The Garden Design

Brochure

These images were made available by the gracious and talented graphic designer, Liz Samuelson. Her work is creative and beautiful. Check it out at: http://www.lizorak.com/.

Garden Tour

The Survey

Grants We Are Going For

The Captain Planet Foundation
http://captainplanetfoundation.org/default.aspx?pid=3&tab=apply

Nature Hills Nursery
http://www.naturehills.com/green_america_awards.aspx

Fiskars Project Orange Thumb
http://www.fiskars.com/content/garden_en_us/Garden/Community

The Columbus Foundation Growing to Green Scotts Grant
http://www.columbusfoundation.org/ASSETS/2B9BA44F50AC466399D35653EEC9A110/Scotts.doc

Garden Co-Planners Unite Email

Hi, Ladies!

I am writing to you all because you have told me you are interested in being a garden co-planner and I would like to come together in the new year to get our garden going by May 2009.

I think co-planning can really look any way that works best for you and all of our busy lives, but I thought it might be a good idea for us to communicate what you want and I need to get this garden off the ground. So, far, I have been trying to delegate out a few tasks here and there as well as organize meetings. I don't want to overwhelm anyone, so I just kind of find something that needs done and email a description of the project out. Does that work for you? Is there something else you would like to do?

I was hoping to go over this at our last meeting, but we haven't all been together. Perhaps we should organize a coffee/tea meeting to talk about the timeline, roles, to-do's etc. What do you think? Maybe in January after the holidays? I know Linda has little ones, so I would be happy to come over there if that would make life easier. And, we could just make the meeting just for us (not the rest of SH), so no one has to do anything other than just show up. Anyway, let me know about that...

I have also been writing the grants. Here is the update:

1. $1500: Fiskars-Due in Feb 09, and has a second creative part after the first due date that I am a little nervous about! Linda is going to proof this one for me. I have asked Melody and Kim to think through connections we can make with our community to answer one of the grant questions. ((After the brainstorm, we will need someone to make those phone calls or write those letter. Having those supportive community connections will help us with this next grant, too...))
2. $4000: Scotts Growing to Green-submitted, but we did not get. Sue and I talked about some possible things to add for the next round of submissions in Oct 09. I really think we can get it this time AND Bill Dawson said he would look it over to help out.
3. $2500-1500: Nature Hills Nursery written and Roger Cherry is checking it for me. Due April 09.
4. $2500-250: Captain Planet: this is all about kids and environmental connection and involvement. Creating a kid friendly and educational garden is of huge importance to me. This one hasn't been written yet. Due March 31.

I have also posted a lot to the Sycamore Hills CG Blog so that this process can be duplicated by other communities and our own garden will benefit from combined reflection and action. Please check it out:

http://sycamorehillscommunitygarden.blogspot.com/

I thought it might be helpful to see the answers for the Fiskars grant I just wrote so that you can weigh in on any ideas/vision you have for the garden or just be inspired! That is attached.

Just so you know, Sue organized the garden tour and is getting the garden design digitalized to add to the grant. ((Sue, I have another version for you to look at if your friend hasn't done anything yet. I think it might be easier to go with a rectangular version of the garden. I came to this conclusion after I started really getting going on the budget and researched fences.I will scan that and send it out to you in one or two days.))

So, I think that is it. Check out the blog, read over the grant answers, and let me know about the meeting.
Thanks!!
Amy

Grant Questions + Answers

Explain whether this will be a new garden initiative or are plans made for an already existing garden. Include types of plants and garden location and dimensions. Include maps, diagrams, or drawings. Include the techniques or methods you will use (e.g. outdoor raised beds, outdoor containers, etc.).

This will be a new garden and community building initiative for the Sycamore Hills Neighborhood.

The entire garden creation process has been and continues to be documented on the Sycamore Hills Community Garden Blog, http://sycamorehillscommunitygarden.blogspot.com. The gardeners and neighbors will be invited and trained on using the blog to add their own writings and photographs of the garden. This blog will be linked onto the Sycamore Hills Residents Association website, which is in the process of being updated and improved by a very dedicated board of community members. It is the SHRA goal to have the SHRA website linked to the Northwest Civic Association website as a local NW Columbus neighborhood. The blog and garden will help other neighborhoods find inspiration and background knowledge to create their own community gardens.

