Sponsored by city, community gardens take root

The city hopes shared gardens will not only teach Calgarians how to grow vegetables and flowers, but also bring communities together.

As a pilot project this spring, the city is opening plots of land it owns for five community gardens and one community orchard.

The projects require a minimum of 10 people. Once approved by the city, a garden will receive the space, and $10,000 to build raised beds, and to buy, mulch, compost and building materials.

"It's just a place really to get to know your next-door neighbour here and in the garden," said Leah Gayle, as she helped her son, Chris, in a new garden in the southeast community of Cedarbrae.

"I'm really excited for this garden. I really want to see it happen," said the 12-year-old.

The public garden also gives people like Mona Charlesworth, who lives in a condo, an opportunity to grow things in a larger space.

"It is therapeutic for me. There is something about working with the soil," said Charlesworth, who pays $25 a year to be part of the garden.

"I'm going to grow carrots and beets, and as soon as it's about this long, I'm going to enjoy it. Mmm-hmm," she smiled.

The pilot project gardens will add to the nine other community gardens already located around the city.