From Junk to Urban Treasure: Event #5

I drove about an hour and fifteen minutes along back roads to see the Mission Oaks Gardens in Zanesville, Ohio, where Bert Hendley created the gardens in a unique form of urban renewal.

Bert and Susan Hendley started by renovating a Mission Revival-style home at the top of the gardens.  From there, Bert went on to starting a woodland garden in a ravine behind the house, inspired by the white oaks already there.  You can see where the name of the Gardens came from.

Then Bert began asking neighbors if he could plant gardens in their yards.  He carted away 55 wheelbarrow loads of tires, refrigerators and other items dumped in a junkyard to make room for a 1 1/2 acre conifer garden.

He then started buying properties and converting them to gardens.

Today, the gardens, more than 5 acres, belong to the Muskingum Valley Park District, while operated by the non-profit Mission Oaks Foundation.

The stately gardens blend right into the neighborhood of homes where children play and adults work on cars in their garages.  It is a unique marriage of neighborhood and gardens.

The Revival Mission style home was built in 1925.  (Photo by Don Comis)

Bert Hendley (right) begins a tour of his dream-come-true:  Mission Oaks Gardens in Zanesville, Ohio.  Owl Creek Conservancy trustee Richard Stallard listens (far right).  Photo by Don Comis.