Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway Garden
Smicksburg Park: Gateway Garden
Layout Options
Option A The layout of Option A is an organic shaped planting bed arranged around the two existing signs for the park. A 4 foot path divides the planting area into two separate beds. Interpretive signage along the path will include the historical map of the town, history of the old town and a memorial piece for Wendy Stahlman. In addition, there will be a 5’ walk along the existing park spaces. The existing rock barrier will be incorporated with the design of the walk.
Walk
Native Plantings Entrance
Parking Lot Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Option B The layout of Option B has a similar shape as Option A but overall square footage is less. The path in Option B opens up into a seating area. Circular benches hug the lower left hand side while a 3-panel interpretive display is on the upper right hand side. A small 5’ planting bed is incorporated in the middle of the seating place. This is a small herb garden grown in memory of former resident, Wendy Stahlman. The herbs will be maintain by the residents as well as picking them for personal use.
Seating Area Signage
Memorial Garden Plantings Entrance
Parking Lot Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Option C
Seating Area Signage
The layout of Option C is a slightly modified version of Option B. Option C has the addition cut off standing area to view the 3-panel interpretive signage. This layout gives a little more room to circulate throughout the space.
Memorial Garden Plantings Entrance
Parking Lot Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Smicksburg Park: Gateway Garden
Style of Gardens
Style of Garden: Native Planting The concept for this space began by embracing a nature-influenced design style that utilized such features as organic lines, native plant communities, habitat zones and sustainable principles. A naturalistic garden recreates the spontaneous feeling of plants as they appear in nature. Native plants are defined as plants that are indigenous to a certain geographical region. These plants will thrive with very little maintenance as well as provide wildlife habitat. Asclepias spp. (Milkweed) is a nectar source for many species of butterflies however it is a host plant to the Monarch butterfly.
The Amelanchier canadensis blooms in early Spring. This tree inherited it’s common name, Serviceberry due to its early bloom time. These flower clusters were an indication that the ground had thawed and the early settlers could bury their dead.
This combination of native plants are inviting to wildlife.
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Style of Garden: Time Period Piece The idea of a time period garden would be to mimic the gardens that once thrived in late . A lush, low boxwood hedge would edge the borders of the garden and around the seating space. With the boxwood walls, flowers would bloom from early spring (bulbs) to late fall (perennials). Knockout Roses and Peonies would also be included. This style would represent the variety of plants for this time period not the town itself. Hemerocallis and Narcissus are both featured in the design and can be still seen today blooming within the park. Boxwood hedges create a border for perennials.
Peonies and Irises flourish in this perennial bed.
Bird’s eye view of a formal garden layout.
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Smicksburg Park: Gateway Garden
Option Styles
Option A Native Planting
Time Period Piece
Legend
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Existing Walk
Lawn
Shrubs
Memorial
Perennials
Hedge
Walk
Tree Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Option B Native Planting
Time Period Piece
Legend
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Existing Walk
Lawn
Shrubs
Memorial
Perennials
Hedge
Walk
Tree Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Option C Native Planting
Time Period Piece
Legend
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Existing Walk
Lawn
Shrubs
Memorial
Perennials
Hedge
Walk
Tree Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Smicksburg Park: Gateway Garden
Suggested Option
