Rotary Gardens needs rescuing
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The Japanese garden at Janesville’s Rotary Gardens has many areas under water because of recent heavy rains and over-saturation of the ground. Gary Smith, interim director of the gardens, says damage caused by the high water will be both costly and time-consuming to repair.
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Many plants at Rotary Gardens are beginning to die because they’ve been under water for too long. Gardens officials expect many plants will have to be replaced, and they hope private donations will help finance the project.
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The gazebo area in the Rotary Gardens in Janesville has been affected by the recent flooding.
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The Sunken Garden at Janesville's Rotary Gardens truly is sunken these days, thanks to heavy rains this spring and summer and over-saturated property unable to take on any more moisture.
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The Japanese Zig-Zag Bridge and the Japanese Bridge at the Rotary Gardens in Janesville have both been affected by the recent flooding. The Zig-Zag Bridge is almost entirely underwater, while the Japanese Bridge has water over both sides.
JANESVILLE — Parts of Rotary Gardens are drowning, and Gardens folks are looking for financial life preservers.
“We’re estimating a minimum $10,000 damage, and that’s before Thursday night’s rain,” said Gary Smith, who is volunteering as Rotary Gardens’ interim executive director.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if that doubles, and it’s not budgeted,” Smith said. “We (typically) run below the bone on the budget. This is going to hurt.
“It’s really going to hurt.”
The flood damaging Rotary Garden is not overflow from the Rock River, but over-saturation from heavy rains that have soaked southern Wisconsin this spring and summer.
Even when Janesville is dry, the Rotary Gardens area is wet because the gardens are nestled next to spring-fed ponds. The small pond behind the gardens is connected to the large pond that Lions Beach sits on.
Nearby is the separate spring-fed Kiwanis Pond, and draining into the ponds and gardens is Blackhawk Golf Course, said Larry Olsen, Rotary Gardens landscape manager.
Because the ground is saturated, more water is flowing from the springs feeding the ponds. The ponds are overflowing—about 40 inches over normal depth—drainage areas are filled, and there’s no dry ground to absorb the excess water, Olsen explained.
And another 4.5 inches of rain fell on the gardens Thursday and Friday, Olsen reported.
“We’re always looking for donations, just for the ongoing maintenance of the gardens,” Smith said. “There are no tax dollars supporting us. …
“We’re looking for any and all the help we can get. We always need volunteer help, but right now we need money,” he said.
The nature that Rotary Gardens celebrates has dealt the international botanical gardens a blow that will take years to assess and thousands of dollars to repair, Smith and Olsen said.
Water has turned much of the white gravel in the gardens’ walks and what was the dry sea in the Japanese garden a rusty orange. The gravel will have to be replaced, Olsen said.
Rotary Gardens has had to move weddings from preferred locations—such as the French, sunken and gazebo gardens—to other locations on the grounds because of standing water or ground so sodden that chairs sink into it, Smith said.
So far, no weddings have had to move entirely from Rotary Gardens.
Trees are drowning because their roots have been under water for days, but it will take years for them to die, Olsen said.
The zigzag bridge in the Japanese garden is submerged. Both ends of the arched bridge in the Japanese garden are under water.
“We may have to replace the (arched) bridge,” Smith said. “A lot of the plants where we’ve had floods have been under water for nine weeks. They’re not going to come out of it.
“They’re shot.”
Standing water destroys lawns in a matter of days, Olsen said.
“We’re going to have to do a lot of reseeding. It’s going to be a month before some of these areas dry out, and that’s without any more heavy rain,” he said as he eyed low, heavy, gray clouds Saturday morning.
He estimated that a half-acre of the gardens’ 15 acres is submerged.
“You have something in the gardens that’s taken five or six years to grow,” Olsen said. “You can’t really replace it.
“It will take another five or six years to grow.”
Jul 28, 2008 at 2:43 p.m.
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I heard on radio they are trying to get skate park going at palmer or the old ball age on jackson.
Maybe you lost the bmx to yahr because it wasnt used much and if the city didnt really regonize it. I am not trying to argue just trying to figure out why they built a garden over a skate park. I think may more visters to the gardens than skate park.
no problem with your beliefs on if you want to doante to gardens or not. times are tough and i havent even been there this year. and have to keep up with mine own too and those BEETLES.
Jul 28, 2008 at 12:54 a.m.
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hannah~ "you asked "why should i need to raise donation?"
because their isnt a skate park. Maybe someother wealthy guy will donate land someday for this."
