Members of the John Bartram Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution have planted a Memory Garden at Florida National Cemetery at Bushnell to honor the 100th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The ladies, joined by a few spouses and the lead landscaper from the cemetery, met to remove roots and add amendments to the soil and then plant more than 100 ground covers and flowering plants in red, white and blue. They were joined by Meredith Smith, a retired sentinel who had guarded the tomb for many years. Smith placed a bouquet of white roses near the Never Forget marker that was placed in the garden.
“Located in a lovely section of the cemetery, there are benches nearby so the visitors might look over and reflect on the sacrifices made by our soldiers over the years,” said Claudia Jacques of the John Bartram Chapter of the DAR.
The planting of the garden was one of many ideas suggested by the NSDAR to honor the anniversary. Members throughout the country were also participating by planting gardens at their homes or other locations. Earlier in the year, the Chapter donated copies of the book “Twenty One Steps” written by Jeff Gottsfeld to local school libraries. The book describes many of the duties of the guards, known as sentinels, and is fully illustrated.
On Nov. 11, the President General of the DAR, Denise Doring Van Buren, and other officers will place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
“This continues the commitment of the DAR to preserve historical events and locations,” Jacques said.