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Planting Plan: Native Option 5’ Shrubs 4’ Shrubs 3’ Shrubs 2’ Perennials
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Planting Material: Native Option Flowering Tree Options Botanical Name
Common Name
Cultivar
Amelanchier x grandiflora Cornus florida Magnolia virginiana
Apple Serviceberry Flowering Dogwood Sweetbay Magnolia
Botanical Name
Hydrangea arborescens Ilex glabra
Height
Spread
Bloom Color
Bloom Time
Fall Color
Autumn Brilliance 20-25' 20' Cherokee Princess 15' 15' Henry Hicks 20-25' 20'
White White White
Early April Mid May Mid June
Yellow Red Semi Evergreen
Common Name
Cultivar
Height
Spread
Bloom Color
Bloom Time
Fall Color
Smooth Hydrangea Inkberry Holly
Incrediball Shamrock
4-5' 3-5'
4-5' 3-5'
White N/A
June-September N/A
Evergreen
Botanical Name
Common Name
Cultivar
Height
Spread
Bloom Color
Bloom Time
Fall Color
Viburnum dentatum
Arrowwood Viburnum
Blue Muffin
4'
4'
White
Late May-Early June
Varies
Botanical Name
Common Name
Cultivar
Height
Spread
Bloom Color
Bloom Time
Fall Color
Cornus Sericea Abelia x grandiflora
Red-osier Dogwood Glossy Abelia
Kelseyi Little Richard
3-4' 3'
3-4' 3'
White White-Pink
Late May-Early June May-September
Purple-Red Semi Evergreen
Botanical Name
Common Name
Cultivar
Height
Spread
Bloom Color
Bloom Time
Baptisia Helenium Vernonia lettermanii
False Indigo Sneezeweed Ironweed
Solar Flare/Twilite 36" 36-48" Yellow or Purple Late Spring-Early Summer Mardi Gras 36-40" 24-36" Orange Mid Summer-Late Summer Iron Butterfly 30-36" 30-36" Purple Late Summer-Fall
Botanical Name
Common Name
Cultivar
Height
Spread
Bloom Color
Bloom Time
Achellia Coreopsis Echinacea Thermopsis chinensis Fragaria Geranium Hypericum calycinum
Yarrow Tickseed Purple Coneflower Peabush Oramental Strawberry Cranesbill Aaron's Beard
Summer Wine Sweet Dreams Hot Papaya Sophia Lipstick Rozanne
24" 18" 30-36" 18" 6-8" 15-18" 15-18"
24" 24" 24-36" 18" 12" 15-20" 24"
Dark Pink-Red Pink Shades Red-Orange Yellow Pink Blue-Purple Yellow
Late Summer Summer Summer Early Summer Spring-Early Summer, Fall Summer-Early Fall Summer
5' Shrub Options
4' Shrub Options
3' Shrub Options
3' Perennials
Perennials & Groundcover
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Planting Material: Native Option Images Shrubs
Ilex glabra
Viburnum dentatum
Cornus sericea
Abelia x grandfolia**
Achellia
Baptisia
Coreopsis
Echinacea
Helenium
Thermopsis chinensis**
Vernonia lettermanii
Fragaria
Geranium
Hypericum calycinum
Hydrangea arborescens
Perennials
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Planting Material: Tree and Bulb Images Trees
Amelanchier x grandifolia
Cornus florida
Magnolia
Allium neapolitanum
Allium ‘Purple Sensation’
Bellevalia pycnantha
Narcissus ‘Amadeus Mozart’
Nectaroscordum siculum
Bulbs
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Hycintus orientalis ‘Blue Eyes’
Muscari armeniacum
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Smicksburg Park: Gateway Garden
Site Amentities
Site Amentities
Interpretive signage will be featured in 3 individual panels within the seating area. The panel will have visitors visualize and understand the significance of the park’s site location. In addition, the signage will also explain the function of the garden itself, a memorial for Wendy Stahlman.
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Site Amentities
Curved benches will provide seating for the memorial garden. Benches will be custom built to fit the size of the seating area and have a similar look to the Country Casual teak benches shown above.
For more of an informal approach, gravel paths with stone borders could be used for the gardens. Another option for hardscape would be a combination of concrete and dry laid stone/ paver or all stone/paver walk. The gardens will then be more accessible to the whole community as well as a way to raise money for the garden install. Stone or pavers can be dry laid with the intentions of having the pieces be engrave as donations come in.
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway
Smicksburg Park: The Stahlman Memorial Garden
Perspectives
Option C: Traditional
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Smicksburg Park: Gateway