Jacksonville's Pocket Park

January 2010 - The City of Jacksonville, Alabama, has almost completed a new pocket park that highlights winter garden features, including winter flowering plants and plants with profound winter interest. Located on the northwest corner of Church & Ladiga Streets, the park adds urban green space that would have been absorbed into a new parking lot.

Not only does the garden provide green space and an urban retreat near the downtown shopping area - complete with benches and a pergola - but it also provides an educational aspect to park visitors. Park visitors will learn about suitable landscape plants for central Alabama that increase winter interest and season-long activity in the garden.

In addition to urban greening and educational aspects, the park has an environmental impact by reducing non-permeable urban surface areas.

The park was designed by Hayes Jackson, ACES, and the installation and financial budget was overseen by city councilman and Master Gardener Truman Norred. Funds were raised locally to purchase plants from local nurseries. Master Gardener and local garden club volunteers provided additional labor along with in-kind services from the City of Jacksonville.

2011 MG Interns spruce up the park (Feb 2011)