A dedication ceremony for the recently completed Genevieve Green Gardens at Ewing Cultural Center was held on October 26. To view the photo album from this event, click on Green Gardens.
The ceremony included remarks by Illinois State University President Al Bowman, University Advancement Vice President Dianne Ashby and members of the family of the late Bruce and Genevieve Green.
The Genevieve Green Gardens cover six acres of land at the Ewing Cultural Center, which is owned by the Illinois State University Foundation. The Gardens were created through a $5.9 million gift to Illinois State from the estate of the late Bruce V. Green, a Bloomington native, in memory of his wife Genevieve.
The Gardens include a new visitor entrance to the Ewing Cultural Center grounds at the corner of Towanda and Emerson. The site includes a compass garden, a rose garden, a formal plaza with a water feature, a woodland garden and a Japanese garden. New lighting and irrigation systems were added during the development, along with several seating areas for visitors. Twenty-five hundred feet of new walkways make the entire site accessible to those with disabilities.
Development of the Green Gardens drew inspiration from the work of landscape architect Jens Jensen (1860-1951). Hazle Buck Ewing, who bequeathed her house and property to Illinois State’s Foundation, contracted Jensen to draw up landscape designs for the property in the early 1920s. Jensen was a Danish immigrant who designed parks in the Chicago area, Springfield and Madison, Wisconsin. He also designed the landscaping for the homes of wealthy residents in the North Shore area of Chicago.
Admission to the Green Gardens is free, and the public is welcome to visit during daylight hours. For more information on the Genevieve Green Gardens and Ewing Cultural Center, visit www.genevievegreengardens.ilstu.edu
