Quilt Gardens Draw Visitors To Indiana County

Quilt Gardens Draw Visitors To Indiana County FARM HOME Novelty Items Garden beds in Indiana’s Elkhart County are covered with quilt patterns The unique garden beds and quilt pattern murals help attract thousands of visitors each year to north central Indiana “We have 19 different quilt pattern gardens some contemporary some traditional some one of a kind ” says Jackie Hughes Elkhart County Visitor’s Bureau CVB “We started with two pilot gardens in 2007 and people flocked to see them Each year the number of gardens grows as new sites are added ” Each garden design has to be approved by a professional review committee Patterns and materials have to meet strict rules concerning the amount of plant material versus hardscape Each garden has to be at least 800 sq ft in size Designs also have to change each year for sites that have hosted gardens in previous years “We have 9 sites that have hosted gardens for five years ” says Hughes “The sites are a mix of municipalities heritage sites and businesses ” Local greenhouses raise the flowers for the CVB which supplies them to the garden sites This year the 19 gardens total 23 000 sq ft An estimated 115 000 annuals were planted and are maintained by more than 200 community volunteers from May 30 through October 1 In addition to the gardens several local artists painted 18 outdoor “quilt murals” on buildings throughout the county Murals are 11 by 11 ft The murals and gardens are part of the draw for visitors travelling the county’s 90-mile Heritage Trail Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau 219 Caravan Dr Elkhart Ind 46514 ph 800 250-4827; ecconv@amishcountry org; www amishcountry org

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