All the Dirt on Gardening

Springfield MO Botanical Gardens at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park ( www.friendsofthegarden.com ) is a unique combination of classic garden design, teaching gardens and plenty of features for families with children.  The land on which Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park was built came from a 1975 federal government surplus land donation to the city. The name Close Memorial Park came in 1998 when the Close family contributed funds to add the park to the County Park system. The 20-year plan that was developed for the garden includes 45 gardens and features. So far there are 24 for visitors to enjoy. One of the first features that the volunteers added was Gray/Campbell Farmstead where historic buildings were collected to provide families with a farm experience. Exploration includes an 1865 farmhouse, log kitchen, granary and barn. The Heritage Garden features flowers and vegetables grown in the 1860s. Ten years later the lovely 7 acre Mizumoto Japanese Stroll...