Ann’s Labyrinth & Garden Club Memorial Beds

Ann’s Labyrinth and the Garden Club Memorial beds were projects initiated by the Shepherd Park Plaza (SPP) Garden Club in 2011 under the leadership of the Garden Club president of the time, Alice Bongers.

Ann’s Labyrinth was founded on April 30, 2011 by SPP Garden Club members, Jeanette Blesner and Alice Bongers. The labyrinth was dedicated in honor of their friend, Ann Scardino, who was one of the founding members of the SPP Garden Club. Ann lived in the Shepherd Park Plaza neighborhood and passed away at the age of 91 on March 11, 2011. Ann’s Labyrinth is an outdoor, seven-circuit Medieval-style labyrinth with crushed granite and limestone blocks. The labyrinth is 56 feet in diameter with 3-foot-wide pathways to accommodate wheelchairs, walkers or baby strollers. Limestone blocks define the paths of crushed granite, and flagstone is placed at the labyrinth’s entrance and center. Benches in the center and at the entrance invite visitors to sit and enjoy the peace of the park and meditate. For those new to labyrinths, a labyrinth is designed to provide a single path in and out (so there can be no confusion as to where to go). It is a confined, guided walk with many turns toward a center. It is designed to let you walk in a compact area while you let your mind relax and meditate. A labyrinth is not a maze. Initial funding for Ann’s Labyrinth was provided in part by a matching grant from the City of Houston. Ann’s Labyrinth was refreshed in June 2013 by Troop 604 Eagle Scout Andreas Zierau. It continues to be supported and maintained by joint efforts of the Garden Club and SPP Civic Club through the years.


Directions:
Park entrance near Dunsmere Rd and Cheshire Ln, 77018; Ann’s Labyrinth is about 200 ft beyond the park sign

Awards:
Ann’s Labyrinth won an Honorable Mention Award in the 2011 27th Annual Keep Houston Beautiful competition

References:
http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/
The Labyrinth Society: The Labyrinth Society: Learn about Labyrinths

Photos and articles below courtesy of the SPP Garden Club archives from 2011.