
earliest times, the churchyard has served
as a final resting place for the faithfully departed.
This Christian tradition reminds us of God’s
presence in the midst of human life, death
and resurrection. Plans
for the garden began in 1994 and it has taken shape thanks
to hundreds of volunteer hours
by our members.
In
time, the concept of cremation was adopted as suitable
for the site and consistent with our belief that we are dust and to dust
we shall return. Cremation passes our earthly remains
through purifying fire and returns us to the earth. Brass
plaques shaped like post oak leaves bear the names of those interred or
memorialized in the Garden and are displayed on the exterior wall of the
Church.
 The
Vision Expanded...
The garden serves not only as a place of internment but also in many other
significant ways. Baptisms, weddings,
receptions, Evening Prayer services with God's Creation as their theme, the
Blessing of the Animals, the Palm Sunday
procession, art shows, botanical lectures and children's events:
All these are happening or planned
for the future.
The garden is open to all who pass our way, offering a quiet place that invites
anyone to enter and communicate with God.
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The
Design...
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The garden is approached by a walkway
imprinted with leaves and entered through a gate made of
curved cedar logs found near Murray. The gate functions as a
traditional Anglican lich gate, used to enter
many ancient English churchyards.
The
glass cross set into the gate’s transom reproduces a leaf from one of the
garden’s many post oak trees. This
cross-shaped leaf is the garden’s symbol, along with the Jack-in-the-Pulpits
planted over each interment site.
A
large mound dominates the garden’s central core. Its water basin
provides the sound of running water, an ancient Christian symbol for cleansing,
refreshment and rebirth. A curving
dry stream bed accents the theme. Across
a low bridge lies another formal space: a
striking stone reaching up like God’s hand from a spiral design signifying the
galaxy of creation. It is backed by
a curved rock wall.
The
fence surrounding the garden will gradually be covered by vines, helping create
a quiet space. Crowning it is a canopy of trees whose branches resemble a
cathedral roof. Smaller trees and
bushes bring the canopy down to human level.
Plantings were gathered from nature or provided by Mikulcik Nursery of
Murray, which specializes in unique naturalized plants.
Many wildflowers were donated by local gardener Emily Wolfson.
The landscape itself dictated which plants and rocks were chosen and how
they were placed. Other,
pre-existing plants are emerging naturally to create a Western Kentucky woodland
habitat.
The many
benches provided throughout the garden were created from trees on the site.
Peace be with you.
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Garden
designer & artisans
 David
Slawson apprenticed in Kyoto but avoids Japanese garden stereotypes.
Instead, he utilizes the basic Japanese principle of responding
sensitively to each individual site using local materials.
Slawson has designed gardens across the country and has written a classic
book interpreting his ancient art.
Artisans
who executed the garden’s gate
design included wood crafter Dean Worley,
coppersmiths Terry Adams and Stacy Smith of Southern Sheet Metal, and Don Thomas and Kathryn Kohne
of Cumberland Stained Glass.
The
garden’s rock wall and the spiral galaxy that fronts it were created by local
stone artisan Russell Dawson.
Dawson uses field stone to create natural, free-flowing designs.
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