[LEWIS B & TAMARA JONES]

DHS Gardeners:

Since our December meeting, Moira, Jan and I have been looking at the garden sites and gathering more information.  Jan has summarized below what we have researched.  Please let us know what you are interested in pursuing and if you are still interested in gardening as a community.  After we hear from you we can move forward.  Thanks.

Tamara 

404-862-3235

 

 

Wylde Center director Stephanie Van Parys invited us to move to the center's Sugar Creek Garden. We met there with her and J.C. Hines, who manages that space. They use it with school groups and have a row crop area, with plans to grow some higher end for-profit culinary herbs. There's an unused grassy, sunny corner, flat to gently sloping, that measures 39x47 feet at its largest point, narrowing to half that at the top. It looks quite small, but Tamara and Moira judged it would hold about 16 4x8 plots, or Stephanie said it could be gardened communally, like the current DHS "lower 40" beds. The garden already has compost bins, a shed, tools and on-site water, including a sink, from both a cistern and (we think) city pipe. We'd have to pull several hoses up to reach this corner, but it's doable. Gardeners would follow the same requirements as those for plot holders at the Oakhurst Garden, including dues and volunteer hours. As it happens, DHS garden founder Anna Rose will be working for the Wylde Center this spring, running their annual plant sale (and recruiting member volunteers.) The advantages to this site are that it's plug and play: join the Wylde Center, decide whether to move materials over from DHS to build raised beds or garden in ground, and be ready to get plants in the ground this spring. 

 

We met with Decatur officials Lena Stevens and John Madajewski at a possible site in Hidden Cove Park at the end of Westchester Drive, a few doors down from Jan's house (also Michael's neighborhood.) It's a wide, flat, grassy flood plain surrounded on three sides by the creek and so has several restrictions. Raised beds are not allowed. The shed could possibly be placed on an existing paved space, not sure. Soil is quite soggy after rains, and it floods occasionally. City requires that immediate neighbors be consulted (there are four who overlook the space.) There's an old county water meter at the street, but services were cut about 15 years ago when the city bought the property and demolished the house. It's unknown whether there are still pipes in the ground and it would take some research to see if we could get service restored. There's also a hydrant at the street that could be tapped, but the hose would need to go about as far as at Sugar Creek. We'd have to fill out the official city garden application, present a landscape plan and likely apply for some city variances, which Lena and John thought would be no big deal. Both adjoining neighborhoods would be notified, and there could either be opposition or interest from additional gardeners. The garden would have to be started from scratch. All the various hurdles might take a while.

 

The three of us also checked out Tanyard Creek Garden along Northern Ave. after Leonard showed Moira around. It’s similar to Hidden Cove, but even wetter as it’s designed for water retention along the creek. As Moira posted earlier, they have a powered pump to use creek water, which they treat with bleach before using to water the plots. Leonard said there would be some room for more gardeners –not sure how many. The garden looks very welcoming and an adjoining non-gardening neighbor told us he enjoyed it being there.

 

 We also looked at a grassy corner of Avondale Baptist Church’s property, where the LEAD homeschool group holds classes. The LEAD board and church folks were excited at the prospect of working with us, and they already have a garden teacher but only a very small garden spot. But after checking out the location, Moira and Tamara said it felt too far away. (Just past center of Avondale Estates, going toward Kensington MARTA station.)

 

 Finally we looked at the open grassy lot about mid-way down Garden Lane where the city some years back tore down a house that flooded. Also next to the creek, it gets quite soggy but rarely floods. We learned from a friend who lives two doors up that it is a popular kid’s play space and the neighborhood held its last picnic there. It’s the only park space on the street, and not super large, so we felt might not be the best spot for a garden.

[Sara Harmelin]

As someone who doesn't have a ton of time to contribute/volunteer, I'm leaning toward joining one of the already developed gardens. I would love to start something from scratch with you all but graduate school and work keep me busy! I think the most important thing is that we keep gardening as a community and I'm happy to do that no matter the location. I'm slightly leary of joining the Wylde Center (although I'm already a member) because we will lose our autonomy, but it might be worth it for the ease of the transition and I'm leaning in that direction.

Sara

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[Wendy Holmes]

I agree with Sara. It sounds like the Wylde center has the fewest cons and will be relatively easy to get going. 

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From: Sara Harmelin <sahar...@gmail.com>
To: jones...@bellsouth.net
Cc: Jan Gable <4ga...@gmail.com>; Cindy Guenthner <4guen...@comcast.net>; dhs-g...@googlegroups.com; Duran Dodson <du...@cddodson.com>; Ellen Carpenter <ecarp...@csdecatur.net>; White Greg <greg....@decaturga.com>; Mary Stoops <hays...@gmail.com>; leonar...@gmail.com; mksoo...@gmail.com; Moira Bucciarelli <moi...@gmail.com>; M Chian <monica...@gmail.com>; Margarita Gonzalez <pramo...@gmail.com>; Ruben Gonzalez <rrg...@yahoo.com>; Mary Hilpertshauser <sea...@mindspring.com>; Terri Singleton <terri....@yahoo.com>; Mary Visscher <vissche...@gmail.com>; Audrey Kemp <willo...@gmail.com>; Zoey Laird <zoey....@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2015 1:40 PM
Subject: Re: (No subject)

[Riduan Joesoef]

I was a member and a plot holder at Oakhurst/Wylde center for many years. I gave up the plot there after I got DHS plot with full sun exposure.  It is fine with me to return to Wylde center since I still keep my membership there.

Good luck to you all,

Riduan

On Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 4:14 PM, LEWIS B & TAMARA JONES <jones...@bellsouth.net> wrote:

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