Volunteer Opportunities
The Irvington Garden Club (IGC) is one of the most active garden clubs in Indianapolis and maintains or helps with the upkeep of numerous beautification sites including:
The BENTON HOUSE HISTORIC GARDEN. The BH (1873) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was the home of Dr. and Mrs. Allen Benton. Dr. Benton was President of Butler University for many years when it was located in Irvington. The gardens are landscaped with plants common to the year 1900 and earlier.
Estimated to be between 300 - 400 years old, the KILE (Bur) OAK has a trunk diameter of 15 feet, a spread of 125' and is over 50' tall. The property is being maintained as a habitat garden featuring Indiana native wildflowers and grasses.
LAURA'S COMMUNITY GARDEN is the site of the club's nursery and numerous raised beds.
Located in the 5600 block of East Washington Street, this grouping of PLANTERS enhance a neighborhood shopping area. Nearby, at the corner of Audubon Road and Washington is a NEIGHBORHOOD GATEWAY. Costing over 20,000 dollars to build, this brick and stone structure features two large planted urns.
Flower beds and planters are maintained at the IRVINGTON LIBRARY.
The "KIN" HUBBARD MEMORIAL, a small triangular city park, is dedicated to Frank McKinney, cartoonist, write, humorist, and creator of "Abe Martin."
BROWN'S CORNER is located at the corner of Emerson Avenue and East Washington Street. Another city park, this small landscaped lot is dedicated to the memory of the son of Hilton U Brown, a former editor of the Indianapolis News and long time President of the Board of Trustees of Butler University.
Another memorial, the BONA THOMPSON CENTER, was once the Library of Butler University. It is now the site of the Irvington Historic Society, a collection of the "Hoosier and Irvington Group" paintings, and a public gathering place.
The club's 32 SOUTH WEBSTER POCKET PARK houses playground equipment, picnic tables, benches and raised garden beds. It received both the Mayor's Neighborhood Award and the Indianapolis Foundation's "Most Inspired Place Award" in 2005.
A SHRUB ROSE GARDEN is located along the winding road of Pleasant Run Parkway's North Drive.
IRVINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD GATEWAY is scheduled for updated landscaping and located at the corner of Elizabeth Avenue and East Washington Street.
In concert with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, the club maintains a landscaped MEDIAN just south of the I-70 and Emerson Avenue exchange.
Since, 2000 the club has planted over 600 TREES in Irvington neighborhoods including 100 in storm-damaged Ellenberger Park. With funding, an additional 50 will be planted each fall.
The club assists with the maintenance of OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS at Our Lady of the Lourdes Catholic Church and the Irvington Community School.
But that's not all! The club has signed an agreement with the City of Indianapolis wherein it will maintain the planters and medians included in the EAST WASHINGTON STREET IRVINGTON STREETSCAPE. Given time and resources, the club seeks to create butterfly, rain, children's and biblical garden sites plus an "enabling and sensory" garden for those with disabilities.
At present club and community members plus area groups and master gardeners lend their knowledge, skills and time to assist with the club's beautification endeavors. However, as with such ambitious undertakings, additional volunteers are always needed.
Should you wish to learn more about the Irvington Garden club's projects, make a donation or volunteer contact the Club's Beautification Chairman, Ed Myers at 359-3231. THANKS.
