Project Story
Over the past several years, TruNorth Landscaping has partnered with The Botanic Gardens at Historic Barns Park to help turn the historic grounds into a premier community destination. Working closely with a team of landscape architects, designers, and Tribal consultants, TruNorth handled the physical installation of the hardscape elements that guide visitors through the gardens today.
The work spans several distinct areas of the park, including Lucille’s Garden, the Stable Garden, and the amphitheater. The team laid bluestone and paver patios, constructed gravel walkways, and placed large boulder retention walls that double as natural seating. TruNorth also handled the specialized installation of the famous Colantha, the cow steel sculpture, as well as a carefully calculated, structurally precise Native American Medicine Wheel.
Every path, wall, and patio was built to give visitors a functional, beautiful way to experience the gardens while respecting the natural and cultural history of the land.
Project Features
- Bluestone patios
- Medicine wheel installation
- Gravel & paver walkways
- Boulder seating walls
- Sculpture base
- Native planting spaces
Project Gallery
TruNorth Landscaping completed these projects in collaboration with the following experts:
Joanne Cook – Consultation for Native American Medicine Wheel and Foraging Meadow (Member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians)
Tera John – Consultation for Native American Medicine Wheel and Foraging Meadow (Member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians)
Laurel Voran – Landscape Designer for Native American Medicine Wheel and Foraging Meadow, Planting Plan Design and Placement for Lucille’s Garden and Pollinator Garden
Maria Tucker – Landscape Architect for Native American Medicine Wheel and Foraging Meadow, Gate Design at the Stable Garden
Nelson Byrd Woltz – Landscape Design for the Stables Garden and Lucille’s Garden
Dan Nichols – Stables Garden Fabrication
Matthew Ross – Planting Design and Support for Native American Medicine Wheel and Foraging Meadow
