Orange Grove Center will be celebrating the newly renovated Orange Grove Nature Park at an open house on Friday, July 24, 9:00am to Noon at 615 Derby Street.
Thanks to a Green Grant from the City of Chattanooga, the Master Gardeners of Hamilton County, and numerous volunteers, significant renovations have been made to the outdoor space at Orange Grove Center.
The once overgrown ornamental garden has been transformed into the remarkable Orange Grove Nature Park, supporting native biodiversity, sustainability, and accessibility.
Eighty-eight volunteers from the Chattanooga area joined together and donated a total of 544.5 hours since January 2025 to refurbish the raised bed flower garden.
Leading the charge of this exceptional transformation was MGHC, led by members Bill and Sandy Lusk. Since the organization began over 30 years ago, MGHC has been dedicated to serving and educating the Chattanooga area through their project gardens and classes.
Sandy Lusk is also on the Board of Directors at OGC, and the passion she and her husband have had for this project has been clear since the project began in 2023. “This project demonstrates what can happen when community partners come together with a shared vision,” says Sandy Lusk. “We are so proud to create a space that will serve Orange Grove and the Chattanooga community for years to come.”
OGNP is now a beautiful home to numerous native plants like Coneflowers and Wild Bergamot, which are known to help reduce cold severity and ease congestion. The newly planted Whorled Sunflowers and Cup Plants support regional biodiversity and attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. OGNP is an inclusive, diverse, and beautiful space for people to connect with nature.
Pervious pavers have now replaced the old 600-foot asphalt path. This not only makes the garden both easy to navigate and more beautiful than ever before. Because of these pavers, OGNP has become one of the City’s assets for stormwater management. Rainwater can now soak easily into the ground, helping to prevent flooding while simultaneously filtering out pollutants.
Founded in 1953, Orange Grove Center is a private, non-profit organization that serves 1,000+ adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the Chattanooga and North Georgia areas. For more information about programs and services, visit www.orangegrovecenter.org.