The Blue Garden provides a serene and striking intersection of learning, life, and reflection. Tucked into the green space between the School of Law, Old Main, and Bush Library, the Blue Garden will be a private and secluded space for reflection, introspection, and peace. The garden`s perfect-circle shape, planted with perennial flowers in shades of blue, evokes the continuing circle of life and growth, crossed with paths to symbolize choices made or roads yet to be taken. The bluestone wall represents an interruption to that circle - by conflict, by loss, or by choices made. The rushing water symbolizes moving through loss, but never moving past it. A lone, majestic oak tree represents the growth of the soul through our learning, loss, and reflection. The garden was designed to celebrate the life of Tammy Osnes, but it should also be a place of reflection for the losses of all students and act as a helpful place of healing for those parents who have lost their children. It contains a variety of elements that will help to provide an air of contemplative calm and introspection for members of the immediate family, the Hamline community, and anyone who has lost a family member.
Tucked in the center of campus, the garden’s perfect-circle shape evokes the continuing circle of life and growth.
The Blue Garden provides a serene and striking intersection of learning, life, and reflection.
The location for the Memorial Garden was decided upon due to its unique secluded and quiet nature, despite being in the center of campus.
The wall is a literal representation of the imposition or barrier one must work to cross after having lost a child.
The benches will act as places of respite for individuals as well as small, family sized groups to sit and reflect.
A pure circle planted with perennial flowers that will bloom every year near graduation - representing an everlasting memory.
The paths are designed to represent the many avenues/choices that can be taken in life by the visitors or that might have been taken by Tammy as she made her way through the world.
The Oak represents the trial we all go through in life, while changing and becoming that whom we are meant to be, we must also consider the greater good and moral responsibilities.
It represents the soul, which in Celtic terms is the "eye of god." Change, sacrifice, and understanding.
The garden’s perfect-circle shape, planted with perennial flowers in shades of blue, evokes the continuing circle of life and growth, crossed with paths to symbolize choices made or roads yet to be taken.
The bluestone wall represents an interruption to that circle - by conflict, by loss, or by choices made. Reflection is deepened by loss, which may be tempered by time, but is never forgotten.