Notebook continued
Creating community in the garden: Growing hope by Suzanne Hanna
Gardens structure with eavestroughs and water butts.
to green space find that community gardens offer them the unique opportu- nity to produce healthy, nutritional and affordable food that otherwise would not be available to them. People from a wide variety of backgrounds, ages and abilities come together to exchange their varying degrees of gardening knowledge and share resources to save money. Defined simply, a community garden
I
is a place where people come together to grow vegetables, herbs, fruits and often, flowers. No two gardens are alike. They are as distinct as the gardeners who work in them. Some offer individual raised planter boxes or beds and others garden communally for the benefit of all.
Acting as the co-ordinator for the
Allard Street Community Garden, located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, I have seen first-hand the healing effects of being involved in a community garden. Individuals with limited mobil- ity look forward to coming to the acces- sible garden by Para-Bus because it provides a sense of ownership, control
4 SPRING 2013
ndividuals and families who live in apartments and have little or no access
and responsibility and they feel whole and accepted by their fellow members.
Involving youth Our community garden membership
is fully aware of how youth can feel alienated in society and disconnected from nature so we provide positive work experiences for those who are at risk and/or serving community service time. Whether they are constructing garden beds, mulching pathways with Christ- mas tree chips, filling water barrels or turning the compost pile, they are interacting in a socially meaningful and physically productive way that is openly appreciated and valued. They learn about the importance of being stewards of the earth and of belonging.
Gardening makes a differnece According to Enza Trentadue, project
co-ordinator for the Fred Victor Centre which operates a community garden for the homeless in Toronto, “It’s a wonder- ful way to learn and engage in food and gardening. It builds community for people who are isolated. The garden becomes a mediator for communicating while weeding, watering and planting.’ I am heartened by those individu-
als battling major health crises in their lives---whether it be cancer or depres- sion---who choose to remain members. They recognize that gardening can help people remain physically fit and that exposure to green plants can relieve stress and anxiety while providing hope. The community garden member- ship serves as a family of sorts, offering support and encouragement and a sense of wellness. Children’s gardening classes teach
young people where their food comes from and ensures that they acquire practical gardening skills so they can produce their own. They develop a sense of appreciation for composting, recycling, and water conservation. Most community gardeners would
agree that we just don’t grow vegeta- bles, we grow hope. We promote self- reliance, honour diversity and we culti- vate a sense of community, too. The Ontario Horticultural Associa-
tion has recently announced that they will be offering $500 grants to horti- cultural societies to assist in the creation of new community gardens or the revi- talization of established ones. To learn more, visit
www.gardenontario.org.
www.localgardener.net
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