Heritage Gardens History

Heritage Gardens History

The Heritage Garden Club is responsible for all the beautiful gardens throughout the village.  There are numerous gardens  including the Herb Garden, The Dye Garden,  all flower gardens by the church and on both sides of the Mitchell House.

The Heritage Garden Club, which began in 1995, is responsible for planting a beautiful garden located in the Heritage Village adjacent to Alparon Park. Carol Ulmer, a founding member, fondly remembers that Shirley Merloe decided Troy needed a garden club and invited members of the community to her home to organize the club.

The following spring, the women of The Heritage Garden club sprang into action and broke ground adjacent to the Mitchell House for a large herb garden. The garden was designed to include a circle of chives surrounding a sundial. The sundial was donated to the garden club by the Thursday Study Club. When the purple chives are in bloom in early summer, they provide a stunning centerpiece in the garden.

The herb garden was then followed by a flower garden which was requested by Joe Hare, a member of the Farm Museum. He drew up a plan and the garden was planted with perennials which were donated by the club members. The garden was aptly named the “Friendship Garden”.  On the other side of the Mitchell House  “The Dye Garden”  needed to be transplanted from the Jean Case Dye Garden. The Dye Garden was again moved when the Carriage House was installed. That project was overseen by former garden club president JoAnn Chappell. 

When the Little Church was installed nearby, more perennials were planted by The Heritage Garden Club. The Butterfly Garden, which is located behind the Exhibition Building of the Troy Fairgrounds is also maintained by The Heritage Garden Club.   The Heritage Village and Farm Museum is grateful to the Heritage Garden Club for their continued support and and beautiful gardens.