The Quad City Botanical Center (2525 4th Ave., Rock Island) is hosting a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Jaycee Commons Trending Garden on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m.

This new garden was made possible by a legacy gift of $20,000 given in memory of Mike Kerckhove and Chuck Stark, who were past presidents of the Davenport Jaycees, JCI Senators, and former members of the Davenport Jaycee Foundation Board.

Kerckhove was a well-recognized Rock Island County master gardener. Stark was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps who dedicated his life to service in the community, according to a Monday release from the Botanical Center.

Pictured at the Botanical Center are (L to R) Kate Mapes (Gardens and Special Projects, QCBC), David Chanez (President, Davenport Jaycee Foundation), Kelsey Watson (President, Jaycees of the Quad Cities), Ryan Wille (Executive Director, QCBC), and Kennedy Blaesius (Horticulturist, QCBC).

The Trending Garden is designed to inspire creativity in home gardeners, showcasing what can be done within a fixed space. This handcrafted garden will be updated annually with new plant varieties, colors, pot designs, and garden accents.

Outdoor living spaces are proven to boost mental and physical health, increase property value, and help add usable square footage outside of the established space of a home, the QCBC said. The cost of renovating this 600-square-foot space is a comparable price to a bathroom or kitchen remodel. The materials and tools for this project were sourced at businesses in the Quad Cities and are accessible to homeowners.

The new Trending Garden exhibit was designed and installed by Kennedy Blaesius, a horticulturist at the QC Botanical Center.

Another partner on this project is Pfitz’s Fence & Deck, which provided excellent craftsmanship and in-kind fencing design, the Botanical Center said.