How Does Your Community Garden Grow?

Basil. Tarragon. Cucumbers. Green onions. Parsley. Mint.

They are all growing tall, in the Sunset Community Garden in the Renton Highlands, thanks to a $12,799 grant through the City of Renton's Neighborhood program, plus a lot of vision and sweat equity from some community volunteers and Calvary Baptist Church.

Anne Case, a stay-at-home mom of two who has another child on the way, is the garden coordinator. Roxy Johnson donated all of the initial plants.

"They talked about it for years at Calvary Baptist," Case said. She decided in January to make it a reality so she connected with Norma McQuiller, who runs the City of Renton's Neighborhood program. McQuiller wrote the application for the grant, which they received.

The grant money from the city requires the project volunteers to provide matching funds in the form of dollars, materials, or sweat equity. The Sunset Community Garden has been able to do all of the above.

As soon as the grant was received Case's husband, Rudy, a firefighter, tilled the ground. He designed the raised beds and he and his friends built them. Materials for the beds were donated by McLendon Hardware.

Other businesses have been generous, as well. Groco, a company that specializes in bio-solids compost with sawdust, donated 3 yards of materials. R & S Framing built the fence. Jack Greathouse of Eastside Fire & Rescue has donated time and equipment. Ray Evans, the grounds and maintenance supervisor for Calvary Baptist, has provided countless hours of service at the garden.

The plots for the garden are available for rent for just $15 for the summer. The plots are 4 feet by 5 feet, and many have become family affairs, including Case's. Daughters Cadence, 1, and Samantha, 3, come along to help mom and dad, although Cadence is still in a child carrier, for now.

Two of the 12 raised beds are donated to the Calvary Baptist Church Food Bank.

The Sunset Garden provides the water and the plot owners provide the plants and the work.

"We plan to have classes in the future about organics and soil content," Case said. She hopes to find a Master Gardener who can answer questions, too.

Johnson said there are plans to use the space for community picnics, including a Thursday in August, and a harvest party at the end of the growing season. Johnson grew up in the neighborhood, and said it is a great place to grow up, and see the new garden become a community project.

"It has been nice to see so many people working together to make this happen," Johnson said. "Without the Neighborhood Program, we never would have been able to make this a reality," she said.

"This is true civic improvement and a community activity," Case said.

There are plenty of plots left—about 36—and it is not too late to start planting, Case and Johnson said.

If you are interested in starting a similar program in your neighborhood, McQuiller said there are mini-grants for as much as $1,000 available until the end of this year. After January 2012, the community grants for more than $1,000 will be available again.

Start dreaming, gardeners, there could be another community garden in your neighborhood.