Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden
Mill Mountain Garden Club, Zone VII
1978 Founders Fund Winner
Atop Mill Mountain within the city limits of Roanoke, VA sits a two & half acre area that had been deeded to the city with the stipulation that it remain a public park. In 1971, Roanoke asked the Mill Mountain Garden Club to develop the site as a wildflower garden. By 1975, the city finished the grading and irrigation installation so landscaping could begin. But that spring, the garden club faced a series of challenges: the city mistakenly hydro seeded the entire area with tough fescues; Hurricane Eloise obliterated the paths; poison ivy flourished and two forest fires and a drought closed the mountain to visitors. Undeterred, members of the Mill Mountain Garden Club persevered. They continued weeding, mulching, transplanting ferns and wildflowers as well as planting new shrubs and trees.
The 1978 Founders Fund Award allowed the club to complete the planting and construct appropriate entrance gates. Upon concluding the Founders Fund project, the Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden received the Commonwealth Award by the Garden Club of Virginia.
The club has continued its commitment to the wildflower garden having invested over 50,000 club member hours over the years to nurture this crown jewel of Roanoke. Since the Founders Fund Award, a water feature and a small stone amphitheater have been added in order to provide an outdoor classroom space. The club also partnered with the American Chestnut Foundation to plant chestnut trees in an area of the mountain called Chestnut Overlook. The Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden is a magnificent spot for the many students, tourists and locals that visit the site every year
