The Sundre Community Garden will soon be growing a variety of vegetables and flowers for the fifth consecutive season.
Located immediately adjacent to the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre, the garden’s planters have largely been reserved by local green thumbs. However, as of last week there were still a few available, said Renate de Bruijn, community outreach coordinator with the Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society (GNP).
“There’s only four left,” she said, adding the numbers were not yet finalized and that the deadline to apply for a plot is at the end of the month.
“We have a core group of return gardeners,” she said.
Every season there has also been some rookie green thumbs who are curious to try renting a plot and discover whether gardening is for them. While they do not all return the following year, that ends up leaving the opportunity open for others who would like to explore gardening, she said, adding she is expecting more people to inquire about the garden as the weather warms up some more and people start getting into the spring mindset.
“That’s what happened last year.”
By May 1, the plan is to have all of the plots assigned, she added.
Members of the Sundre Community Garden Committee have priority placement, followed by return gardeners who can reserve plots they rented the previous year. After that, people at the top of the waiting list are prioritized, she said, adding applications are available at the society’s office.
There are 28 plots for vegetables, with several more outlining the fenced-in garden’s perimeter for growing flowers to attract bees and butterflies, which in turn help to foster a healthier garden, she said.
While there are no major projects or enhancements planned this season, de Bruijn said there have been discussions about the possibility of adding a new planter box.
Additionally, the non-profit volunteer committee is considering inviting the public to get together at the garden some time this summer to build community over some refreshments, she said.
“We don’t have it finalized yet.”
Meanwhile, the first work bee, which could involve some cleaning of the site if required, is scheduled for Monday, May 6 at 5 p.m., she said.
GNP and the Sundre Community Garden Committee created the garden in 2015. The venture was made possible through a partnership with Alberta Health Services which made the site on the west end of the hospital grounds available.
The year prior, the society received $25,000 in funding for the project from the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors Program as well as an additional $3,000 from AHS’ Thrive for Wellness Program.
Additionally, the project received great support from seniors, families, the schools, the municipality and the public. The project was the result of a request from residents, who had ranked the community garden as a third priority on the Town of Sundre’s Master Recreation Plan, organizers said at the time.
Visit www.mygnp.org and click on Community Garden under the Programs tab for more information, including guidelines for shared use of the garden.
