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| - | Shared front or backyard | |
| - | Greenbelt (flowers only) | |
| - | School grounds | |
| - | Neighborhood parks | |
| - | Non-profit agencies | |
| - | Business grounds | |
| - | Shared green space (apartment, condo) |
Who might like to be involved with a garden project?
| - | Neighborhood residents | |
| - | Children and youth | |
| - | Other users of the park/school grounds (little league, PTO, dog owners, Rotary members) | |
| Business owners and employees | ||
| - | Non-profit staff and board members | |
| - | Principals, teachers and school staff | |
| - | City officials & elected officials | |
| - | Master gardeners |
What kinds of landowners could provide neighborhood garden space?
| - | Homeowners (be sure to test the soil first) | |
| - | Parks & Recreation Department | |
| - | Department of Public Works | |
| - | Landlords/property management company | |
| - | Existing community gardens | |
| - | Burlington School District |
What are some desired resources for starting a garden?
| - | Knowledge about gardening | |
| - | Permission to use the space | |
| - | Access & funding for a water supply | |
| - | Soil and compost | |
| - | Non-pressure treated timbers (if using raised beds) | |
| - | Garden tools & tool shed | |
| - | Plants and seeds | |
| - | Afternoon sunshine | |
| - | Soil testing | |
| - | Fencing | |
| - | Bulletin board | |
| - | Dedicated volunteers |
| Community
Gardening Resources |
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Friends of Burlington Gardens provides access to tools, materials,
seeds, plants, and planning assistance to help start new neighborhood
gardens. |
www.burlingtongardens.org | 658·5733 | ||
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Burlington Area Community Gardens (BACG) rents out individual garden
plots at eight community garden sites around the city and provides
limited educational programming and community events. |
www.enjoyburlington.com | 864·0123 | ||
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CEDO’s Center for Community & Neighborhoods can help with funding
and contacting City officials. |
www.cedoburlington.org | 865·7172 | ||
| Community Action Gardening Program provides seeds, plants, and compost for low-income residents. | 863·5248 |
Gardening in the City
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garden at Sara Holbrook Community Center started with wanting to get
rid of some troublesome bushes, and finding an activity for the
children. Volunteer Linda Deliduka, at Sara Holbrook staff, and
Master Gardener s Lorraine Vorse and Daisy Williams worked to take
out the bushes out front of the Center and start a garden camp.
They took down the bushes in front of the center to discourage the unwanted activities that were happening behind them. A two-week garden camp was created and funds were raised from local garden centers, farms, and businesses. The children planted flowers, tomatoes, lettuce and beans.
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Linda Deliduka stands with campers Leanne and Bao Doan in front of the Sara Holbrook garden they planted together. |
Everyone noticed the change in the neighborhood. People driving by noticed as they would yell, “boy, does this look good!” Neighbors became more and more interested in the gardening and would see the progress the children had made as they walked by. Neighbors started coming over to talk, sit on the benches in front of the center to relax and also as they waited for the bus.
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“We
invited the neighbors to come over and eat the vegetables. They
would come over and pick the tomatoes (which was the point) and
students in the ESL classes at the Center came and picked the
lettuce,” says Deliduka. The kids took such pride in the garden.
They would sweep the walk and make sure people didn’t litter.
One day at the end of the summer, a group of 20 teachers from Burlington paired with a child to finish up the garden. The garden was also featured on the annual Friends of Burlington Community Gardens Tour with the kids as hosts, proudly exhibiting their beautiful tomatoes, lettuce, and flowers to a group of adults.
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Leanne and Bao Doan harvest fresh green beans they planted in June 2004 at the Sara Holbrook Center Garden. Photo courtesy Friends of Burlington Gardens |
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