CAYUGA HEIGHTS, N.Y. (WENY) -- Making a town stand out takes time, effort, and a little creativity, often its the little things that end up creating the biggest impact.

The placement of landmarks and greenspace can impact the public's perception and image of a village or town. A garden in a Cayuga Heights intersection has been tended to for generations, standing the test of time as a testament to the community's commitment to the village's natural beauty.

If you've ever ventured to Cayuga Heights, you may have come across this intersection with a garden in the center. Whether you enter from Highland, Kilne, White Park, or Oak Hill Road, it's hard to miss.

"There are no right angles in the village of Cayuga Heights, which was very intentional. This is a garden suburb with curving roads laid out that follow the topography. No grid. No right angles. Roads don't match up. There are very odd intersection,"said Village historian Beatrice Szekely.

Cayuga Heights rests just to the northeast of the City of Ithaca and is home to over 4,000 people. Village officials say gardens like this one -- are a microcosm of Cayuga Heights' commitment to its natural beauty.

"Through zoning, we definitely encourage people not to sort of have open space. We are a tree city, for instance and so we actively spend money from the village to plant trees along our right of ways, things like that," added Cayuga Heights mayor Linda Woodard.

Residents from three generations have tended to the garden, which dates back to the 1980s. It remains a staple in the community and continues to see volunteer care, a vibrant reminder of the village's unique makeup.

"So many people came by, including Bea, just to talk about how much joy they have received in coming by and seeing what's happening. And so it had this double joy for me, not only the garden, but realizing that other people were enjoying it as well," remarked Karen Gilovich, a volunteer gardener who tends to the intersection garden.

Gardening supplies such as mulch are supplied by public works, but the bulk of the gardening maintenance is performed by the residents, part of a community wide effort to preserve the village's natural beauty.