Ohio is home to a wide range of industry leaders, including the headquarters for Scott’sMiracle-Gro, near Marysville. This campus aims to serve both employees and the community with various laboratories for research and a community garden that everyone can enjoy. To design and create these gardens, the company brought in Hidden Creek Landscaping, based in Hilliard, Ohio, who won a 2023 Silver Award of Excellence for their work.
“The reward reflects the efforts and determination of the entire Hidden Creek team,” says Craig Jones, the sales manager and account manager. “It also shows off the talent and dedication of all the members.”
The existing campus includes a wellness center, and the company was looking to enhance the outdoor area and make it easily accessible for anyone.
“The goal was to enhance the community garden efforts of the ScottsMiracle-Gro associates,” Jones says. “All food grown within the garden is donated to local food banks, and the garden produces between 4,000 and 5,000 lbs. per year. The design also provided an additional meeting space for associates in a positive and enjoyable environment.”
Another goal was to make this garden feel like a destination while remaining part of the existing campus, so the team created a central axis through the heart of the gardens. They also added the amenities you’d need in a garden and a few extras. Two pergolas were built for shade, along with seating areas, composting containers, washbasins, and raised planters. Tables were placed in several spots to give visitors access to shade and sun, while a raised platform and pavilion were built for team meetings and presentations.
After two months of designing and acquiring the proper permits, Hidden Creek began constructing the gardens.
“The below groundwork was the most extensive part of the project, “Jones says. “Our team removed almost 1,000 cubic yards of soil.”
After taking out the soil, other crucial elements were added, including draining, footers, irrigation, and the electrics. Over 6,000 square feet of permeable pavers were installed to improve the overall drainage, along with granite paths between the raised beds.
One of the main challenges was providing equal access to all the raised beds so people could perform gardening tasks without going to and from other buildings on campus.
“Irrigation was installed to all the garden beds, and we added a wash station for vegetable cleaning,” Jones says. “There were also six separate hose bib areas to provide additional water if needed.”
These amenities also extend beyond gardening.
“The Barndominium was completely wired for electricity and wifi, and electricity was installed on the outdoor desk to charge phones and laptops,” Jones adds.
It didn’t take long for the gardens to make an impact after the final beds were installed.
“ScottsMiracle–Gro conducts an annual ‘spring fling’ as their official kickoff to the planting season, and the associate participation increased tremendously once the garden was installed,” Jones says. “They also use part of the garden for continued research and development. We have received many thank you notes from the associates of SMG, and the produce donated helps the entire community.”
Interested in participating in the Awards of Excellence? Enter your projects by July 29, 2024.
