Garrett’s Light, his Butterfly Garden
Garrett, a twenty-month-old angel, looks down from heaven and sees a large group, planting and weeding the garden built in his honor at Quiet Waters Park. He smiles as he sees his dad, Lee Feldmann, greeting the Midshipmen: “ It’s so great for all of you to come on this lovely Saturday morning to help us plant and weed! We are so thankful!”
There are his big brothers, Carter and Shane, fourteen years old now playing with their young cousins Miles, Preston, Zoe and Asher. Oh, and his little sister Emily, who was born four years after he died. Garrett sees sweet Emily sweeping pine needles off the sidewalk with the long-handled broom which is twice as big as she is. There is his mom, Kathryn with her boxes of donuts and bagels. “ Come on over and help yourselves, there is plenty to eat and coffee too!”
Garrett is touched that his Godfather, Uncle Bob has come to help cover the ground with pine needle mulch along with his sons Chet, and Joe, their wives, and children as well as his brother Eric. Carol Mason, Garrett’s aunt has been working all morning. She is a terrific gardener and everyone asks her for advice. Friends of Lee and Kathryn have come in droves as well. Everyone is moved by the death of little Garrett eight years ago.
It was December 16, 2008. Garrett was fine the day before. When morning came, Kathryn and Lee found Garrett not breathing, their lives stopped and changed forever. All were desperate to find the cause of this devastating event, but the doctors were never able to find the cause of death. As the pain seeped through their every pore, the parents looked for a way to cope, to heal. Their friend Elicia Brand-Leudemann met with them and together they conceived of building a memorial for Garrett. They decided to build a large and beautiful butterfly and reading garden at Quiet Waters with native plants that children could play in and learn from. A quiet place with benches so one could sit, read, and contemplate, surrounded by nature’s beauty. They worked hard to promote this idea and received permission from the county, the park administrators, and the board of Friends of Quiet Waters of which both parents became active members. They initially worked with Frank Mancuso who was the Director of Anne Arundel County Recs and Parks and were fortunate that he shared their vision and promoted to the new incoming Director Rick Anthony who is still in the same position today. They were able to get free consulting from Anne Guilette who owned and operated Low Impact Design Group in this area, as well as Mel Wilkins, a terrific environmental consultant and Project Manager. They helped in the plan for the Reading and Butterfly Garden, W.E.E. (Watershed Education Experience) this was all approved by the County by the end of 2009, coinciding with the 1st Annual Family Music and Kite Festival, the first in the Fall of 2009.
The Feldmanns kept fundraising with Spring FMKF in 2010, and 2011. They raised enough money through benefit events (Rams Head - Monte Montgomery benefit concert September 2011), grants, and sponsorships (approx. $125K) to break ground in the Fall of 2011 (Ground Breaking event was the day before our benefit concert at the Rams Head) with completion and Grand Opening in the Spring of 2012. This beautiful garden is situated alongside the reflecting pool and fountain just below the Visitors’ Center. Every year around Earth Day and Garrett’s birthday, family and friends come together to replant, weed, and care for this garden. However, the garden needs tending often. Two years ago, a retired dentist, who lives in Crownsville, Gary Scaggs, volunteered to be the gardener in charge of Garrett’s Light. He started first as a visitor to the dog park and noticed it
needed shade trees. He asked the park horticulturist if he might work on improving the garden area of the dog park. Since Quiet Waters staff are busy with so many things to do, capable volunteers are warmly welcomed. Soon Gary noticed that Garrett’s butterfly and reading garden could also use pruning, tilling, and weeding. He received permission to work on this garden as his primary project. He spends around six hours daily four to five days a week tending the irises, blanket flowers, blue star flowers, black-eyed Susans, witch hazel, blue-eyed grass, coneflower, joe pieweed, and swamp milkweed, among many other beautiful blossoming plants. Gary says, “ It’s hard to get people to help regularly. I just count on myself. My years of military service trained me to work hard. It seems nowadays that everyone is hooked on technology. If the whole system fails, it’s okay, because I’ll still have these lovely plants to tend to.”
The results are spectacular. Could he use help? Absolutely, just call Quiet Waters Park and volunteer.