The April Millsap Memorial Garden is a place for everyone to visit, heal and enjoy. It was designed to reflect April's personality and her love of butterflies and flowering plants. The arbor invites you onto the stone and flower lined path where you can rest, reflect for a moment and enjoy the garden. The garden was created for the healing process of April's family, friends, residents of the Village and Township of Armada and the community whose hearts have been touched by one of Armada's Angels. Additional items were worked into the design to provide a respite for those who use the trail to walk, run and bike. Whatever your reason for visiting us, you will come to know April and our town. |
April loved to read and write, especially poetry. A journal placed in the library allows you to read one of her poems, as well as leave a note for all to enjoy. April's mother, Jennifer, visits and enjoys reading notes left in the journal. We hope that you enjoy the books in the Little Library. Sit and read in the garden. If you would like, take a book home with you. Leave a book for children or adults on your next visit for someone else to enjoy. |
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Thank YOU, River Street Flowerland of Kalamazoo for donating the plants for the Butterfly Gardens!
Hardscape items
Custom
Sign & Bench
Emmie Die & Engineering, Brown City Aqua Systems Corporation, Brown City MIT Powder Coating, Kent City Benches Ryan Boyd, Lenox Chris Boyd, Lenox Rob Anargyros, Lenox Lowes White Arbor The Albertson Family, Riley Lowes #1121, Grandville Dog Statue Sherry Eckhardt, Romeo Lynn Siudym, Emmet Birdhouses Julie Risch, Kalamazoo, Julie Shanks, Armada Bell & Post Jean Risch, Dryden The Steel Shop, Chesterfield Bike Rack The Bike Depot, Roseville Mulch Dossin’s Landscaping, Armada Cedar Arbor Richard & Libby Dwyer, Oakland Granite Marker Darci Fennel, Macomb Bike Repair Station Richard Hardy, Armada Field Stone Mr. & Mrs. Hicks, Armada Little Library Kara Keinz, Algonac Cat Statue Jennifer Millsap, Armada Concrete Benches Tammy Zuniga, Grand Blanc Others:
Julie Risch—Project Coordinator
Julie DePoorter—Donations Coordinator Jennifer Millsap—Donations Assistant Jean Persely—Media/Fundraiser Coordinator UAW: Local 2280—Utica Local 228—Sterling Heights Local 400—Utica Thank you to so many people who generously gave of their time, talent and treasures to make this garden come to life! If we missed your name, know that it is an oversight, and we are truly grateful to you. |
Thank YOU to Marine City Nursery in East China for donating all the shrubs in the garden! Weigela, Forsythia, and Hydrangeas will all bloom beautifully in April's Garden!
Plants
Altermatt Farms,
Macomb
American Tree H&G, Almont Blake’s Farms, Almont Bordine’s Nursery, Rochester Brohl’s Flower Garden, Almont Diegel’s Greenhouse, Shelby Twp DTE Energy Elya’s Village Gardens & Greenhouses, Macomb Goike’s Gardens, Bruce Haacks Farm Greenhouse, Columbus Hessel’s Greenhouse, Shelby Twp Julie’s Floral Design, Washington Jusko’s Greenhouse, Richmond Landscape Source, Macomb Lynea Roszczewski, Armada Marine City Nursery, East China Meldrum Brother’s Nursery, New Baltimore Joe Randazzo’s Nursery, Macomb River Street Flowerland, Kalamazoo Telly’s Greenhouse, Shelby Twp Uhlianuks Greenhouses, Armada Van Thommes Greenhouse, Chesterfield Van’s Valley Farm Market, Washington Wade Nursery, Macomb Ray Weigend’s Nursery, Macomb Supplies & Misc
Armada Area Chamber, Meals, Water
Armada Printwear, Armada, T-shirts Blue Water Trucking, Romeo, Water EMP Manufacturing, Chesterfield, Security Bolts ESP Design Studio, Chesterfield, Garden Logo Design Family Farm and Home, Richmond, Fertilizer Foster Blue Water Oil, Richmond, Timbers Lumberjack St. Clair, Concrete, Lumber, Concrete Sleeves Macomb County Roads Dept, Soil Macomb County Master Gardener Association, Grant Main’s Landscape Supply, Southfield, Concrete, Fabric, Edging Pot O Gold, Macomb, Porta-john Vinckier Foods, Armada, Cake, Water Ray Wiegand’s Nursery, Macomb, Butterflies |
Julie Risch
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There are many titles for this big hearted woman: Advanced Master Gardener, Landscape Designer, fearless leader – but she is also the Queen Bee to her many Worker Bees.
Julie reached out last August to discuss a garden for April. Since then, she has spent hundreds of hours planning, coordinating, organizing, designing and redesigning the garden. When she drove out from her Kalamazoo home to install the garden, not only was it the first time she had met April's mother, Jennifer, but the first time she saw the garden site in person. Julie’s dedication, determination, perseverance and sense of humor through adversity, ensured the success of this memorial garden. We have no doubt that under her leadership, this garden will continue growing in memory of April. |