Tyler Arboretum

Originally dubbed the “edible garden and classroom” project, Lucille’s Garden took shape on a 1.25-acre site. Located in Tyler’s historic core marked by the ruin of an early 19th century springhouse, the land that had once been used as a tenant garden was transformed in 2019 into a showcase for horticultural education.

Designed at a residential scale, the garden is a living classroom where environmentally friendly methods are practiced and effectively communicated to the home gardener, emphasizing seed to table learning about healthy eating, living, and sustaining healthy land. Its key components are a home idea garden; a nature discovery garden; a ruin garden where the springhouse once stood; vegetable and fruit gardens; a children’s vegetable garden; pollinator gardens; and a rain garden that absorbs stormwater. 

The garden’s centerpiece is a bright orange classroom building, which contains a large multipurpose room with a kitchen that opens to terraces on both sides, and two bathrooms. It enables Tyler to provide year-round opportunities for gardeners of all ages.

Meliora provided civil engineering and permitting for DIGSAU’s team on this award-winning project. Visit Tyler Arboretum’s website here for more information about Lucille’s Garden.

Awards
• AIA Pennsylvania, Bronze Award for Architectural Excellence, 2019
• AIA Philadelphia, Merit Award, 2020