Healing garden grows in aftermath of Las Vegas shooting

LAS VEGAS (WTXF) - In Las Vegas, a healing garden is taking shape to honor and remember the people killed by the gunman. This garden will grow in the same area where the bullets rained down on the country music festival.

A person might think the planning for this Las Vegas city garden was in the works for months…maybe even years.

Turns out, that's not the case at all.

"It's amazing to watch those crews move so fast."

It's the result of quick thinking in the name of healing.

Jay Pleggenkuhle explains, "The whole point of the garden was not so much (to be proud of it) just a way to…bring the community together."

Jay Pleggenkuhle of Stonerose Landscapes says the idea for a healing garden came from a conversation he had with his partner following the shooting on October 1.

"He said it's too bad we don't have a place to gather like a prayer garden or something and then we thought well maybe we should create one."

He says he sketched the layout on a napkin and then photo copied it.

"The back of this is all going to be bermed up, there will be a pathway. All the trees that are here right now are going to be planted sort of randomly across this whole mound," Pleggenkuhle explains.

It includes a special tree donated by Siegfried and Roy. There's also nearly 60 smaller trees…each one to honor the victims who died, including Cameron Robinson, pictured on the right. Robinson was a management analyst for the city and was killed in the shooting, making the garden even more personal for city officials who gave it the green light.

"An amazing young man that just a real bright light for our organization and our community," says Tom Perrigo, Executive Director of Community Development.

The plan is to have it open by the first week of October's First Friday events, giving people a chance to pull together.

"I think it's the greatest thing that ever happened. It just shows Vegas love."

"Las Vegas is an amazing place of generosity."