Community Garden of the Month

My choice for February's Community Garden of the Month is First Federal Savings Bank on the corner of Fort Campbell Boulevard and Hwy 374. When I stopped in there yesterday afternoon, the ladies at the bank were quite nice and were happy to let me take pictures. They referred me to Mr. Bill Harpel, a Vice President of the bank who works at their main office off from Madison Street.

I may have confused Mr. Harpel when I said I wanted to spotlight the bank's garden. My idea of a garden is not always the same as others. I feel landscaping around a business is a garden because there are growing living things in it. Most people and probably also Bill, think of the landscaping around a business as landscaping and not a garden. It is definitely that too.

While at the bank the ladies asked me what made me choose their bank's garden and how do I make my choices. It is usually quite easy for me. Each garden I chose is a garden which has a special structural feature or is a garden which spotlights the building it surrounds and in doing so, enhances the community. Up to this point it has been a garden I often see, so most of them have been limited to the north side of town, which is where I live and travel. I will try to discover some gardens in other parts of town that I can work in, but do not promise. I do try to vary my travels and am always looking so please, readers in other parts of town not highlighted, do not feel slighted.

I like the unique and I like low maintenance, and I especially like it that someone at some point had the foresight to think about the landscaping around a business. Landscaping is SO important to not only homes, but to businesses. I am sure some business owners may think that landscaping is an expense they can do without, but the bottomline would say no. The amount a business owner invests in his or her business is returned twofold in the goodwill it brings to the community. When a community feels good about a business, that business will be recognized through word of mouth and return business. Great curb appeal will also bring in new customers. It is then up to the business to keep them returning.

The community can also appreciate the business owner who cares enough about his or her community to actually take the time to fix up his or her business. It is the same about a homeowner. How you maintain your home says alot about how you feel about your community. Simple maintenance does not require a great amount of money so that is not an excuse not to spruce up a home or business. So many businesses in town are in need of sprucing up that the ones which are spruced up just seem to shine. And let me tell you, I NEVER enter banks so for me to go into this bank took a lot, but I felt strongly I should talk about it. That is all due to the landscaping, and in this case the hardscaping as well.

This particular bank is on a corner of two roads I traverse many, many times. I have always noticed the garden and especially the huge block wall in front of the bank. The huge block wall in front of the building is actually a wall for the retaining pond. Mr. Harpel told me the bank built this building in 1996, and I believe the bypass came through after it was built.

People sometimes don't realize just how much runoff is caused by roads, parking lots and buildings. The retaining pond area in front of the bank is used to contain some of that runoff from both the bank and the bypass. When runoff is contained, we all benefit in that erosion is reduced and there is less chance of pollutants flowing directly into the drinking water. I have a special concern for runoff water, but that is a subject for an entirely different post.


This wall is visible from Fort Campbell Blvd and looks absolutely great. There are cascading plants hanging down the blocks, and seasonal color during the growing season. Upon driving into the parking lot, something I had never did before, I was even more delighted to discover the landscaping continued all the way to the bank. Just look at their marquee sign, what is planted next to it? A great southern magnolia.

The second picture shows the wall with the cascading plant, which I believe is some type of juniper, though I did not check it closely. But if you look past the wall and the juniper, what else do you see? Even the lighting is quite attractive and is a step above traditional parking lot lighting.

The third and fourth pictures are along the parking lot. I did notice the crepe myrtles were pruned but I won't hold that against the business. Maybe they were pruned after the late freeze last year, let's hope so, but even so, it is their garden.

The next time you are in the area of Hwy 374 and Fort Campbell Blvd heading south, be sure to look over at First Federal Savings Bank. Maybe some of the features they have used in their landscaping can be used at your home or business. This garden is definitely a structurally sound garden; which highlights the business and enhances the community, that is why it is my choice for February's Community Garden of the Month.

in the garden....