Landscape Architect Articles

A Peaceful, Relaxing Retreat09-09-16 | News

A Peaceful, Relaxing Retreat
Landscape Architecture by The LA Group, Saratoga Springs, New York

The Malta Meditation and Reading Garden was created to honor Heather Mallozzi, a beloved, former community planner for the town of Malta. It features a small reflecting pool with a water cascade, river stones, and sitting blocks made of native limestone. There are also perennial plantings, many of which were donated by fundraising committee members, and a pathway built with earth tone Belgard permeable pavers. The river stones and limestone blocks came from local quarries. Plantings include Japanese maples, white pine, serviceberry, rhododendrons, azaleas, lilacs, junipers, and a variety of perennials.

The Malta Meditation and Reading Garden is located in Malta, New York, and is a fitting memorial to the town's former community planner, Heather Mallozzi, who died in June 2009 at the age of 38.

During Mallozzi's six years of service, she helped guide Malta's "vision for the future," said Audrey Ball, Malta's director of parks, recreation and human services.

"Heather focused on making the world a better place," Ball said. "She brought that focus to Malta at a time when the town was preparing for change."

The idea for a memorial came up toward the end of Mallozzi's battle with metastatic cancer, while she was staying and being treated at the North Shore Medical Center in Lynn, Mass.

Ball, a close friend of Mallozzi's, spearheaded the meditation garden project at the David R. Meager Malta Community Center, and at a time when the facility had just expanded.

The LA Group got word of the proposal, worked with a committee and created a master plan for the Meditation Garden. The LA Group then developed a phased plan and estimates so funds could be collected. Mike Ingersoll, RLA, CLARB, ASLA and vice president of The LA Group, did this work on a pro bono basis.

Heather's husband, Rich Mallozzi, her mother, Judy Thomas, and many volunteers campaigned to raise funds for the memorial garden.

Ian Murray of Brookside Farms Nursery agreed to donate his crew's labor, and construction of Phase 1 began in November 2010.

The new garden features a small reflecting pool with a water cascade, river stones, and limestone blocks from a local quarry that visitors use for sitting. There are also perennial plantings, many of which were donated by the fundraising committee members, and a circular pathway with benches and Adirondack chairs.

The garden space today continues to thrive and serve as a tribute to Mallozzi, and for many of Malta's citizens to enjoy well into the future.

As seen in LASN magazine, September 2016.