Garden Song Returns to the Ferguson Meditation Garden in Full Bloom

After a five-year hiatus, the cherished Garden Song event returned in full bloom on Sunday, April 27, 2025, bringing music, beauty, and community spirit back to the James Grier and Laura Easterby Ferguson Meditation Garden near the hospital in Laurens. The event was a joyful celebration of spring, local talent, and the garden’s ongoing legacy as a place of peace and reflection for the community.

This year’s Garden Song was coordinated by beloved local musician Amy Link, whose efforts brought together a variety of talented performers and a large, enthusiastic crowd. With flowers in full bloom and music filling the air, attendees were treated to a moving program that concluded with the classic hymn “In the Garden,” sung by both musicians and the audience in heartfelt unison.

Following the music, guests enjoyed a gracious reception of appetizers and wine among the blossoms and winding paths of the garden.

The Ferguson Meditation Garden was born out of the vision of Harriett Ramage, a Laurens resident who, after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, longed for a tranquil place near the hospital to process the difficult news. Harriett and her husband, Walter, saw potential in an overgrown gulley near the hospital campus and, beginning in 1999, joined forces with fellow cancer survivors and community members to transform the area into a serene sanctuary. Through generous community support—including donations from Laura and James Ferguson—the dream became reality.

Garden Song was introduced a few years later as a fundraiser to support the garden’s upkeep and improvements. The event became a local favorite until the pandemic forced its pause in 2019. Sunday’s event marked a long-awaited return, reaffirming the garden’s place in the heart of Laurens County.

“Garden Song is a special event in our community,”

Joanne Thomason, chairman of the board shared. “It features local talent, a beautiful garden, and wonderful fellowship. The donations we receive help pay for the event and also support the maintenance of the garden so that everyone—hospital staff, patients, families, and community members—can continue to find peace and beauty here.”

The James Grier and Laura Easterby Ferguson Meditation Garden remains a symbol of hope, healing, and community care—open to all who seek its quiet beauty.

For those wishing to support the garden, donations are welcomed and essential to its ongoing care. Donations can be sent to – The Ferguson Meditation Garden, P .O. Box 1338, Laurens, South Carolina 29360.

The members of the Ferguson Meditation Garden Board expressed gratitude to the many talented performers who were willing to share their gifts with us this evening:

Kingdom Come Members
Tom Morrison
Craig Thomson
Mark Simpson
Andrew Verdin
Danny Verdin
Donna Simpson, Piano

CHS Jazz Band Members
Kimi Carmichael, Clarinet
Morgan Chaplin, Trumpet
Sam Gearheart, Drums
Maggie Payne, Alto Saxophone
Richard Santiago, Alto Saxophone
Lupita Vargas, Clarinet
Allie Wages, Bass Clarinet
Kalleigh Watson, Clarinet
Zoe Watson, Trombone

LDHS String Quartet
Janiya Williams, Violin
Hadden Rigsby, Violin
Mareli Hilario, Viola
Dylan Brink, Cello

Program Chair – Mrs. Amy Link

Accompanists – Mrs. Donna Simpson and Ms. Kipper Ackerman

Sound Technician – Mr. Johnny Langston