Garden update: June/July 2024
If ever there was a year to establish a community garden, it was this spring/summer of 2024. The recent past has been very rainy. It’s been a helluva head start in its first year. Gardens are growing like gangbusters, and many gardeners are reporting only having watered their plots a couple times.
But there’s been a lot more than just rain going on at the MPCG. Here are a couple of highlights from a very soggy June:
Rebecca Masterman (of the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council) hosted a free potting event at the garden
We solidified some of the garden committees that will help make decisions and guide our future
New features are popping up, making the space more inviting every day!
The first gathering of the MPCG “Finer Things Club” was an elegant success!
We found our shed and are working to get it set up
A surprise visit to a community garden in Portland, Oregon
Read on for more information about our recent highlights!
Rebecca Masterman’s Free Container Garden Project
On June 2nd, Mounds Park Community Garden welcomed an incredible event hosted by Rebecca Masterman. Becky is vice president of the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council (DBCC). Becky leads the DBCC’s Revitalization and Land Use Committees, is a beekeeper, and is a champion and organizer of Dayton’s Bluff On The Move, (she’s a busy lady).
The event was the Free Container Garden Project. Through a grant, Rebecca supplied plants, soil, and large pots for fifty people! Attendees were led through the planting process and an informative tutorial on caring for our new tiny gardens. Leading the tutorial was expert writer, photographer, and Washington County Master Gardener, Michelle Reidel.
I learned so many things at this event! For example, did you know, you should fertilize your potted plants once a week? And, when possible, water them with rainwater. Apparently, plants prefer rainwater. I had no idea. But also I guess it makes perfect sense.
The event was well-attended, fun, and informative. Many attendees were non-members of the community garden and got a chance to stroll around and see what the space is all about.
It’s events like these, which bring members of our community together to learn new things and get to know one another, that truly helps us put the “community” in this garden. A super big shout out to Rebecca Masterman for pulling together this incredible event!
The garden committees
After a call for volunteers, many members have stepped up to help shape the garden's future. MPCG is fortunate to have so many talented, resourceful, and enthusiastic individuals willing to lend a hand.
Here are some of the committees established to support the garden:
Steering Committee: Guides the garden's future through collective decision-making and consensus among its five members.
Volunteer and Outreach Committee: Manages onboarding, recruitment, coordination, education, communication, community events, and promotion to foster engagement and support for the garden.
Native Plant and Pollinator Committee: Creates habitats to attract pollinators and increase biodiversity within the garden.
Soil and Compost Committee: Promotes soil health and composting, advises on resource acquisition and use, and manages organic waste, mulch, and dirt.
We want to spotlight everyone involved in these committees and their spectacular specialties. Many committee members have overlapping tasks, so the best way to do this is with a photo gallery, tagging members on their various committees and interests.
A big thank you to all our committee members for their help and dedication!
Speaking of volunteers…
Misty and Angie set up an easy to use form to track your volunteer hours. Now, it’s super easy to log your hours, even if you put in just 15 minutes of general work, it all adds up. Thank you so much for helping out, let’s make sure you get credit for service hours!
These lovely new flourishes at the garden
Exciting new features are popping up around the garden, making the space more inviting every day! Generous garden members have donated picnic tables, a table with an umbrella, benches, and hanging plants. The effect is simply stunning, as these small but thoughtful additions create a more attractive, inviting, and peaceful environment. These new features enhance the beauty and comfort of the garden, transforming it into a perfect spot for relaxation and community gatherings.
The marvelous first meeting of the “Finer Things Club” was an elegant success!
The Mounds Park Community Garden recently hosted the inaugural meeting of the Finer Things Club, a charming gathering that promises to become a beloved monthly tradition. Held on Sunday the 23rd from 10-12, attendees arrived dressed to impress in their Sunday best, creating an atmosphere of elegance and delight.
The Finer Things Club began as a scandalous rumor at our recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, a whimsical notion that quickly captured the imagination of our gardeners. After several emphatic inquiries about this made-up committee we scheduled our first meeting.
The format of the Finer Things Club includes discussions on rotating themes related to books, art, and culture. June’s discussion centered around the classic novels Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie. Excerpts were read, opinions were opined, and lively debates ensued over which series is better.
The culinary offerings were as exquisite as the conversation, with members bringing an array of delectable treats. The spread included finger sandwiches with a creamy dill spread and bright purple spicy garden-grown radishes, a floral pesto made with walnuts, chocolate and carrot cupcakes, hot coffee, tea, mimosas, scones, lemon bars, and a deviled egg salad with crispy bacon. The use of fine china and tea sets, encouraged but by no means required, added a touch of “pinkies up” sophistication to the garden setting.
Despite the weather forecast, the rain graciously parted just in time to reveal a mercilessly oppressive sun. Thankfully we had tents for shade, making for a perfect, if steamy, morning. The attendees enjoyed each other's company amidst the delightful weather and birdsongs. So many people pitched in to make our first meeting of the Finer Things Club a resounding success!
Praise be! We found a shed!
Great news, we found a shed! It was already built, which will save us a lot of time and work. It's solid AF and priced right. We got it delivered on Saturday and I am way more giddy than is reasonable for this critical addition to our garden. From tool and equipment storage, a potting station, and seasonal storage. I’m just SO EXCITED for the possibilities.
We won't be able to begin using it right away, unfortunately. We need to build a foundation, gravel likely. Something like this one. So that will be the next project. Will be scheduling a couple construction parties over the next weekends. Stay tuned for developments!
Aaaand, why not? This is neither here or there. But I recently visited Portland Oregon’s Colonel Summers Community Garden. I made this video while touring this lovely space.
During the ideation phase of the MPCG, I borrowed many ideas from this garden. I love to imagine how, over time our garden will look similarly filled in. Enjoy this tour of Colonel Summers Community Garden in Portland, Oregon.
- Nate
