The Durand-Hedden House sits in Grasmere Park, and the park’s most beautiful feature is the Herb Garden, an oasis of tranquility. The Herb Garden has been lovingly cared for by the Maplewood Garden Club since its creation in 1979 in a Colonial-revival style. It opened to the public in May 1980.
For the past year, the Herb Garden has been undergoing revitalization under the guidance of MGC Herb Garden Chair Maria Mulkern, with the help of landscape designer Karen Shelby and her crew. The bricks lining the beds, which had sunk over the years, were dug up and reseated, the paths were refreshed with many pounds of new pebbles, and plants have been pruned, or replaced, with new shrubs and herbs added.
Still to come this summer: reconstruction of the trellis at the east end of the garden and additional plant identification markers. The bench at the west end of the garden is the perfect place to sit and appreciate nature’s beauty at any time of year.
photo credits: Maria Mulkern