Earthsong Garden – Not Your Grandma’s Garden
By Morgan Kelly
The chimpanzees (and humans) here at Project Chimps are getting a new interactive garden installation! Just like humans, chimps love fresh vegetables, roots, and fruits. Well, most chimps do (Kirk might show you otherwise). But most of us here at the sanctuary are super excited for the property’s newest addition! Thanks to students at the University of Georgia and the Michael Jackson’s Legacy (MJL) organization, our chimps will be getting even more of their fresh food in-house… and so can you! Get ready for our demo browse garden.
Michael Jackson: “Earth Song” Garden
The new Earthsong Garden, named after the 1995 Michael Jackson hit “Earth Song,” will open in Fall 2025.
Garden tours, community planting projects, and educational events at the new amphitheater will support our mission of educating and inspiring humanity. Plants native to the Blue Ridge mountains will be the spotlight of the garden. Plenty of tasty, chimp-friendly foods like tea olives, squash, and pumpkins will be grown right here on-site for primate and human alike to enjoy.
Former Facilities Manager Christy Jellets returns to Project Chimps as our volunteer Master Gardener on the project. Christy has proved her dedication to the chimps, humans, and natural environment of Georgia. She estimates that we will begin the first stage of planting after the final frost of the season (the third week of May). This puts us on schedule to open to the public by the fall.
The garden area will be fun and engaging for all ages. Inspired by a design from UGA students, the new section will feature an education walk, tribute area, browse garden, amphitheater, sitting area, and workstation.
“Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” Funds
Building a garden for a group of 95 chimps and the Blue Ridge community isn’t as easy as ABC or 123. It takes lots of hard workers, materials, and money. Luckily, Project Chimps has a supportive community not just in Georgia but online and across the world!
Michael Jackson supported various charities during his lifetime. Even in death, he still holds the Guinness World Record for “Most Charities Supported by a Pop Star.” The 72x platinum album selling artist also loved animals and the environment. That’s why the Michael Jackson’s Legacy organization decided to partner with Project Chimps to build a new garden.
Generous global donors and supporters of the UK-based charity raised $5,000 for the project, which was matched by another $5,000 from Project Chimps. But their input didn’t stop there! Donors from MJL got an inside look at the project’s development and gained access to the planning sketches and materials created by students at the University of Georgia.
The garden’s tribute section will feature a wishing well with a dedication plaque to the late Michael Jackson funded by those who have made it their life’s mission to carry on his legacy. The founder of MJL hopes to encourage visitors to make their own donation at the wishing well to continue raising funds for the chimps.
“Beat It”: There can be only one winner
With funding secured, it was finally time to start designing! Project Chimps worked with Professor Jose Buitrago, head of the Landscape 3030 class at UGA. Professor Buitrago challenged his Landscape Architecture students to design the sanctuary’s new fruit and veggie capital. The students worked in teams, meeting with Project Chimps representatives and designing gardens to scale for their proposals. In the class-wide competition for the best garden design, the “ApeScape Architects” took gold (see feature image above!).
The four teammates, second-year students Colby Dalton, Anna Matthews, Jake Green, and Michaela Shea, designed the creative garden you’ll be seeing at the sanctuary very soon. Students in Professor Buitrago’s class gain real-world experience as they develop the budget, hardscape and planting plan, as well as the function board for the project.
The students gave this project their all. They worked days and nights to create the best, most practical garden oasis for their community. The teammates agreed that this experience was invaluable to their education. We would love to collaborate with UGA again in the future!
“Will You Be There?”
To get a first glimpse of the garden while it’s in progress, you can visit our hiking trails any day of the week — you just might catch some behind-the-scenes action! — or make a lasting commitment and join our Legacy Society by naming Project Chimps in your will or estate plans. Legacy Society members will be invited to a private lunch at the garden on May 31st to get a detailed overview of the installation.
Finally, we at Project Chimps are so grateful to everyone who has made this project possible. Thank you to Professor Buitrago and the Landscape Architecture department at the University of Georgia, the ApeScape Architects, volunteer Pete Cutter, Master Gardener Christy Jellets, MJL trustees, team, and donors, the Master Gardeners of Fannin County, and all the volunteers at Project Chimps. Stay tuned for more opportunities as we build this garden for the betterment of our community!
Want to support healthy chimps and community? Volunteer with us through Project Harvest, donate freshly cut or felled browse, or send them a gift from our Amazon Wishlist.
