The Courtyard
Article # 3.
We have a number of garden areas on our church grounds, each has its own definite history. First, let us consider the one we see the most, the Courtyard garden. So many of our church members have been involved in the evolution of this garden that they have a very special interest in it.
When our church buildings were planned in 1966, landscaping was included, and the first plantings close to the structure were put in before June of 1967. At first in our courtyard, we had some shrubbery, beautiful yellow day lilies – and shore juniper. At the front entrance, two dogwood trees, some shrubbery – and shore juniper. On the south side of the Sanctuary, some shrubbery – and shore juniper.
All these plantings were quite beautiful until the shore juniper began to grow and spread and devour everything in its path. First the day lilies and shrubbery in the courtyard vanished, then the shrubbery in front of the sanctuary, then the shrubbery on the south side. It was shore juniper on a rampage. The shore juniper had to go, and a make over of the courtyard was imperative. Corlyn McCrosky to the rescue. In 1978, the Diaconate approved Corlyn’s plan to refurbish the courtyard garden at a cost of $200. But before that could be accomplished, something had to be done about the problem of the runoff of rainwater from the roof of the sanctuary. The Diaconate tackled the problem, and installed a system of rain gutters that collected the rainwater and channeled it into an underground drainage system. Mark Davis, as his Boy Scout Eagle project, planned and installed an underground sprinkler system, with the sprinklers being donated by the Bill Brown family. By 1979, the project was completed, and was so beautiful that the courtyard won the prestigious “Yard of the Month” award that year.
Then about ten years later, in 1989, it was time to re-do the courtyard garden again. Corlyn McCrosky was again called upon to use her expertise in landscaping and gardening to do the job. Some of the original shrubbery remained, but most had to be replaced. The result was, as always, quietly beautiful.
However, as we have learned over the years, plantings grow, and sometimes get out of hand – and we found ourselves re-doing the courtyard yet another time in about 1999. With the addition of the beautiful fountain given by the Pearson family in memory of Frank Pearson, the beautiful bench crafted from native Georgia limestone by Charles Mitchell, given by the Mitchell and Shepherd families in memory of Lawson and Frances Mitchell, and the sculpture titled “The Lady”, crafted by artist Thomas B. Stedman of GSU and donated by Alice Gernant in memory or Frieda Gernant, our courtyard garden has evolved into the beauty spot that it is today.
So many of our members have been involved in the evolution of this garden that it would be impossible to name them all in this space. We are grateful to them as we enjoy this beautiful garden every time we come to 1215 Fair Road.
Dot Odom, FPC Historian