Woodlands Garden recently began an expansion and renovation of its grounds expected to last about seven months, thus closing the Decatur landmark until fall.
According to the Garden’s Executive Director Kate McAlpin, expansion includes enhanced signage, expanded parking, better access for school buses, and new ADA-accessible walkways for pedestrians in reaching the Garden’s trails.
There will be entrances and exits on both Scott Boulevard and Clairemont Road. The Garden purchased the one acre-lot at 915 Clairemont, on the corner of Clairemont and Scott, from the city in December 2015, former home to the Merritt family.
McAlpin said that besides the new driveways, plans call for plants native to the Georgia Piedmont’s eco-region getting installed on this corner and throughout the Garden. These include “thousands of native and pollinator-friendly trees, shrubs, and perennials.”
The Garden originally belonged to Dr. Chet and Mrs. Gene Morse, who moved there in 1946— Dr. Morse practiced internal medicine in Decatur for 45 years. The total 7.1 acres, including several hundred tree species, was donated by the Morses in 2002, with the Woodlands Garden master plan created in 2014.
The Merritt addition now puts the Garden at a total eight acres.
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