Pond, Landscape Professionals Donate Garden in Honor of Fallen Police Officer

Carolina Pondscapes Inc., Earth Graphics and Majestic Gardens, all in North Carolina, built this memorial garden in honor of a local police officer who was fatally shot in the line of duty.

In early May, the three pond and water garden companies installed a pondless water feature and landscaping free of charge at the Yadkinville, N.C., home of the late Sgt. Mickey Hutchens. Hutchens was an officer with the Winston-Salem Police Department when, in October 2009, he was fatally shot while pursuing a suspect, according to reports.

The garden is designed to serve as a sanctuary for Hutchens’ widow, Beth, to reflect on the memory of her husband. Carolina Pondscapes owner Alan Koontz said he often gives back to the community, but when Doug Owen of Majestic Gardens approached him with the idea for the memorial garden, it resonated with him. Koontz himself is a former police officer.

“It’s a brotherhood thing,” Koontz said.

The pondless water feature measures about 15-feet by 20-feet and incorporates natural boulders, some weighing more than 500 pounds, Koontz said. He estimated the cost of the feature at about $4,000 to $5,000. The memorial garden includes various aquatic plants, Koontz said, for a total size of about 30-feet by 30-feet.

All the time and materials were donated for the project.

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Pond, Landscape Professionals Donate Garden in Honor of Fallen Police Officer

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