Community Landscape Design,
Engagement and Facilitation
Johnston Square Beehive Sacred Garden
The Vision
In spring 2023, Rebuild Johnston Square Neighborhood Organization (RJSNO) was one of five recipients of Nature Sacred’s Neighborhood Nature Grant. Recipients were awarded $50,000 in construction funding for a shared green space. In partnership with Nature Sacred and Rebuild Johnston Square, the Neighborhood Design Center joined this project as the design and community engagement team.
This new shared green space would contribute to a larger vision highlighted in the Johnston Square Vision Plan 2020 — to transform underutilized and unbuildable open space along the Hoffman Street corridor into a greenway of gardens, playgrounds, gathering areas, and urban agriculture.
Community Engagement
NDC tabled at Johnston Square’s inaugural Fall Festival. Festival goers were invited to
learn about the project and participate in visioning activities for the new space, a neighborhood meditative garden.
RJSNO slotted NDC into their monthly community meeting to present concept designs
created based on information from the first charrette. Meeting attendees gave feedback, asked questions, and helped NDC solidify design decisions.
The Design
We arrived at a final design for The Beehive Sacred Garden. The space recognizes four specific design goals:
Serve diverse meditative practices from reading to prayer to yoga
Provide a welcoming space for young people
Cater to multiple scales of gatherings whether it's the individual or a community group
Be surrounded by diversified, pollinator-friendly, and colorful planting
The Build
Construction began in April 2024. In the fall, they held a Volunteer Perennial Planting Day: together with volunteers, community leaders, residents, and partners, we planted 160 perennials to bring this beautiful space to life.
We celebrated the project’s completion with a ribbon cutting! The day began with a heartfelt program featuring a blessing by Pastor Cotton, a moving poetry reading by a youth team member, and inspiring words from Nature Sacred, NDC, and ReBuild Metro. The event concluded with the installation of the Nature Sacred journal bench under the pergola, offering a serene spot for reflection and connection.
