LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — You don't have to travel far to find a not-so-secret garden in the heart of Lexington.
"It's an oasis," said Ashland Terrace resident Karen Miller. "It's an escape. You can have fresh flowers in your room whenever you want them, as long as they're blooming."
Also known as Ric's Garden, the outdoor space is an extension of the independent senior living community for women aged 60 and older and in Chevy Chase.
"The fact we have this in the middle of Lexington is incredible," director Kelly Weber told LEX 18.
The garden's namesake was the director of the facility and now gardens here in her retirement.
"It is actually my greatest love, aside from my husband, said Ric McGee. "Being able to bring a garden into people's lives is very good for my soul, and being out here is good for it too."
But it's not the gardeners and residents who benefit. The cutting garden is open to anyone who wants to stop and smell and roses, and then take a few flowers home.
All you have to do is pay a small donation for the flowers or herbs you take. Small blooms and herb snips cost $0.25 while larger blooms cost $.50. While roses are for the residents only, they also provide everything you need to create a bouquet, from scissors to a water bottle. When you leave, just leave money in the mailbox to help the women maintain their garden.
Visitors can also find a Koi pond or spot a curious bunny.
But whatever brings them here, the women hope guests enjoy their growing community, full of love and flowers.
"You know the saying, if you have a library and a garden you have everything you need," Miller told LEX 18. "And we have both of those things here."
You can find out what's in bloom and what events are happening at Ashland Terrace by following their Facebook page.
