The Beauty of God’s Creation

by: Lori Wachtman

Walking into God’s Beauty
Simpson Garden Park

Serenity – The Peace Garden

A fun Gate into the Children’s Garden

Dappled with sunlight
Astilbe in the Hostas

Peace Garden

Peeping up in the Hostas

Beautiful Waterlilies

Sharing the Gardens with a friend

Waterfall in the Sensory Garden

Orange Butterfly Milkweed

Stunning Crinum Lilies in full bloom

Daylilies after a light rain

A burst of bright Pink Phlox

Over 1400 varieties of
Hostas are in the Garden

At peace – take a break in the Adirondack chairs.

Young Girl statue
in the Children’s Garden

Young Boy statue
in the Children’s Garden

Walkway thru the Peace Garden

The Upland Garden

Click the text in the caption to see the full-sized image.

“Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God.” – Emerson

Quiet and solitude…. The beauty of nature is all around us this time of year, as winter begins to leave behind it’s chill and spring begins to show it’s warming face. The teardrops in the snow, crocuses, daffodils, and tulips are beginning to awaken after their winter hibernation, gracing us with their beauty. The robin joyfully greets us each morning and throughout the day with it’s sweet melody. The trees begin to show their buds teasing us with hopes that springtime will soon be here. In our corner of Ohio and southeast Michigan, we are fortunate to experience the beauty of nature having many wonderful places to visit anytime of the year, especially in the springtime. Whether one is enjoying a walk thru Goll’s Woods or Oak Openings; walking along the towpath of the Miami and Erie Canal following the Maumee River, visiting one of the many Metro parks in Lucas County, or strolling thru one of the many gardens in our corner of NW Ohio and lower Michigan, we can definitely enjoy the quiet solitude and beauty of nature around us.

In our corner of Ohio, there is a hidden gem in Bowling Green, Ohio at the corner of Conneaut and Wintergarden Roads where one can experience the beauty of nature – stop to smell the flowers, and if you’re fortunate you might even come face to face with a deer or more, that are also enjoying the serene quietness and beauty of their surroundings. “Simpson Garden Place” is one of our favorite gardens to visit anytime of the year, but especially in the warmer months.

History

The history of Simpson Garden Park began in the early 1900’s when the 8 acres of land held at least 5 oil wells. As time passed the land became a reserve water well for the city that eventually was not needed. From the 1950’s thru 1990’s the site was used as a “spoils dump” for debris from construction and road projects. In 1995 Violet (Newton) Simpson named Bowling Green Parks and Recreation as a beneficiary in her will. She requested that the monies be used for building improvements at City Park including a new shelter be built in her and her husband Newton’s name along with other projects within the Park and Recreation program. Three years later when the City was approached to sell the 8 acre piece of property, it was decided to keep it as a “green space”, and in 2000 they were able to purchase the 3 acre Church of the Nazarene property that was adjacent to the park. So began the journey to turn the once empty oil field into a place of beauty which eventually would be known as “Simpson Garden Park”, the dream and vision of so many. Enough on the history of it’s beginning.

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