Sacred Symbol Design features Black, Red, White, Yellow flowers
RAPID CITY, SD—At this time of the summer, anyone driving along Canyon Lake Drive on the northeast boundary of Sioux Park will see various displays of beautiful and colorful sections of flowers popping in bloom at the Noordemeer Formal Gardens.
Included in the floral sections this summer is a special project undertaken by City Greenhouse Specialist John Berglund. In early June, Berglund and his crews from the City’s Parks Division, with help from the City’s Community Relations coordinator and the City Attorney’s Office, planted one of the floral garden sections in the design of a Native American Medicine Wheel.
This week, the City’s Parks Division installed an informative sign which advises the public of the Medicine Wheel Garden, providing information on the meaning of the medicine wheel as well as the representation of the importance of the four directions and the colors depicted in the medicine wheel.
Berglund said the Formal Gardens area was chosen as the location as this area serves as the starting point for the annual ‘Remember the Children’ Memorial Walk, which pays tribute to the children who died at the Sioux San Boarding School a century ago. The annual walk will take place the last weekend of September.
To achieve the Medicine Wheel color design, Berglund worked with the following floral varieties: Coleus Dark Star (black), Zinnia Zesty Scarlet (red), Zinnia Zesty White (white) and Zinnia Zesty Yellow (yellow).
“It is fun to put the various flower types together and watch them grow,” Berglund said at the early June planting of the flowers. “ In the past, we have done an American flag design, a cherry pie, and this year, we wanted to plant a design that includes our Native American residents of Rapid City and visitors to the area.”
Berglund coordinated efforts with City Community Relations Coordinator LaFawn Janis on the project.
“The collaboration to honor the Indigenous community and educate on the meaning of the medicine wheel is so heartfelt and helps healing relationships in Rapid City,” said Janis.
The Sioux Park floral gardens is one of the most popular and visited areas in the Rapid City Parks system. Berglund and Janis expect the floral gardens area will only increase in popularity with the addition of The Medicine Wheel Garden sign.
