The Walker-Hecox-Hickle Gardens were established in May 2016. The gardens were funded by the Lithopolis American Legion Post 677. Dill’s Landscape of Canal Winchester laid out the garden and put in the seasonal plants. The gardens also feature the rock sculptures and martin house built by Dr. Edward Roller, a beloved local doctor who formerly resided on the land where the 1992 addition now stands. He collected rocks from all over North America and used them to create bird houses, vases, and other structures.

In May, 2017, a couple from Lithopolis volunteered to help maintain the gardens. Finding the job overwhelming, they sought help from Fairfield County Master Gardeners and the Lithopolis Garden Club who adopted beds to maintain through the season. Crossroads Church staff donated a morning of volunteering their time and mulch. Thrivent donated $500 toward mulch, and Kurtz Brothers gave a good price on their mulch.

In 2018, Fairfield County Master Gardeners and the Lithopolis Garden Club continued caring for their adopted beds. Volunteers from the community also adopted beds. Canal Winchester Boy Scout Troop 103 cleaned beds and helped with mulching. Blair Care delivered and gave a good price on their mulch. Thrivent Insurance donated $750 toward garden equipment, paver cleaner, hoses, chain saw blade and spring bulbs. Kevin Wilkerson, of Dills Greenhouse, walked the gardens to help Master Gardeners identify plants for organized labeling. There was discussion of creating a brochure to be made available for people to pick up when exploring the gardens. The summer children’s reading theme was gardening. Rewards for reading books added garden art and a buckeye tree. Home Depot donated pumpkins, corn stalks, hay bales, and mums to increase color in the gardens in the fall. Spring bulbs were planted to increase color in the gardens in the spring.

Community involvement increased in 2019. Canal Winchester Home Depot will continue to donate toward garden needs. Canal Winchester Boy Scout Troop 103 and Bloom Carroll Boy Scout Troop 241 cleaned beds in the spring. Members of the Bloom Carroll High School Key Club volunteered their time preparing the beds in the spring. Lithopolis United Methodist Church is scheduled to work in the gardens, as well as the Bloom Carroll High School Football Team who are set to spread mulch later this spring. Fairfield County Master Gardeners and the Lithopolis Garden Club continue caring for their adopted beds. Labeling the plants and the brochure are still in the works. Home schoolers will be learning about corn in several sessions led by Fairfield County Master Gardeners.

In 2020 the Master Gardeners were unable to work in the gardens until late in July because of COVID19. The well-maintained gardens were taken care of until then by Wagnalls staff.  During the summer and fall of 2020 the gardens were used by the library to have outside family programs each week.  We were also very excited to add a new teen garden club in October 2020. This is lead by the Master Gardeners with help from the library staff.

In 2021 the gardens were filled with little fairy houses.  Under the guidance and care of Nell LaRock, the village has grown.  Thanks to our Teen Garden Club for helping get this started.  These houses are only here spring through fall.

A special thanks to all those individuals, businesses and community partners who have "given back" to The Wagnalls Memorial:

American Legion Post 677

BCHS GS Troop #2977

Fairfield Master Gardeners

BCHS Football Team

Dill's Greenhouse

BCHS Key Club

Thrivent Insurance

Faler Feed

Home Depot

Conrad Hive & Honey

Library of Ohio/IMLS grant

Fairfield County Water & Soil

Community Volunteers