The garden will include fruit trees, vines, shrubs, flowers, food crops, herbs and berries.
The dimensions of the garden will be 64 feet X 52 feet, with twenty raised beds, compost bin, water collection system, drip irrigation, and a roofed structure, surrounded by a fence lined with beds.

Each family will be able to sign up for an individual bed, and any unclaimed beds will be designated as community produce, including food for the local pantries under the program "Grow a Row for the Hungry." Some beds will be raised 4-5 feet off of the ground for older gardeners. The entire garden will be maintained and planted using only organic and environmentally sound methods and materials.

The garden timeline:
April 2008: creation of idea and communication to neighborhood
May: Share and collect information on garden idea with neighbors
June: Meet and discuss information gathered
July: ascertain formal interest and garden planners
August: prepare grants
October: garden tour
November: planning and design meeting
December: prepare grants and budget
January 2009: make community connections
February: Garden meeting
March: Establish garden care rules and regulations
April: Begin sign ups
May: Begin construction and planting
June: planting, harvesting, and maintenance
July: planting, harvesting, and maintenance
August: planting, harvesting, and maintenance
September: planting, harvesting, and maintenance
October: garden preparation for winter and post season reflection

Grant Questions + Answers

How will you involve members of the community in planning, installing and caring for the garden? How many people will be directly involved? Describe plans for service-learning, neighborhood beautification or entrepreneurial projects connected to the garden. What other organization(s) is/are currently, or will potentially be providing assistance for your garden? Specifically, what kind of support would you receive from each group.

The intention of the garden is to be completely for the community, and a huge amount of planning and effort thus far has been to involve and communicate with as many people as possible.

Planning activities and communications included:
1.Obtaining the support of the Sycamore Hills Residents Association
2.An introduction and proposal in the community newsletter, followed by a personal visit of 230 houses by two garden planners to offer information about the community garden idea, and to request neighbor feedback
3.84 surveys, calls, and emails that came in after those visits were organized and formed into easily accessible graphs
4.An initial community garden meeting was held that supporting documents to all those in the community
5.Prospective community gardeners went on a garden tour of six local community gardens to help better plan the Sycamore Hills Community Garden
6.A follow up meeting to design the garden based on the survey information and garden tour findings. A beautiful and inclusive garden design was agreed upon

In summary, at this point, thirty one households are directly involved in with the community garden meetings and planning. Five community members have enlisted as co-planners, which entails a large amount of planning, communicating, and follow through on the garden creation process.

There are many plans in the works to use the garden as a jumping off point for service learning, beautification, and entrepreneurial projects. The service learning component is already in place with the plans to participate in the ?Grow a Row for the Hungry? program. A wonderful extension of this plan will be to go to the pantry/food kitchen and help prepare and serve the food the Sycamore Hills Community Garden has grown and donated. In addition, it would be wonderful to see the garden be used as a cooking class site, where a portable camp stove could be used to show how to prepare the food from the garden in healthy and delicious meals. In addition, gardeners could use the garden to host lessons and lectures about best practices, helpful strategies, and question and answer sessions.

The garden will beautify a large city park that is 75% open and has an unused field. In addition, plants could be divided to share with neighbors and beautify the entrance ways. The garden will also serve as a beautiful walking area and meeting place for the neighborhood. Art will also be a big part of this garden in the future. Statues, mosaics, signage, and murals will all be welcomed in the garden and will increase the beauty that the garden holds all year round.

Entrepreneurial projects that are under discussion involve organizing a teen gardening program that would encourage teens to become entrepreneurs. Teens could be encouraged to make connections with local restaurants and grow selected produce for their clients. Their work could help to fund their education or the garden, and would teach important skills. In addition, a teen garden training program could be developed. The goals of this program would include instruction on communication skills, garden knowledge, professionalism, and budgeting that would help them to become paid or volunteer caretaker for other gardens.

