The National Vietnam War Museum Gardens
12685 Mineral Wells Hwy (Eastbound Hwy 180) Map
Mineral Wells, TX 76068
 

The National Vietnam War Museum Meditation Garden is the first of six memorial gardens to be built on the site of The National Vietnam War Museum. These gardens will provide a living memorial that honors the lives of those veterans who served in the Vietnam War. It is intended to offer a place for serenity and peace where veterans, their families and the general public can walk, sit quietly and relax, reflect, unwind or talk with each other.

The garden was designed by members of the Parker County Master Gardener Association. It contains multiple pathways, including two unique circular labyrinths, and more than 350 native and adapted plants that require a minimum amount of water and maintenance. The garden also contains a gazebo, three flag poles, seating for visitors, an assortment of memorial stones and metal plaques and a number of memorial bricks placed alongside a path in the garden.

This picture was taken from the Rails to Trails Bridge over US Hwy 180 (April 2008)

The pathways are lined with native stones and filled with decomposed granite pathways to provide a reasonably smooth surface that allows people with disabilities to enjoy the garden. The space between the stones lining the pathways contains plants installed at intervals of 24 to 36 inches, depending on their size when mature. The spaces between the plants and in other areas of the garden are available for the installation of memorial plaques, tablets and monuments.

The labyrinth design was chosen for the Meditation Garden to encourage visitors to slow down, contemplate on the present, meditate and enjoy the journey to the center and out the other side.

It is hoped that this garden will also provide a quiet place where people from all over our country can gather for special events such as weddings, anniversaries and reunions.
 

The Gazebo (May 2009)

The Meditation Garden is located east of Mineral Wells, Texas along the south side of US Hwy 180 East, immediately west of the Lake Mineral Wells Rails to Trails Bridge. The trail borders the Southside of the Museum site. A campaign is currently underway to raise $25 million to complete last five gardens and build and equip the museum building  and the museum service center.