But, THERE "WAS" A BMX TRACK, BEFORE the Gardens though!! :)....UNDERSTAND now?! ;) The city "donated" THIS land (...or my beloved BMX Track!! lol! :) to the Yahr's to build THEIR gardens & I feel I have NO RESPONSIBILITY to PAY for the <THEIR!> UPKEEP, because...I HAVE MY OWN!! :) :) :) Forgive me for 'feeling' that way (I guess!!! :), but I DO!! ;)
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My Garden is NOT quite as "exotic" as the Rotary Gardens (lol!) or many other peoples, but I AGREE..."want to share some plants- I dont mind sharing because yes i know it is expensinve." ;) ;) ;) This fall perhaps! :)
Jul 26, 2008 at 3:22 p.m.
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you asked "why should i need to raise donation?"
because their isnt a skate park. Maybe someother wealthy guy will donate land someday for this. I have gardens too and love them but it is always nice to see others. you can email me if you want any ideas or want to share some plants- I dont mind sharing because yes i know it is expensinve. Let me know. I am sure we wll get along.I have been on garden tours and pond tours before. So it is also pretty to look at.
Jul 19, 2008 at 12:15 a.m.
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"Maybe you should have bought the BMX trail from the city then before the land was donated as you say it was to the Yahrs.", hannah said.
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DID "THEY" BUY IT? NO!! Why should I (or the MANY others who used it!) have had to then? (...WAY back when!! lol!:)
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.."I dont think Yarh are fools to contribute THEIR money on something they enjoy and want others to enjoy too." you also said. Like I said before...FOOLS OF THEM to spend MILLIONS on the Gardens in the first place, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THE UPKEEP!! That's THEIR upkeep, hannah!!...NOT ANYBODY ELSE'S RESPONSIBILITY!! ..I can go for FREE for ex:
1.) In my OWN yard & see "MY" own BEAUTIFUL flowers!! And believe you me, I KNOW ALL ABOUT "COST", as well as ALL the TIME SPENT! ;) <..I'm NOT done yet though, w/ MY yard! lol! :) When I AM, I'll invite you over! lol! SERIOUSLY!> But, MAYBE if my children had SOMETHING to keep them busy (Besides me!) like a BMX track..I'd be able to get it DONE sooner!! :)
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2.) A walk around the neighborhood & see OTHER people's BEAUTIFUL flowers!! ALL FOR FREE! :) :) :)
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~BTW~ Why should I HAVE TO GO "raise" NOT FOR PROFIT funds for ANOTHER track??!! When one was ALREADY there & those who made "Gardens" into it ARE ALWAYS BEGGING FOR MONEY??! FYI~I ALSO PAID MY "DONATION(S)", NOW I'LL LEAVE "MINE" TO YOU! :)
Jul 17, 2008 at 2:43 p.m.
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also sorry to say more range of people and ages of people will enjoy this garden vs bmx track.
So why cant you raise nonprofit funds and get another bmx track going? I though my idea of a combo bmx/skate park was a good idea. Are they still trying to get that skate park going?
Jul 17, 2008 at 2:39 p.m.
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just because they are non profit doesnt mean it doesnt cost money to run.
Jul 17, 2008 at 2:37 p.m.
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socialfor life- i can see youre not a gardener. it takes LOTS of money to do all of the gardens they have there. Money for plants,hardscapes,watering,upkeep,vandalism.Yes they have volenteers but it still cost money for the stuff. I dont think Yarh are fools to contribute THEIR money on something they enjoy and want others to enjoy too. Maybe you should have bought the BMX trail from the city then before the land was donated as you say it was to the Yahrs. I do donate thanks for asking.
Jul 16, 2008 at 11:53 p.m.
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Do some more research Hannah. This property was "city" owned & they gave no cr*p about it, which is why..."later became a holding area for items unwanted by the city." But the BMX riders who used it DID give a cr*p & moved the cr*p ALL THE TIME! (...Very gingerly I might add! lol!)
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Why do you think it's NOT-FOR-PROFIT there at the Gardens, Hannah? (hmmmmmmmm?!) Could it be the land was just "given" to the Yahr's? I suppose (..I know I DO!) you could say FOOLS OF THEM to spend MILLIONS on the Gardens in the first place, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THE UPKEEP!! (..And YES, I HAVE "paid" my so-called "donation(s)" of $5 MANY TIMES <due to the MANY "heart-wretching" tales/articles of the Gardens in the paper, which seemingly ALWAYS are asking for money! :( >, BUT now that YOU'VE reminded me, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO!!...I'll leave THAT to YOU!!)
http://www.rotarygardens.org/gardeninfo....
Opinionsforfree~ Your name just says it all! ;) Too funny you are....
Jul 14, 2008 at 10:17 a.m.