These following organizations are currently in communication concerning partnerships with the garden:

1.Volunteering: Columbus Police and Fire Departments, Christian Fellowship Church, Mayfair Village Retirement Center, Gables Elementary School, OSU Master Gardeners, Bishop Watterson High School.
2.Donations: Franklin Park Conservatory Growing to Green Program, Columbus Parks and Recreation Department, Straders Garden Center, Grainger, Rain Brothers.

Grant Questions + Answers

Goals & Objectives (4000 characters)Describe the specific and measurable goals and objectives of your project. This information should provide a clear and concise view of how and why this garden will make a difference. These goals and objectives should be the backbone of your successful project.

The goals of the Sycamore Hills Community (SHC) Garden include:
-Growing a sense of community among each other and within the city of Columbus.
-Growing knowledge of: nutrition, cultivation of healthy food, organic and environmental growing practices, self reliance, one's self, and of the earth.

Creating a community garden in the neighborhood will enable residents to participate and connect with their neighbors in a meaningful and positive way. It will bring the Sycamore Hills Community together for work and for play. A community garden is a wonderful opportunity to those from all demographics to feel welcome and to participate.

Many of the Sycamore Hills residents bring a lifetime of experience and knowledge of gardening and growing food, maintaining soil, preventing pests and disease. With a garden in place, they will have the opportunity to share their expertise. The garden will be a positive and authentic way to connect with other older and younger residents in the community. The community garden will also provide an opportunity to the Sycamore Hills residents to grow their knowledge, to seek out those in the greater Columbus community who have valuable gardening knowledge.

The design elements of the garden will be mindful of the many generations. Included will be raised beds that are 4-5 feet off of the ground, easily accessible water (drip irrigation), nearby street and parking access, safe and level walking paths wide enough for a walker, wheelchair or stroller, and shaded and comfortable places to rest. There will also be elements focused on children and teens within the community.

A garden gives a person the understanding, the pride, and the joy of seeing barren earth produce wonderful things. A community garden brings those emotions not just to one or two, but to the entire collective. It will foster pride within one's self and within one's community. Having worked together to foster life brings people closer together and creates lasting friendships.
The community garden provides a wonderful place for those who would love to garden but do not have the adequate place for a personal garden. Whether the existing constraints be lack of room, too much shade, or something else, the community garden will be designed with such concerns in mind. It will be open and accessible to all those in the community who wish to test his/her green thumb.

The community garden will open a wonderful new growth for the Sycamore Hills Community into community service. Currently there are no community organized service opportunities. The garden would provide the opportunity to participate in "Grow a Row for the Hungry." Many community members are very interested in supporting the local pantry through this program, and look forward to establishing a strong connection. Another plan is in place to provide food and flowers for the residents in Sycamore Hills who are in need of healthy food, a cheerful bouquet of flowers, or just the company of the delivery person.

The images included in this section show the backbone of the garden goals: our community. These images come from a celebration at the park (and future garden site) to welcome home a neighbor and solider from Iraq.

Grant Questions + Answers

What are the plans to sustain the project upon completion (250 words max):

The garden maintenance plan will be supervised and implemented by the garden designer and the co-planners. Specific rules and regulations will be drafted using exemplars from other gardens and organizations, such as ACGA, Franklin Park, and Garden Works, as well as from the guidelines provided by the City of Columbus. The rules and regulations will be on permanent record in the community handbook, will be posted at the garden site, and a copy will be provided to each household that claims a garden plot.

Each bed will be assigned to a gardener or household, and they will be required to maintain the bed by removing weeds, keeping growth under control, and removing all garden materials by a specific date at the end of each growing season. Between each of the beds, a weed barrier and ground cover material will be placed so that the growth of weeds and other vegetation around the beds will be kept to a minimum. We will ask each participating household or gardener to donate a small amount of time each week or month in general maintenance and will request that the participants record their efforts and time committed to maintenance in a logbook that will reside at the site.

In an effort to reflect on and evaluate the garden these considerations will be taken into account in the future: Does the garden bring community together? Does the garden serve as a source of food and flowers for the community? Is the maintenance plan effective? Do the garden rules accommodate the community, and are additional rules or revisions to existing rules needed? Does the design accommodate the gardeners? What number of people participate in the garden, and is every member of the community with an interest in the garden being served? Does the Columbus Park site work for the community? What needs to be changed for the next garden season? Is this garden sustainable?

