MERCER ARBORETUM AND BOTANIC GARDENS RESTORATION INITIATIVE

GCA Restoration Initiative Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens Proposed by The Garden Club of Houston in response to Hurricane Harvey August 2017

Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens is named after Thelma garden to Harris County in 1974. Since then, the gardens have collection of native and cultivated plants. The Garden Club of inception 45 years ago and throughout it

a and Charles Mercer, who donated their 14.5-acre house and grown to 325 acres showcasing the Gulf Coast region’s largest Houston has been involved with the botanic gardens since its ts continued development and expansion.

For 4 days, in late August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey sat on top of Mercer and the Gulf Coast. I found this poster in their lunchroom.

Mercer is bordered on the north by Cypres The outline of Mercer is the slightly

ss Creek, which was inundated with water. darker area inside the flooded area.

PROVIDED BY JEFF LINDNER METEROLOGIST HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT

top of boxwood

top of the sundial

The beautiful display gardens, the office building a were under 8 feet

and the greenhouses, filled with many rare species, of water for days.

ENTR

RANCE

As the water receded, the gardens and trai

ils were left uprooted and covered in silt.

SILT IN TREE LINE SHOWS TH

HE

DEPTH OF THE WATER

ONE YEA

Mercer is owned and operated by small but excellent staff of botanis an active group of volunteers. Ov were donated, the soil was tested trees replaced. It was also at this Initiative was conceived and The G a grant for Mercer. Receiving the $ structure in The Boxwood Garden they needed but also

AR LATER

Harris County Precinct 4. It has a st, horticulturist and gardeners and ver the next year heirloom plants d and treated, pavers, plants and s time that the GCA Restoration Garden Club of Houston applied for $10,000 grant to replace the infran gave Mercer not only the funds o hope for the future.

On a rainy day in October 2018, approximately one year afte gathered at Mercer to replant the boxwood hedge and unv

er Hurricane Harvey, members of The Garden Club of Houston veil the plaque in the newly renamed (The) Healing Garden.

THE HEALING GARDEN

What a difference the combined efforts of Mercer, G A SINCERE THANK YOU TO TH

GCH and GCA made on this celebrated public garden.

HE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA.