Nurturing on all Levels
My Plot at Sunrise Park Community Gardens
Until the last Thursday in April, I was convinced I would have to work with a windowsill as my personal garden project. While I do really like my window sill and all the plants on it, I was hoping for something bigger, something outside, and something more complex.
When I heard Adam's shout-out in his email that help is needed to complete the new community gardens at Sunrise Park, I was in. Little did I know that this was exactly what I needed (and it maybe even needed me). I had wanted a plot at the Evergreen community gardens since I knew they existed but learned this quarter that their plots were already given away even before I knew they were open.
History of the Site
This project is GRuB's (Garden Raised Bounty) first community garden. The section of Sunrise Park is leased to GRuB by the City of Olympia. The water used for irrigation is donated, and so is the rich mushroom-manure compost that we filled the beds with. I still have to learn much more about what GRuB does and the history of this project.
Ownership, Location, Directions
Sunrise Park belongs to the City of Olympia and is managed by City of Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation Department. The community garden is located in the very NE section of the park, downhill from the playgrounds.
Sunrise Park is located behind Evergreen Villages on Division Street. To reach it by bus, take route 41 from campus and get off two stops before Harrison.
The Garden Site
First Impressions
The first thing I noticed when I first saw the developing community garden was that it looked out of place. Not because this was not an appropriate place to have a garden, but because the wood used to build the plots is young and yellow, the sheds weren't done at the time, the grass around the plots was too green, the compost inside the plots too brown, and everything in the area too square and blank. Of course this was because the essentials of a community garden are still missing: the art, the food, the atmosphere, and most importantly the community. I can't wait to see the transformation!
Characteristics & Details
The garden consists of two sheds and 35 plots, twenty-two of them 10'x10', and thirteen 10'x4', two of which are wheelchair accessible. I chose one of the smaller plots, and am willing to share it with anyone who needs some space to garden. I have never grown food and have no problem starting with less than 40 square feet.
- Shape: Rectangular with shorter side facing west.
- Topography: Flat and even.
- Slopes: None (except west side of park slopes uphill).
- Exposure: Full exposure to the South and West. At least partial exposure to the East.
- Soil: Donated mushroom-manure compost is rich and dark, almost black, clumpy and crumbly, moist, smelly, and organic. Well drained through ground below because of elevated plots.
- Waterfeatures: None.
- Plants Present: Besides grass and daisies, the east and north-bound trees include grand fir and a kind of pine amongst other unidentified deciduous tree species.
- Animal Activity: Birds including blue jays and crows. The crows are important to remember because they may eat our seeds.
Plan
Since I have never planted my own food with the exception of a little experiment with radishes and carrots in 4th grade, and the overwhelming time commitment necessary to learn the essentials of food planting, caring, and harvesting, I have decided to wait with planning until this weekend when planting starts and I can receive help from GRuB and other gardeners. However, I have a couple of my favorite edibles in mind that I would love to have at some point this year: cabbage, radishes, kale (!!), arugula, culinary & medicinal herbs (thyme, peppermint, parsley, sage, oregano, and chives), carrots, spaghetti squash, and potatoes.