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as I mentioned before. Lets spend this $700k or $500 whatever it is (tunnel)on things that ARE NEEDED> not on "just in case" .
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I also dont see a problem asking for $5-7 to get into see it!!! Anywhere you go on vacation $ for this attraction and $ for that one. A donation box at the from gate probably isnt effective enough because some people are too cheap to put money in it!!
If you want a New BMX track then start raising money for it/ maybe have a combo/bmx/shate park.
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Also I dont think Dr and Nancy(rip) Yahr wanted a bmx when they founded this garden and put millions of their own money into it. So I guess NO they didnt have to ask YOU for the permission to build this well know garden. I do think they should change the name so people dont get it confused with a smalll garden that a rotary club may have made. Botanicle would work better and
I do believe they have dicussed it before.
Opinions for free -funny but shouldnt have said outloud it think.
Jul 14, 2008 at 10:14 a.m.
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Boo hoo. if you need a BMX track go build one.
Jul 14, 2008 at 9:18 a.m.
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Opinionsforfree, no - but they do have a bmx track at the 2008 Olympics. It's too bad we can't look forward to any citizens from Janesville being Olympic Champions.
Jul 14, 2008 at 8:54 a.m.
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soside4life, dont they have a BMX track in your trailer park?
Jul 14, 2008 at 8:14 a.m.
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Thanks JasonTh. I agree their website needs updating. Like you mention, a donation link for annoymous donors would be more effective. That is not to say they couldn't still have regular membership donors as well.
Jul 14, 2008 at 7:47 a.m.
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Unindentified has a good idea... the Gardens bring in folks from around the world. Chances are if they knew more about the flooding and need for funding, some people would be willing to donate online.
Their website needs to be updated with this call for help and a link to a donation site. I'm betting more people would donate anonymously than signup to be a "Friend of the garden" and the local folks around here are already dealing with their own disaster - make this a global call for help.
Once you get the donation link working, spread the word on high traffic sites like Digg, MySpace, flickr, LiveJournal, Orkut, Friendster, and others. You can literally get tens of millions of people to view this with little or no spending.
If anyone at the garden would like to discuss this, email me I'll be glad to help in anyway I can.
Jul 14, 2008 at 2:28 a.m.
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I ALSO remember the BMX track! lol! :) BRING IT BACK PLEASE!!! :) :) :)... For my own kids to ENJOY! :)
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I SERIOUSLY mean NO offense here, the Rotary Gardens are VERY nice, (..OK, BEAUTIFUL! :)...I LOVE FLOWERS/GARDENING myself!! :) BUT....I don't recall myself or many others "ASKING" for this garden to begin with!...I THOUGHT it was a "contribution" by "persons" to the community of Janesville!!... But yet, each time I try to "enjoy" it...it's ALWAYS asking for MONEY???!...WHY IS THAT?!
:( :( :(
Jul 14, 2008 at 12:48 a.m.
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This would be a good project for teens and kids. Get them outside, see nature, maybe even have some people teach them some things about the diffrent plants and such. Does anyone know if the fishes were safe?
Jul 14, 2008 at 12:34 a.m.
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One of the few diamonds in the rough, so to speak, for Janesville and this is the reaction. I’ll keep this in the back of my mind the next time someone mentions Janesville’s “Lack of things to do.”
Jul 14, 2008 at 12:27 a.m.
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The creators of this area should have had the foresight to notice it was in a flood plain of sorts.....I mean, the history was there, why did "they" take their chances?
I have no sympathy for this project.
Jul 13, 2008 at 8:48 p.m.
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I remember when garden was a bmx track.They should of fixed that instead of wrecking the beach.Fishing was good till the garden brought foriegn fish and plants.Dam geese love it there.Send them money to fix the beach and fishing YES.ELIMINATE GEESE,AND FORIEGN FISH.
Jul 13, 2008 at 5:28 p.m.
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Oh how true mymaro!! Perhaps the punks that have done damage in the past should donate money to help.
Jul 13, 2008 at 4:14 p.m.
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So sad this is happening to such a beautiful place. Hopefully it doesnt get any worse and they are able to get things fixed back up. At least its mother nature doing the damage instead of some young punks that think they are cool.
Jul 13, 2008 at 2:35 p.m.
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You can become a friend or member by calling the Gardens:
http://www.rotarygardens.org/FriendMembe...
Jul 13, 2008 at 11:24 a.m.
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Could the Gazette set up a donation link from this website? This can be done with PayPal. I can’t afford to donate much because I’m laid off, but an online line would allow people to donate small sums of money. I’ll certainly donate what I can. The Gardens is one of the true treasures in Janesville. My wife and I got married there. If anyone out there has the financial means to help, please do what you can.
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