THE PEACE TREE GARDEN PROJECT
A community beautification and healing initiative — Morning Glory Inspirations
Rosenwald Neighbourhood, Brevard, North Carolina
“I’d like to see something green and beautiful to attract the hummingbirds, the butterflies, bees and birds. Even though I am disabled, I would love to help if I can. That’ll be a beautiful thing! There is a great need for peace and for people coming together.” — A Rosenwald community resident
About the Project
The Peace Tree Garden Project was a volunteer community initiative within minutes of downtown Brevard, NC — a collaborative effort initiated by Morning Glory Inspirations to bring outdoor beautification, healing and genuine human connection to the Rosenwald neighbourhood.
The project invited community members, volunteers and local organisations to come together and “adopt” designated outdoor spaces — planting perennials, pollinators, natives and edibles in predominantly low-income areas. But the garden was never just about plants. It was about what happens when people come outside, work side by side and begin to care about their surroundings and each other.
The project was supported by grant funding from the Dogwood Health Trust and the Hunger Coalition and was rooted in the belief that nature has something to offer every person — regardless of age, background or circumstance.
What the Project Did
– Outdoor beautification of shared community spaces in the Rosenwald neighbourhood — planting perennials, pollinators, natives and edibles
– Volunteer engagement with youth from a local alternative school, community residents and people of colour from the neighborhood
– Paid stipends for minority participants and community members — providing meaningful income during a difficult period while honouring the real value of their contributions
– A community speaker series on topics chosen by and for the community — including teen suicide, generational poverty, food and gardening, health from a Black man’s perspective, entrepreneurial opportunities for people of colour and local Black history
– A bench dedication ceremony and memorial honouring community members — filmed and documented as part of a broader media project
– An original film and media series exploring the healing power of nature, including short films produced with youth, adults and community leaders
The Films
One of the most ambitious and meaningful aspects of the Peace Tree Garden Project was its film component — a year-long educational journey that brought together a professional photographer and videographer, an amateur photographer and videographer alongside community members with varying skills in editing, design, scriptwriting, interviewing and content creation.
Over time, everyone involved grew more proficient, more confident and more invested in what they were building together. The films produced were entirely original — shot and captured entirely within Transylvania County.
– Mother Nature’s Healing Influence — youth, adult and teenage females, people of colour, sharing personal experiences about the impact of the outdoors in their lives
– 32 Seconds — male and female youth, adults and teenagers alongside the Chief of Police, addressing gun violence, the choices we make with our time, the healing power of the outdoors and the importance of kindness
– In Memoriam: Bench Dedication Ceremony — a filmed tribute honouring community members, set within the low-income housing area at the heart of the project
“32 Seconds” in particular stands as a testament to what becomes possible when a community chooses to come together across difference — youth and law enforcement, grief and hope, nature and healing, all in one short film.
What Happened When People Came Outside
Something shifted when the restoration and beautification work began. There was an almost immediate sense of joy — something playful and alive — in having the freedom to make choices that positively impacted shared spaces.
Community members who had rarely been outside began walking. Riding bikes. Noticing improvements. Sharing feedback with each other. A sense of pride grew quietly and steadily through the neighbourhood — the kind that doesn’t need a press release to be real.
People couldn’t say enough about how happy they felt to know that their Rosenwald community was finally receiving the attention it deserved. That feeling — of being seen, of mattering, of having your home considered worthy of beauty and care — was, perhaps, the most important thing the Peace Tree Garden Project ever grew.
“The Peace Tree Garden Project has a feel-good component — it gently nudges you to come outside and allow nature to gift you with its inherent magic, to be involved, to participate and to care about each other.”
— Morning Glory Inspirations
Interested in this work or in bringing something similar to your community?
nicolakaresh@gmail.com
Morning Glory Inspirations 