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New gardens at Ewing Center to be dedicated
By Pantagraph staff
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BLOOMINGTON — The Genevieve Green Gardens at Ewing Cultural Center will be dedicated at 2 p.m. Oct. 26. The gardens are at the corner of Towanda Avenue and Emerson Street.

The gardens cover six acres at the cultural center, which is owned by the Illinois State University Foundation. The gardens were created through a $5.9 million gift from the estate of Bruce V. Green in memory of his wife, Genevieve.

The gardens’ design was inspired by the work of landscape architect Jens Jensen (1860-1951). Hazel 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, Wis. He also designed the landscaping for the homes of wealthy residents in the North Shore area of Chicago.

The gardens include a new visitor entrance to the cultural center grounds. The site includes a compass garden, a rose garden, a formal plaza with a water feature, a woodland garden and a Japanese garden. Lighting, irrigation systems and seating areas were added, in addition to 2,500 feet of walkways.

Speakers at the dedication will include Illinois State University President Al Bowman, University Advancement Vice President Dianne Ashby and members of the Green family. A reception and tours will follow.

Admission to the gardens is free and public is welcome to visit during daylight hours.

On the Net

http://www.genevievegreengardens.ilstu.edu

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Reader comments on this story - 5 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Just dedicate it already~~~ wrote on Oct 19, 2007 9:55 PM:

" And be done with it. is it even safe to drive in that area again??? "

Chat Eau wrote on Oct 18, 2007 10:15 PM:

" Horrible, ostentatious, monstrosity, completely dischordant with the site,it's history and spirit. Also, I hate it. Couldn't this man ('s estate) have done something tasteful or maybe useful with this money? The chateau is marvelous (or was). It is actually small. This stuff is wacky. Were any Texans involved in this? Sadly, his wife will be remembered alright. "

Long time resident wrote on Oct 18, 2007 7:37 PM:

" Why they had to built it in front of the Manor is beyond me....It only blocks the view from the street and makes the place even uglier just like they did when they built that culture center.....The park was also Ewing property so why not build all of this on that land and stop cluttering the manor's lawn?!?! "

garden wrote on Oct 18, 2007 6:13 PM:

" what a wonderful way to spend that amount of money. "

Ophelia wrote on Oct 18, 2007 1:42 PM:

" Can't wait to see it! A beautiful place, made more beautiful, I'm sure. "
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