Project Plans

The Extension Master Gardener Association of Cleveland County is leading creation of a public garden to honor the life and legacy of Dotty Ruth Leatherwood.  

Well-known and respected for her career in healthcare and her dedication to community service, Dotty was a proponent of lifelong learning.  Being an avid gardener, Dotty was instrumental in launching Cleveland County's Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program in 2010 and served as the Association's first president.

The Garden will honor Dotty's memory by providing a community gathering space for continuing horticultural education, positive social engagement, and quiet reflection.

We are raising funds and developing partnerships to create a demonstration & teaching garden at Hanna Park in Shelby, NC. This public garden will provide a beautiful community gathering space for people to learn horticultural & environmental principles, strengthen their social connections, and be physically active outdoors. 

By maintaining the garden, our members will hone their individual & collective gardening skills and then share that knowledge with the public through hands-on workshops, demonstrations and garden tours. Schools and youth-serving organizations will be invited to use the garden to help children learn & grow by interacting with the natural environment. Individuals, families, and groups can visit to harmonize with nature and gain inspiration for enhancing their home landscapes. Because winding pathways, garden structures and raised beds will be ADA compliant, people with disabilities will be afforded easy entry to greenspace and hands-on access to soil and plants.

Phase 1 of garden construction will develop half of the available area to create an arboretum featuring several species of deciduous & evergreen trees organized in three sections to reflect those typically associated with the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain regions of North Carolina.  The arboretum will also showcase shrubs, vines, herbaceous perennials, and ornamental grasses that are adapted to our region, using botanical markers to identify those that are deer-resistant, native, comparatively low-maintenance and pest free, and beneficial to pollinators.

The arboretum hardscape will include a rustic covered main entry and winding paved paths that connect with existing Hanna Park trails and walkways to draw visitors in and encourage garden exploration. Other features will include a large centrally located teaching gazebo, a garden shed to house landscape maintenance supplies & equipment, a cobblestone sitting area, and a man-made recirculating water feature emulating a mountain stream.

Paradise Landscaping in Shelby developed the garden design and has offered to donate construction of a rain garden in a depressed and frequently flooded area that occupies roughly one-fourth of the space. Planted with ornamental grass and flowering perennials, the rain garden will be a cost effective and beautiful way to collect rainwater, reduce runoff & erosion, help filter out environmental pollutants, and provide food and shelter for butterflies, songbirds and other wildlife. It will also create a space for EMGA volunteers to teach the public about water quality, habitat creation, and the importance of protecting our natural resources.