Notes from the Director

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Shoppers in matching blue shirts walk through a bright store lobby toward the exit, with restrooms and glass displays nearby.

What it takes to build something that lasts - A letter to the next twenty years

"This Garden needs to stand for 100 years." Twenty years in, founding Executive Director Eric Amt — with reflections from fellow founders Stuart Barb, Tom Pletcher, and Chuck Grodnik — traces how a well field trail became a homegrown, world-class garden, and why that story echoes America's own at 250.

eNewsletters

Kurt Dreisilker

Jul 113 min read

Wooden garden arch over a stone path beside colorful flowers and shrubs, with a small chapel roof and bright blue sky.

Celebrating the 250th - A Letter from our Executive Director

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Wellfield Botanic Gardens reflects on its own remarkable journey. Twenty years ago, a shared vision transformed Elkhart's municipal well field into a thriving community destination. Built through the dedication of volunteers, donors, and supporters, Wellfield has become a place of beauty, learning, and connection—and is now recognized as the #1 Botanic Garden in the United States, with an even brighter future ahead.

Notes from the Director

Kurt Dreisilker

Jul 42 min read