Grace Highfield Memorial Garden

In the spirit of a handful of pioneers, Grace Highfield was an important part of the development of this Historic District. Grace loved German Village. Grace’s openness to new ideas and to people of all ages was an inspiration. Her leadership and vision, coupled with her contributions of wisdom, time, and friendship are memorialized here. The sense of strength and agelessness reflected by the Umbrella Girl symbolizes the Gracie we knew and loved. We invite you to enjoy the beauty and solace of this special place.

This island-shaped garden features a variety of textures and shade-loving plants. A strong line of boxwood runs through the middle of the garden, providing a framework for 77 varieties of hostas and the spring flowering bulbs. Landscaped in 1996, this Schiller Park garden and the nearby umbrella girl fountain pay tribute to Grace Highfield, a beloved German Village resident. While an endowment fund is being built at the Columbus Foundation to care for the garden in perpetuity, the garden is maintained through the generosity of a quiet donor.

These words are cast in bronze in the Grace Highfield Memorial Garden with hopes that all who visit will be touched by the spirit of this woman who transformed those who worked with her and laughed with her.