community gardens
July 14, 2008
If you like this recipe, I am sure you will love these related recipes!
There' s a community garden near where I live, which makes me happy on a number of levels. Primarily because I am neither an apt nor confident gardener and it' s nice to know that sage and green-thumbed individuals are there, moving things along, watching to make sure that over-eager weeders like myself don' t pull up the budding azalea by its nascent roots. Second, it comforts me to know that a little plot of land matters that much to a group of people. Neighbors maintain it, care for it, eat the fruits and vegetables it
produces and keep it beautiful for their own sake and for everyone else’s. It' s one of the more noble pursuits I can imagine. Third, I like the garden because without it, I would have to stare at a heap of concrete rubble every time I walk my dog. After the demolition of a public library in its spot, the city of Houston left all of the detritus and concrete to decompose on its own—a long process indeed. In the meantime, there
was a real eyesore smack in the middle of an important intersection. One citizen, Meredith Burke, decided to turn the 
plot from garbage to green. In an article to the Houston Chronicle Burke explained, “Creating the park was due in large part to the strong sense of community spirit I felt, and a desire to create an inviting place of natural 
beauty.”It took months for the city to allow Burke and the community to build the garden, but today it flourishes. In discovering Meredith Gardens, I also learned more about the organization Urban Harvest, which can help anyone, anywhere locate his or her nearest urban or community garden. It also has great growing tips and information about starting your own neighborhood plot. Surely there' s an
abandoned gray strip you just hate looking at on your morning commute…it' s entirely possible to turn a desolate landscape into a mini-Eden. (Photos from a recent walk through Meredith Gardens, and Lupe seated beside the beds.)
