Special thanks to this year’s Taste of the Gardens Sponsors! $5000 D & W Inc $2500 1st Source Bank $2000 Chiphone Federal Credit Union INOVA Federal Credit Union The Elkhart Truth – In Kind Sponsor $1000 Cornerstone CPA Group, LLP First State Bank Homan Lumber Mart, Inc Indiana Trust & Investment Management Company Stifel – The Elkhart Group Vala Marketing – In Kind Sponsor $500 A-One Signs & Graphics Collins & Company Crowe Horwath, LLP DJ Construction J A Wagner Construction Inc Mutual Bank Terry and Stacey Rodino Artist Award …Read More
Story of the Gardens
The Story of the Gardens
The Elkhart Rotary Club conceived the Gardens as a community service project in 2002 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Rotary International. Over two years, the Club worked with a community steering committee to research and develop the concept, interview landscape architects and raise funds to create a Master Plan for Wellfield Botanic Gardens.
The project was officially handed over to the Wellfield Botanic Gardens Board of Directors in 2005 to begin implementation of the Master Plan, which envisages 25 themed garden and event spaces, as well as a visitors center and guest amenities.
A 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, Wellfield Botanic Gardens derives all operating capital, development costs and endowment from private donations, earned revenue, memberships and grants. 36 acres in size, half of which are water, Wellfield resides on a historical piece of property originally known as the “North Main Street Well Field.” The property has been a source of hydraulic energy and drinking water for the City of Elkhart since the mid-1800s. Wellfield Botanic Gardens has a long-term lease agreement with the City of Elkhart, which still owns and operates 13 active wells on the site, providing the majority of drinking water for the community.
The Mission of Wellfield Botanic Gardens is to celebrate the inseparable relationship between water and life, inspire creativity and lifelong learning, foster stewardship of our natural world, and grow community.
Visit www.wellfieldgardens.org to learn more or to get involved!