Why Is This My Special Garden?
By Donna S. Grummich, Grateful Mother and New CGC Board Member
When I first visited the Civic Garden Center (CGC), my children were still small enough to reach for my hand as we walked among the flowers and under the trees. Although there are many other parks in Cincinnati we could have visited, something about this place—the calm, the colors, the quiet hum of nature—felt like stepping into our own secret garden.
Over the years, this garden has become remarkably significant to us. It serves as a touchstone for some of my life’s simplest pleasures and sweetest memories of afternoons with my children. After they grew up, I continued to visit this place of calm and beauty. Gradually, the garden wove itself into the fabric of our family's story, where the past and future meet amid the blooms.
Years passed. My son grew up, and when he became a father, he brought his own daughter to this same garden. Watching him walk the same paths and point out butterflies and blossoms to his little one, fills my heart in ways words can’t quite capture. As I move into a new chapter of life—retirement, reflection—I find myself returning again, drawn by memory and meaning. The garden continues to nurture me, offering beauty and solace.
A friend who once served on the CGC board introduced me to the wonderful team of staff and volunteers who tend the garden. Inspired, I joined the Dirt Crew on a chilly March morning. We dig, weed, prune and mulch each week, feeding compost piles and repairing overgrown paths. These small acts feel significant, like planting seeds of care for our community’s well-being.
Now, I’m honored to serve on the CGC’s Board. It’s a role that humbles and energizes me. I help support the garden’s mission of outreach, education and stewardship—ensuring it remains a thriving space for both people and plants. This garden is a unique part of our city—a place where knowledge is passed down, beauty is shared and the Earth is celebrated. It is my privilege to contribute ideas and leadership to the events and fundraising activities that are crucial to continuing and expanding our mission and vision.
One of our most delightful and significant events will take place at the very beginning of May—GrowFest on Saturday, May 3. Unfortunately, I will miss it this year because I am on vacation with my daughter. But future events are already on my calendar, so I won’t miss a chance to cultivate a little piece of the CGC in my own garden and heart.
How can a small garden that people drive by without noticing hold such deep meaning for me? It is more than just a stroll down memory lane; it serves as a pathway to what community collaboration can achieve and a promise of what future generations can inherit when we care, connect and cultivate together.