Community garden planned

Community garden planned in S.B.

Project will replace the old city florist's garden.

SUE LOWE, Tribune Staff Writer

It was about Earth Day in April when Krista Bailey started finding people interested in a community garden -- a place where people could go to grow vegetables and flowers.

She went to Bertrand Farm out on Bertrand Road just north of the state line in Niles and bought a share of the community supported agriculture operation there. But she and others dreamed of having a place in town so they didn't have to drive so far.

Somewhere in all the conversations, Gail Spitzer mentioned the area behind the Ella Morris and Muessel-Ellison Conservatories and Potawatomi Greenhouse.

The city florist used to live there and he once had a fairly large garden. But after Joe Gondocs, the last city florist, retired in 2005, the city tore down the house. And they didn't hire another city florist.

So Bailey and Spitzer went to the South Bend Parks and Recreation Board and South Bend Community Gardens was born with support from the Botanical Society of South Bend.

Bailey said the group will be able to use the garden and a greenhouse beside it.

"The greenhouse is not heated, but by February or March it will be warm enough to start seeds," she said.

Most of the old garden is now grass, but Bailey said a grape arbor and some red raspberries, a strawberry bed and a herb bed remain.

She would like to find somebody with some knowledge of grapes and how they're grown.

Volunteers have dug up an area for a children's garden where parents can turn their children loose.

Members of the group also hope to put in some raised beds they can use as an education area.

They haven't decided yet if participating families will have their own garden plots or will all just use one big garden.

They do know they'll be charging $25 for a family to participate. That's to cover the cost of water and other supplies.

A tasting area is planned so somebody passing through who wants to taste doesn't take something from a member's space.

Bailey said somebody from the chemistry department at Indiana University South Bend has taken soil samples to see if the soil needs anything added to make it a good place to grow things.

They're looking for somebody who can till the grass for them yet this fall so they can put in some compost.

After that garden is started Bailey would like to start another garden on the west side.