Community volunteers have been hard at work in recent weeks to naturalize the Cenotaph located at Eugenia Falls.
On Oct. 4, a group of local volunteers and staff from the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority were hard at work with shovels, rakes, wheelbarrows and other tools of gardening planting native species of flowers around the Cenotaph at Eugenia Falls.
The project has been underway throughout the last part of the summer and the group has been busy removing the invasive species from the garden to replace with newly planted flowers that are native to the local area.
Local legion member Lynn Silverton has been part of the effort since the idea first started percolating a number of months ago.
“The garden really needed to be done. It was, sadly, being ignored,” she said.
The project received a $3,000 grant from Community Foundation Grey Bruce and brought together a number of organizations together to do the work including: conservation authority, the Flesherton-Markdale Legion, Grey Highlands Climate Action Group, Ontario Flora, the Grey Highlands Peace Committee, and the community of Eugenia.
Designed by Claire Ellenwood of Ontario Flora, the garden will embrace the existing monument, surrounding fence, and the symbolic ginkgo tree, complimenting them with attractive native perennials, promoting sustainable landscaping practices.
Remembrance is an important element of the project, and the red cardinal flower has been incorporated into the design to represent Canadian soldiers who have lost their lives. Not only will these flowers have symbolic significance, but they will also be a source of nectar for hummingbirds and food for pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Margaret Potter, conservation lands technician with the conservation authority, said the project is part of the authority’s Eugenia Falls management plan to update and upgrade the property.
Eventually, the naturalization project will include a sign with information and facts about the new garden.
“Naturalizing it was the way to go,” said Potter.
Silverton said the Cenotaph has a long and important history in the community. The Eugenia Women’s Institute unveiled the monument in 1921.
“It was built, carved and created in France and shipped over,” said Silverton.
There are also plans to eventually update the monument itself to recognize Canadian soldiers who served in conflicts and in peacekeeping missions around the world after the two world wars.
The group worked hard on solarizing the cenotaph garden. After the invasive plants were removed, a layer of garden bags were placed in and around the base of the garden. The bags were then covered with mulch and topsoil before the new native plants were added. Solarizing helps prevent weeds from growing into the new garden.
When finished, the naturalized cenotaph site will be a welcoming space for all to learn, celebrate, and remember.
The plan also includes new benches that will provide rest areas for contemplation and appreciation of the cenotaph and wildflower garden.
