Staff Reports

The Bella Vista Garden Club once again has been awarded the First Place Heritage Award by the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs. The Heritage Award is given annually to garden clubs involved in landscape renovation, maintenance, or indoor decorating of a historically significant property. Properties may include commemorative parks, memorial gardens, cemeteries and public buildings.

The Bella Vista Memorial Garden Cemetery was designed by famous architect E. Fay Jones to preserve its garden setting. It includes 27 acres, part of which is the Buxton Cemetery, established in 1845 as a resting place for 126 area pioneers.

The Bella Vista Garden Club has made the cemetery an annual project for the last 20 years, working with the cemetery board and other volunteers to add, maintain and restore plantings and preserve the existing gardens and features. Memorial and Veteran's Day ceremonies are held annually, and a tour of the cemetery was sponsored by the Bella Vista Historical Society as a fundraiser for the Bella Vista Museum. On Aug. 16, the Garden Club held its bi-annual cemetery cleanup which included fall trimming, planting and preparing for winter.

"Of special interest at our cemetery are the Astronaut Memorial Garden, the Meditation Garden, the Gazebo Garden and the Butterfly Garden," said Mary Doyle, director of the Garden Club cemetery committee.

"The Cemetery Association is grateful for the continuing contributions of the Bella Vista Garden Club," said Donna Fallin, cemetery board public relations spokesperson. "Because of their long-time efforts, our cemetery is one of the most beautiful in the area. We are about to finish building a brick path through the Butterfly garden. The path will enhance the beauty of the garden and help us raise money to support the cemetery by offering engraved memorial bricks. The memorial brick campaign will kick off in October 2018."