These questions will be answered through surveys, record keeping, meetings, and communication within the community and with the Columbus Department of Parks and Recreation.

Grant Questions + Answers

List community members, organizations and local businesses that actively support or have pledged support to this garden project (250 words max.):

Growing to Green through Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus Parks and Recreation Department, Strader’s Nursery, 31 community members, and more connections are being made as garden planning continues.

We hope to create a strong connection with the OSU Master Gardeners, the local fire and police departments, a nearby church, a nearby retirement home, and a nearby school, who has also just begun a community garden.

Additional funding will also be requested from Fiskars Project Orange Thumb, Captain Planet, and Target Community Grants.

Postings on CCG about SHCG

http://columbuscommunitygardening.blogspot.com/search/label/Create%20a%20CG%20from%20Scratch-SHCG%20example?max-results=20

This link will lead you to all of the related postings on my first blog, Columbus Community Gardening about starting the SHCG. These postings are very visual; I think you will enjoy them.

Grant Questions + Answers

Please describe in detail the plot where the plants will be used. Any interesting history of the plot being developed will be considered.

The Sycamore Hills Community Gardening group began in April 2008. It started with an idea by resident, Amy _, who has lived in communities with gardens, volunteered in many community gardens around Columbus, successfully accomplished the OSU Master Gardener training and maintains a Columbus Community Gardening Blog (www.columbuscommunitygardening.blogspot.com). Amy hoped to provide a service to her community and felt that a community garden would be an excellent way to involve the multi-generational residents in the neighborhood, as well as to bring together and strengthen the community.

In April, Amy went to the Sycamore Hills Residents Association meeting to share her vision, and with their approval began to seek out interest in the community for a garden. after visiting over 230 homes in the neighborhood in an effort to inform everyone of the potential for a community garden in Sycamore Hills, Amy conducted a survey. Amy found that there were many people interested in the gardens. Additionally, after learning of the idea, four other people signed on as garden co-planners.

After the survey was completed, a meeting was held to share the results with the neighborhood. During the meeting, the residents expressed excitement that the gardens could be used to to grow their own food and flowers, connect neighbors who otherwise would not know each other, provide garden goods for the homebound, busy, or elderly residents, and to beautify the neighborhood.

The survey results show that 97% of the respondents support the garden. Currently, thirty-one households are interested in participating in the project, and this number should grow significantly once the garden is in place. Interested participants represent a wide range of ages and gardening knowledge, including young families, retired adults, single women, and teens/children. If desired, a copy of the survey and results will be provided.

Feeling Lonely...

I have just posted every single email I didn't accidentally delete from my gmail account onto this blog, with the correct dates to show the timeline of events. I decided they are best on the blog, not in my gmail "garden" folder. This isn't my garden, this is Sycamore Hill's garden. Why not put everything out there? It was so interesting to go back and see things that were written only a few months ago. It gave me perspective.

I just had a really exciting meeting about the Columbus Community Gardening Blog that I created and co-author. We talked about the adding more writing that reveals the good and the bad about community and gardening. I have decided to write this very honest and open post in light of the fact that I don't want other community gardeners to feel bad when something doesn't go right. Creating a garden can be a very humbling experience.

I have to say that I am left feeling a little down because I don't seem to be doing a very good job getting people excited about the garden.

2, 3, 5

These numbers are the amount of people the meetings and tours are drawing. When I posted the emails, I was surprised how many things I have written about this garden and how hard I have tried to get people involved. However, there ARE some wonderful examples of people who are really thoughtful and looking forward to the garden that lifted my spirits. So, am I doing something wrong?

Are people (me, included) just that busy? Do people need a garden in place before they understand how wonderful this can be?

Here comes the whining and negative thinking (maybe I will not post this):

I am writing three grants right now, as well as creating the budget I forgot to attach (huge oversight) to the Growing to Green grant that I turned in on October 4. 2008. Perhaps that is why we didn't get it; I haven't asked for or received any feedback yet. (I should post the rejection letter if I can figure out how to post things that I scan. When we get it next year it will create a nice example of overcoming mistakes and obstacles.) Regardless, my point is that I am putting in an amazing amount of work into this garden. I am happy and extremely motivated to do it, but it makes me feel lonely and disappointed when people don't show! It is such a bummer.
I have high hopes that once the garden is in place, people will SEE how great it is and get more involved. Maybe people don't realize how much planning is going in to this garden. Just today, I have spent 8 hours drawing the garden, researching costs for the budget, writing on this blog, requesting help, and writing grants.

