Illinois State University Horticulture Center

Riding by a lot of people do not notice the small turn in the road. Often times, most folks are going either fifty or sixty miles an hour even though the speed limit is a paltry fourty-five. They don’t notice the vast amounts of land…farmland. To them, it’s nothing but soybeans in the winter and corn in warmer months. If some folks just slowed down and looked to their right when heading towards Main Street, they would see a place of wonder. Not wonder as in magical, but wonder as in not often visited by students. One small turn would lead a person up a gravel roadway. Tires would crunch over the small rocks.

Just at the entrance stands a curious specimen. It’s an insect. Not the type that crawls on your arm or sneaks unsuspectingly into your food. No. This one is composed of what looks to be recycled material. Painted pipes. Who knows exactly where they originally came for or what was their intended purpose. Certainly not to create this taller than the average man. The guardian of this area is a prey mantis, constructed of recycled materials. It looks out to the many cars that pass by without noticing its existence. Most folks probably notice the more overt version of Normal’s beliefs. The ever spinning wind mills. In this empty area, there is no trash on the ground nor foot prints of visitors. Only the smell of the freshly planted herbs within the garden a short walk away.

This little known place is the perfect representation of Normal. It is located on the outskirts. Many people may not even know of it. There are a lot of plants, of strange and varying shapes. Upon my arrival, the air smelled fragrant with the different herbs planted within the nearby garden. Not only are there different types of greenery but just a distance there is a pumpkin field which fits the holiday season and what looks to be a small lagoon. It truly is a peaceful area, and deserves more attention. Although, more attention might ruin the special atmosphere it seems to possess. -- Leisha Flowers