VISIONARY GARDENS COMMUNITY PROJECT
Sharptop Arts is currently transforming the existing landscape at the art center into a Visionary Arts Garden with many creative vistas. Currently, the landscaping is very basic and not conducive to classes or events.
By expanding our boundaries to include the great outdoors, we offer the community a delightful soul feeding experience of a unique and very creative garden setting where classes can be held, events can take place, or can be visited for quiet contemplation and wondrous discovery.
The Visionary Gardens Vistas
The Visionary Gardens have been divided into 22 individual vistas that have all been adopted by community partners. Each one will be a unique garden setting for the public’s viewing pleasure. Many have an educational theme, such as the Home School Excursions site with all native plants to our area, the Master Gardeners have included plants that all attract the best of nature to their site, Ramblewood Gardens and Natural Market are using all medicinal herbs in their vista and Stormwater Landscape Management is showcasing many ways to deal with stormwater runoff and avoid erosion and pooling of excess water. The gardens range in theme from elegant European to native plant materials.
Each vista adopter has created a plan for their vista and it has been approved by the SVG committee for going forward. Each adopter will provide the materials needed for their vista and will be responsible for installation of all plants and hardscapes. Once installed, Hemlocks Landscape Management has agreed to donate their time to maintain the gardens in viewing condition. They will also install all drip irrigation setups for each vista. Each vista will have a prominent name plaque honoring the adopter and creator of the vista.
Community Partners
The Sharptop Visionary Gardens Committee wants to thank the wonderful and much needed Community Partners that have agreed to play a major role in the gardens to help us move the project forward. Below is a list of the partners and their participation: Hemlocks Landscape Management – partnering as a project coordinator in all aspects to bring cohesiveness to the gardens. They have installed the walkways, stone steps, sprinkler system and lighting cable that makes up the infrastructure for the gardens. Hemlocks will also install part of the front gardens and they have adopted a large vista area where they are installing a star shaped patio area complete with pergola. Community Bank of Pickens County has sponsored the purchase and installation of the fence that surrounds the Visionary Gardens. A much needed infrastructure item that was absolutely necessary in proceeding forward. Renner Construction oversaw the purchase and installation of the fence by Ellijay Fence Company, who provided a wholesale price for the fence and Renner’s crew painted the fence black for the desired ascetic look for the fencing. Travis Herndon donated his time and equipment to clear the grounds of existing plant material and prepare for the vistas to be staked off. Burnt Mountain Trading Company hosted the first Feathered Event fundraiser and worked diligently to pull the event together, as well as offering a booth space at their retail establishment where people can donate items and all proceeds from the sales are donated to Sharptop Arts. BMTC has also adopted a vista and will be installing a beautiful European fountain and garden site. Keith Herndon has helped with a temporary fence on the patio and has helped to oversee the demolition of the unneeded patio area in front and has worked diligently to resolve some property line issues and permitting needed to move forward on the project. He is also donating his time and materials to build the foundations for the amphitheatre section and the raised patio area in the corners of the property. Pickens County donated the mulch needed to protect the raw ground. The City of Jasper donated labor to install electrical plugs for the sprinkler system. Darrell Reddy has built a spectacular art wall on the patio of the art center and will work with the committee to create many artful items on the patio area as it progresses. Herman Miller, Attorney at Law, donated his time to resolve some property line issues and get the deed properly filed. Pickens County Chamber of Commerce has donated stacks of marble to be used for the bench platforms. David Jacobs of Collaborations for Resiliency in Children has come forward as a sponsor for the stone steps leading from the street level into the gardens.
Thank you to each and every one of you, as we could not have come this far without any of you! As you can see, it takes a village to build a gardens and the village has responded. We encourage you to contact the SVG committee if you are interested in being a Community Partner to further the reality of the Visionary Gardens!
Fundraisers
We will be hosting various fundraisers to support the project including a spring plant sale, a Feathered Event birdhouse competition and auction, a Wine and Art Event with silent art auction and a Christmas Tea, just to name a few. We have a unique perpetual calendar available that allows you to track all your important dates, events, birthdays, anniversaries without having to change calendars each year.
In addition, we have many sponsorship opportunities that involve offer a permanent legacy opportunity to contributors as well as a Legacy Brick opportunity where you can purchase an engraved brick to honor loved ones, represent your company, or have a permanent presence in the gardens. (See sidebar on this page.) Go to News and Events and the Sharptop Calendar for more information about upcoming fundraisers.
Sponsorship Opportunities
We invite you to join our efforts of transformation and become a sponsor on some level. A great means for you to have a permanent legacy marker in the gardens is to adopt a vista as a sponsor, purchase a legacy brick to be installed in the pathways and the patio areas, or adopt an item in the gardens or on the patio and a permanent legacy marker will be installed with your name, a loved ones name, company name, etc.
Your Visionary Gardens Project Team
Susan Wright, Chair
Royce Haley, Vice-Chair
Dee Ann Boggus
Keith Herndon
Mary Ann Clayton
Linda Barnes
Janet Short
SHARPTOP GARDENS PROJECT PARTNER