I want to say that the best thing I did was the brochure and survey (along with visiting every house). I worked very hard to make sure people want the garden before I started this process. It is so reassuring to know that I have documentation that 31 households said they were planning on participating, and even more were in support of it, but can't participate right now. I highly suggest you do this, too.

Editing Help Email 2

Hi, Linda! Hope your holiday season is going well! I am busy writing three grants (Fiskars, Nature Hills Nursery, and Captain Planet) for funding for the garden, and I wondered if you might be interested in helping to edit and revise my work for the Fiskars grant before I turn it in. It is worth $1,500 in Fiskars garden tools and up to $800.00 in gardening-related materials, so it will definitely help get our future garden looking fabulous. I am planning on breaking ground May 2009! If so, I will send you the grant information I have compiled and written about, and you can look it over, make changes, and send it back my way for submission. Thanks, and let me know as soon as you can!
Best wishes,
Amy

Community Connection Ideas Email

Hi, Melody and Kim!

I hope your holiday season is going well so far! I am working on the third grant for the garden, and they are asking this question:

What other organization(s) is/are currently, or will potentially be providing assistance for your garden? Specifically, what kind of support would you receive from each group.

Since both of you are long time residents and just all around fabulous, I was hoping you could help me brainstorm some possible contacts/businesses/ organizations for the garden. The ones I came up with so far are:

• Police
• Fire
• Church- the one on Godown?
• Retirement Home-?
• School-Gables? didn't they just start a garden? I wrote Carol Linville about it, but haven't heard back yet...
• Master Gardener Program- MG are required to do 25 hours of service, this could be a site
• Watterson High School-HS are required to do 25 hours of service, this could be a site
• Franklin Park Conservatory Growing to Green Program-extra plants, compost, etc?
• Columbus Parks and Recreation Department
• Straders- said they were interested in helping
• Oakland-?
• Rain Brothers- they are friends of mine and do water collection barrels, compost tumblers, etc.
• Construction company?
• Landscape company?
• Big Columbus Companies?
• Mr. Mulch??? or Joan's topsoil?
• OTHERS???

Also, if you have any desire to draft a letter telling these people about the garden and asking for their support and a contact name, it would be really helpful to the garden planning. I would like to break ground May 2009!

Electronic Garden Drawing Email

Hi, Sue, Has your friend had a chance to draw up our plan? I am applying for a grant, and it would be a helpful document to provide. Let me know if she can't and perhaps I can figure out another way to do it.Thanks!!!amy

Editing Help Email

Hi, Roger, If you have some time, I would love to take you up on your offer to help with the grant writing in order to get this community garden looking as amazing as it can. This grant is for $2500-1500 in trees, plants, shrubs, so it is significant to our work, to say the least! And exciting! I have already done an almost final draft of the grant, but it can definitely use your professional touch. Feel free to make any changes, additions, etc. Attached are two documents. One is a copy of the website on a word document, just so you can see what they want-you don't need to spend any time on this one; it is just for your reference. The second is a corresponding document with the answers typed out on there (including the questions). I would like to apply for this asap because next quarter will be crazy for me. The deadline isn't until April, but I have three other grants to write up too! THANKS!Amy

Sister Garden Email

Hi, Carol!
I am helping to organize information for community gardens around columbus, and I wondered if the school garden that you mentioned in other SHRA emails (I think it is gables) has connected with The Franklin Park Conservatory Growing to Green program or ACGA? Can you give me a contact person name and email so I can get in touch with them? Also I was thinking it might be cool to connect our gardens as sister sites, so I want to talk to them about that, too! Thanks!

ACGA listing

I have created our listing for the ACGA garden search, but nothing is coming up yet. I will email them. In the meantime, here is our listing.

http://acga.localharvest.org/garden/M2104?ul