Hot and Cold Tower Gardens
In the Spring of 1995, members of the Centennial HEU (Homemakers Education Unit), saw the need to clean-up and beautify the area underneath the Hot and Cold Water Towers. After receiving permission from the City of Pratt, the ladies got busy! They cleared the area of weeds and debris, roto-tilled the area, installed a water hydrant and park bench, and then proceeded to plant lush, vibrant gardens.
Over the years these gardens morphed and grew into a tangled jungle – the original garden crew and other volunteers were no longer able or available to care for it anymore. Although it was still a beautiful spot, the overgrown mess needed to be addressed. In the Fall of 2023, the City leveled the gardens, creating a clean slate to build upon.
Since then, a small group of volunteers, including the last remaining original gardener, received permission to replant the gardens. A plan was made, and a lot of work has been completed:
- The Towers were sandblasted and repainted.
- New hydrants were installed.
- Electricity was run to the site.
- Concrete pathways and patios were poured.
Further work, not paid for by The City, will be required for the garden to become sustainable in the long term. Basic infrastructure, specifically:
- An Irrigation system to facilitate watering
- Low profile fencing to protect the plantings
- Large plants: Trees, hedges, and shrubs
Low-maintenance and drought-hardy plantings, including Kansas natives, are being designed into the new gardens. They will provide structure and maturity to the primary garden and will constitute a lovely backdrop for annual and perennial flowering plants that our volunteers will sow and maintain.
The larger, more prominent trees and shrubs will need to be purchased and are expensive. However, they are an integral part of the necessary framework to be filled in over time while more work is accomplished on the detailed plantings by volunteer groups. The idea is to divide the garden into four to six sections, with each volunteer group responsible for their assigned section.
Our vision is to create a lovely meditative garden space to be utilized by residents and tourists alike by generating an inviting outdoor meeting area where picnics can be enjoyed with lunch brought in or purchased from one of our amazing local food vendors.
This past year, we applied for several grants that were unable to be fulfilled. Thus, we are asking for community help to fund the purchase and installation of larger plants, irrigation, low-profile fencing, and benches.
Future projects may include signage, memorials, lighting, statuary, murals, and holiday decorations. The gardens could provide a destination for special celebrations.
If enough funds are raised, we will create a special endowment that will provide for the care and maintenance of this community treasure so that future generations can enjoy the glorious gardens for years to come.
We appreciate the community's support in sharing our vision and consideration in providing donations for the re-planting and enriching of these cherished gardens beneath the historical Hot and Cold Water Towers.
