Start Your Own Community Garden in C-ville

Community gardens are not just an urban phenomenon.  Yes, in places like New York City, it's hard to walk a block or two without finding some tended patch of green, spilling out onto the sidewalk.  In fact, New York boasts more than 600 gardens covering more than 32 acres — pretty impressive.

But they exist in less urban locales, too, like Charlottesville, which has at least three or four:  Meadowcreek Gardens (off Morton Drive, behind the English Inn) and Azalea Park (off Old Lynchburg Road near 64) both have community garden plots where residents can rent space to grow flowers and vegetables, and others can be found on Sixth Street and Ridge Street.

Word on the street, however, is that it's nigh on impossible to get a plot at most of these gardens — that's how popular they are.  Which leads me to believe we need more community gardens — a lot more.  And now, there's a great opportunity for some motivated individuals or groups to make something happen.

Tom's Garden is a new organization making "seed money" grants for community gardens in our area.  They consider applications from any group: individuals, homeowner's associations, public and non profit orgs, schools — basically anyone who has the vision and elbow grease to make it happen.

The application is available on their website.  So what are you waiting for?  It's practically spring — get growing!


image credit: itzafineday/Creative Commons