Emerald Gardens Morningside Grows Into the Future

Since early spring, Gary and I have collaborated with the Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC) and a team of neighbors to design the Emerald Gardens Morningside of the Future. Mr. Charles Cross, Senior Landscape Designer and Adjunct Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy led the project with support from the talented Juan Munoz-Ponce and Joshua Budiongan.

The DCDC guided us through a series of workshops, during which we shared ideas about various aspects of the design and envisioned the future garden. I'm thrilled with the final product, and I can't wait to share the design details in the next newsletter. Stay tuned!

I want to thank the following individuals for their time and talent dedicated to this important initiative:

• Keith Ashford (not pictured)

• Eric Dueweke

• Derrick Gray (not pictured)

• Lauren Gray

• Nic Hall

• Trish Hubbell

• Charles Hyman (not pictured)

• Dorothy Johnson

• Branden Recker (not pictured)

• Aaron Smith

• Reggie Smith

• Ken Taylor (not pictured)

We also want to thank Habitat Detroit and Rock Financial for sending a team of talented and hard-working staff and volunteers to help beautify the garden. They spent all day on November 7th making raised beds, benches, and a potting table, pulling weeds, and clearing the fence line of trees and brush. The garden looks fantastic. We want to give a special shout-out to Stephanie, Branden, and Mary Ellen, who coordinated the effort and worked alongside the volunteers.