The Shade Stroll
Nestled into a natural wooded hollow, the Shade Stroll Garden is organized by a meandering ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible path through shady woodland dells and exuberant, sunny meadows ablaze with wildflowers. There are three garden rooms within the Shade Stroll Garden"
- The Whispering Bench is a place where friends can meet for an intimate talk. The encircling bench acoustically amplifies the slightest whisper. The garden is enclosed within the canopy of a group of Bald Cypress and new plantings of flowering woodland shrubs.
- The Council Circle is a simple circular bench suitable for meetings or class discussion sessions. The great Midwestern landscape architect Jens Jensen frequently included a council circle in his landscapes to nurture human interaction in a natural setting.
- The Cascade Glen and Contemplation Pavilion lie in the natural low point of the hollow. A spring-fed pool runs into a small, naturalistic creek, bordered by a cool fernery on the north side of the path. Across the creek, the Scarlet in Autumn Garden blazes in the fall season. Perfectly balanced between the cool fernery and the blazing bank planting, a dark reflecting pool and the Contemplation Pavilion provide a place to savor the sunshine and shadow of the garden.
