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The Oakdale Cemetery, located in Adel, Iowa, was rejuvenated to create a space to honor veterans at their Memorial Day ceremonies. The project’s goal was to ensure functionality for the ceremony and future use and maintenance, while paying homage to those that contributed to the project to solidify community impact. The rejuvenation incorporated new elements and historical elements that blended together to create a beautiful end result for a great cause.

Wright Outdoor Solutions had previously worked on the cemetery’s Mausoleum, adding retaining walls and plantings, along with a living plant screen.

A large stone was selected, which became the home to a veterans memorial plaque to honor the branches of the military and designated the area as Veterans Plaza-Oakdale Cemetery. Another space was designed for the memorial services to be held on Memorial Day. The plaza memorial stone was installed, along with grading work, patio, seat walls, steps, a flagstone path, an area for the flagpole, edging and plants.

Two different pavers used throughout the project, including engraved pavers that were purchased as memorials and used in the fundraising of the project, as well as repurposing the old street pavers from the City of Adel that had been removed as streets were being repaired. Access for disabled persons, including wheelchair accessibility, was vital, so a ramp was installed, with steps incorporated on the lower end of the slope. Adequate room for the Color Guard during the flag ceremony was incorporated, as well as a place for the podium and speaker to be able to face the majority of the audience in attendance. For ease in ongoing maintenance, suitable space was allocated to ensure a lawn mowing crew would be able to mow the cemetery and get in between the existing monuments and the new plaza.

The installation of the paver patio required careful consideration so as to preserve the integrity of each engraved brick. For standard installations, we sweep polymeric sand into the paver joints prior to hardening. To preserve the integrity of the engraved bricks with black lettering on this project, our team developed a new process, brushing sand into the joints, making sure not a single granule of sand landed in the engraved names. This was done with a soft brush for every single letter of every single engraved brick.

Seat walls around the pavers were built with a free-standing wall stone. A flagstone was used for pathways, which matched the Veterans Memorial stone plaque. Newly engraved brick that was purchased as a portion of the fundraising for the project was used. The City of Adel street pavers were repurposed as a soldier course around the patio area and also used as bed edging around planting beds.

Low maintenance plants were installed that were also deer, rabbit and drought tolerant. To ensure bloom and color during the Memorial Day services was optimal, perennials were selected, including prairie dropseed, Karl Foerster grasses, Barberry ‘Admiration’, creeping phlox, and sedum.