NILES — Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve is partnering with Halbritter Wickens Funeral Services to create a Garden of Remembrance.

Fernwood’s existing boxwood garden will be designated as the Halbritter Wickens Garden of Remembrance and Reflection and will honor all the families served by Halbritter Wickens Funeral Services in Niles.

Steve and Sabrina Wickens created an initial five-year community partnership with Fernwood, and presented a check to Fernwood’s Executive Director Carol Line, and Elaine Rowland, the director of development, at Fernwood in August.

“We are so honored to be able to partner with Fernwood,” said Steve Wickens of Halbritter Wickens.  “Sabrina and I have always wanted to create a place where those who have suffered a loss might find some comfort and peace, a place of remembrance and reflection that is available to everyone.”

Originally a collection of small shrubs recommended for landscape use, the Boxwood Garden includes a border of “Grand Rapids” and “Handsworthy” boxwoods. The entrance features a cedar gazebo marked with motifs of the Pennsylvania Dutch. Inside, beds of shade-tolerant groundcovers border the boxwood hedge. A sitting bench allows visitors to pause and enjoy the intimacy and serenity this spot provides. As the new Halbritter Wickens Garden of Remembrance and Reflection, these features will provide a comforting and serene setting for families during difficult times.

Established in 1964, Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve is located on 105 acres of gardens, woodlands, ravines, marshes, restored prairie, and river frontage on the St. Joseph River in Buchanan Township. The organization said its mission is to enrich people’s lives by awakening and deepening their appreciation of nature and the possibilities of harmony between people, plants, gardens, and wildlife.

Each year, the nonprofit organization hosts 40,000 visitors and upholds its commitment to environmental education by offering more than 300 community education programs for adults and youth in the natural sciences, gardening, botany, and the arts.

Fernwood is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors 65 and older, and $4 for children ages 5 through 17. Children under 5 and Fernwood members are admitted free. Fernwood is located at 13988 Range Line Road, Niles. For more information about Fernwood visit fernwoodbotanical.org or call (269) 695-6491.