Work is being carried out to restore the Rose Memorial Garden as part of the Sault Ste. Marie Horticultural Society’s 100th anniversary in the city
In the sprawling green space at Bellevue Park, there’s a rose garden that’s commemorated loved ones for decades – and today the Sault Ste. Marie Horticultural Society set to work restoring it.
Featuring dozens of small plaques marking the names of community members, the Rose Memorial Garden has reached a state of disarray, with weeds outcompeting rose bushes, cedar trees growing wild, and dead growth inhibiting new.
Volunteers pulled weeds, trimmed back growth, and worked to restore the garden to its intended use: a calm place to gather, sit and reflect on those named on its plaques over the years.
“It’s in memory of people and for the community, so they can come down here, see the roses, sit in some solace and go through the memories,” said society board member and organizer Carrie Van Staveren.
“Maybe they know a few folks.”
The work is being carried out as part of the horticultural society’s 100th anniversary, and to fulfill the vision of late member and former president, Suzanne Hannah, who wished to preserve and enhance the garden for generations to come.
Fifteen new rose bushes and ten hostas will be planted in the garden, with a material barrier, rock border and mulch to give the rose bushes the best chance at thriving.
Although the society maintains the garden every year, weeds keep taking over – but the work carried out today should prevent that from continuing while improving the garden’s beauty moving forward.
“We do a trim back every year of the weeds with a various group of volunteers that come out, but it just becomes difficult because the weeds are coming back on a regular basis, so the mulch and weed barriers are going to take care of that,” said president Rod Morrison.
“We’re just removing as much material as we can so those roses can grow as nicely as they can.”
The city also lent a hand in the renewal, trimming back the overgrown cedar trees that shade the garden’s bench.
This year, the horticultural society also plans to add another bench to the garden and a plaque to mark one hundred years of gardening and friendship in the city.
Community members can commemorate loved ones on the garden’s signs for $40, which provides a plaque for the person being remembered and another for the person who chose to commemorate them.
Plaques can be purchased in memory of someone who passed, or to honour retirements, anniversaries, birthdays, and more.
More can be read about the Sault Ste. Marie Horticultural Society here.