Horticulture Students Design Danville Discovery Garden
Published: Apr. 17, 2007
URBANA - Landscape architect Greg Pierceall put 30,000 miles on his car this past year between Chicago and Urbana since taking on the position as director of a new University of Illinois horticulture degree completion program. Pierceall splits his time teaching in the Chicago area and at the Urbana-Champaign campus. One collaborative effort between his Chicagoland students and his Urbana students is a plan for a new Discovery Garden and community center in Danville. The plan will be unveiled and presented to Danville officials and master gardeners on Monday, April 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the Plant Sciences Laboratory on Dorner Drive.
"We're starting with a master plan that will include a green pavilion-like structure, accessible walkways and paths, a sundial and much more," said Pierceall. "One thing that's nice is that the plan incorporates some of the large existing trees."
When completed, the Discovery Garden and community center will be located near Douglas Park in southeast Danville on the 2.25 acres formerly occupied by an elementary school. "One element in the master plan is a pharmacy sensory garden, so local pharmacies may be asked to help fund that portion of the project," said Pierceall.
"Another cost-saving idea is to find a donated structure and move it to the garden, rather than constructing something new. It would be in-keeping with the environmental goals for the project."
One of the student participants is Jamie Hart, a senior at the University of Illinois. She said, "This garden opportunity has provided me with the real life applications of my education with an application of the design process I've learned. I appreciate the chance to practice what I've learned to use this experience in my job in the future."
For more information about the horticulture degree completion program, contact Piper Hodson (800-252-1360, ext 45761; nres@uiuc.edu) or visit www.nres.uiuc.edu.
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