SPECIALfeature answer for healing the stresses of modern life,” Foote said. The ravine also features benches with weatherproof journals for visitors to write in. Flipping through those pages, it becomes easy to see the power the Green Road has to offer. “I sit here in awe enjoying the sounds of nature,” one service member writes. “As I am listening, I can’t help but think about all of my fallen brothers, warriors who wait in Valhalla for me to join them. I am blessed to be able to still breathe, think, live and love.”
A Space for Reflection
While the Green Road isn’t open to the public yet, other gardens offer similar quiet spaces and are easier to access. Next to the Memorial Chapel at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD, is the Garden of Reflection and Remembrance, another project that the TKF Foundation helped fund. The entrance to the garden is to the left of the front of the chapel, where you can find a path that guides you through the area. Near the entrance is a rectangular fountain surrounded by three benches, as well as vibrant foliage and colorful flowers. While the space is often used by university students, staff, and faculty, other people in the community enjoy the garden just as much. Community service events that center on gardening are also held. “The goal of the garden is to provide a lovely and comforting setting that feels inclusive of all people on campus,” said Karen Petroff, assistant director of arboretum/horticultural services at the University of Maryland. A container filled with stones sits by the labyrinth’s entrance for visitors to mindfully take and leave at the center of the winding path. Like the Green Road, this garden also has benches with journals for visitors to write down their thoughts, concerns, wishes, or just about anything else. A contemplative labyrinth lies at the end of the garden. Inspired by a community outpouring after 9/11, this garden was dedicated nine years later in 2010. At the time of the attacks, the community needed support, Petroff said. “It became apparent that a garden—a
place of healing, a place of solace, a place of reflection—was very much needed on campus,” she said. The garden has a strong focus on community and remembrance, Petroff added. “This is where the community comes to remember—that unity in such a beautiful spot can be so healing in and of itself.”
A Place for Peace
The gardens at the Franciscan Monastery contain beautiful foliage and flowers, in addition to walking paths and various seating areas, that make for a peaceful getaway. The sprawling garden has several spots appropriate for meditation, one of which is the insect and butterfly garden. Located through the portico to the right of the church, this terrace is bordered by pollinator-friendly plants. Four benches sit near a rectangular pond that has lily pads and an abundance of koi fish. Watching the orange-, black-, and white-speckled koi fish gracefully swim underneath the shade of the trees is a relaxing experience. If you go to the gardens soon, you might even see a waterlily in bloom. Next to the pond area is a path that winds throughout the remaining garden on this side. The path will guide you to various religious statues, monuments, and replicas of holy sites. At the end of an offshoot from the trail, a peace monument with “May Peace Prevail On Earth” written in different languages stands in the center of a small stone circle. The main path will continue downward to a lower level of the garden, shrouded by the branches of large magnolia trees and crape myrtles. This is where the replica of the Grotto of Lourdes is located. Opposite the grotto is a rock-enclosed circle with rose bushes and another statue. Several benches facing the grotto sit on either side, offering another place for quiet reflection.
A Spot for Community
If you stumbled across the meditation garden in Petworth, you probably wouldn’t think much of it at first glance. The small triangular park, located at Kansas Avenue and Quincy Street NW,
opened in June as the district government’s first meditation garden. It is pretty nondescript, yet there is beauty in simplicity, and the tiny garden can be just as useful for meditation as any other. “The Petworth Meditation Garden is an example of how we can transform a small space into a tremendous community amenity,” said DC Mayor Muriel Bowser in a press release. “We thank the community for working with us to create such a unique and innovative space.” Nestled in a neighborhood of colorful houses and only slightly removed from the noise of the streets, the garden is a perfect place for people-watching or to write in a journal. The park features permeable pavement, in addition to block structures and a circular monument for sitting and relaxing.
A Garden for Tradition
Within Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA, is the Korean Bell Garden, an area designed and maintained with Korean tradition in mind. A magnificent gateway borders the garden, showcasing the beautiful woodwork also seen in the rest of the landscape. Four Korean totem poles (“jangseung”), which are supposed to ward off evil spirits, and gatekeeper statues called “Dol Hareubangs” can also be found in the garden. Influenced by elements like feng shui and containing several plants native to Korea, the garden’s beauty helps visitors connect with nature and other cultures. The pathway will eventually lead you to a large bell housed underneath the Grand Pavilion, a traditional Korean pavilion that is built without nails. Called the Bell of Peace and Harmony, it symbolizes hope, prosperity, and peace among people of all communities With its rich tradition and beauty, the Korean Bell Garden is another great place to go for quiet meditation, find a connection with nature and other people, or just enjoy a nice day. o Rosie Kean is a senior multiplatform journalism and English major at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is from Macungie, PA. This summer, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener.
AUGUST 2018
WASHINGTON GARDENER
15