The Full Story
What's Going On In Our Parks
Our neighborhood is fortunate to have 3 public parks within our boundaries: E.W. Grove Park, Sunset Park and the Griffing Rose Garden. Our neighborhood takes responsibility for the additional care and maintenance and new plantings to keep these 3 parks looking good. Creating inviting green spaces for the community to enjoy would not be possible without the hard work and support of GPSMNA members. Click here and donate today to support our ongoing efforts; all donations are tax deductible.
E.W. GROVE PARK
In 1909, Edwin Wiley Grove commissioned Chauncey Beadle, then nurseryman at the Biltmore Estate, to design a landscape plan for the E. W. Grove Park. Over one hundred years later, our neighborhood took on the extensive project of restoring Beadle’s vision for the Park and making it more accessible and enjoyable for neighbors. With funds raised from our annual Tour of Homes, we created beds of slow-growing native shrubs, native hydrangeas, azaleas and trees. The design retained the park’s open spaces so current activities such as pick–up Frisbee and soccer games, leisurely picnics, strolls and dog walks can continue. The historic stone wall with its distinctive beehive motif and the 2 trolley houses were meticulously restored 2017-2019.
The next phase of restoration in E.W. Grove Park will be to re-create the connection between the upper Park and the lower Park, located behind the Preservation Society. This little known and little used part of the Park has many mature trees and one tree in this area is nominated as a Treasure Tree of Asheville. GPSMNA recently received one of the City of Asheville’s Neighborhood Matching Grants to help us start the restoration process in this part of E.W. Grove Park.
GRIFFING BOULEVARD ROSE GARDEN
Our plans to restore and re-vision the historic Rose Garden came to fruition in 2021. Work started with the removal of 17 dead or dying hemlocks, as well as removal of all diseased roses and overgrown shrubs. Following the plan approved by our neighborhood, we restored the garden’s center walkway and added a statement magnolia tree in the center. Hardy roses and boxwoods were planted at the sides of the walkway and an expandable irrigation system added. 20 new native trees were also planted throughout the park. Some boxwoods will be replaced in 2022 and we have plans for the installation of another planting bed on the east end of the park.
SUNSET PARKWAY
Sunset Park is the third of our three neighborhood parks and the next park scheduled for rejuvenation. In 2021, we conducted a survey of neighbors to determine what they know about the park, how they use the park today, and what they would like the park to be in the future. In 2022, we will form a steering committee of neighbors, representatives from the City of Asheville’s Parks and Recreation Department and our newly selected landscaping/maintenance provider to develop plans to present to our neighborhood and any other interested stakeholders. Our goal is to have an approved plan for the west end of the park and work started by the fall of 2022 at the latest.
The ravine portion of Sunset Park remains a challenge and we have used goats to tamp down the invasives and volunteer clean-up days have been organized in the spring. GPSMNA also still has a magnificent landscape plan that gives us a vision of what this portion of the park could be. However, restoring the ravine path will require substantial infrastructure work along with the funding to match.