Parking Garden

Designed with beauty, functionality, and sustainability in mind, the Parking Garden is a brilliant display of future-forward horticulture. With the help of renowned landscape architecture firm Oehme, van Sweden, the multi-season masterpiece not only functions as a network of sequential bioswales, but also looks stunning year-round.

A swale is a shallow depression in the landscape, often man-made to assist with directional drainage. Bioswales are the best of both worlds – they create a depression to contain, slow and recycle rainwater onto the grounds at Heritage – but they also serve as garden beds. The plant communities in a bioswale help to filter contaminants out of the rainwater and slow its velocity for better absorption. These plants must be tough – they have to sustain periods of heavy rainfall and complete inundation, but must also be able to cope with sustained dry spells.

From early May through late October, this garden is a mosaic of breath-taking colors and irresistible texture. Stately American Elms greet you at the main entrance; aromatic Catmint and Russian Sage delight the senses all season long. Meander to the Birch Lot where you will almost always be greeted by an energetic multitude of pollinators visiting the Beardtongue, Joe-Pye Weed, or Black-Eyed Susans in our largest bioswale. As flowers fade, the foliage begins to dance with vivid reds and tawny grasses – seed heads of sharp cones or soft panicles persist. We invite you to explore the Parking Garden on your next visit, and take in the functional beauty and sustainable design of our newest garden.

Visit The Horsley Witten Group to read more about the project.