Bird on a branch.

Have you checked out the USF community garden recently? This past semester, our campus garden has undergone an influx of love and attention from our community, creating beautiful artwork, increasing accessibility, and a new and improved kitchen!

The new garden manager has taken off running here on campus, making imperative changes to our garden’s facilities so that they are more effective garden spaces. Firstly, they brought some sense into the community garden shed, making the gardening supplies far easier to find now. There is also information posted on the inside of the community garden door, indicating the status of materials and what is available in the garden. Then, they created a dramatic change in the garden by moving the long class tables that were in the middle of the garden to the south corner of the garden. This change opened up a lot of space in the community garden, space to expand the compost pile and even more space that is still open to further developments. The new location of the tables has elevated the kitchen space–along with a sink that actually functions! Rather than watching for overflow, switching out buckets, and dumping liters of soapy dirty water into the soil, the garden sink now drains into the city’s plumbing system, minimizing soil degradation. This is only the tip of the iceberg to the garden manager’s passion projects in the community garden: the greenhouse is up and running smoothly, new wood chips are in place, brick paths have been made clearer, and new plants are beginning to thrive.

The community’s passion for this garden runs deep however, as there have been many other members of our community that have been working tirelessly for a new and improved garden space. The main entrance to the garden has also experienced an update: there is now a permanent free library! Right at the entrance of the gates stands a bookcase, where community members are welcome to take a book or leave some old books to share.

There are so many new and blooming plants, a revamped kitchen, and beautiful artwork all in the community garden–how are you going to get into the garden to see it all? Graduating Environmental Studies student Katrina Silva created the answer for you! The community garden sits at the eastern foot of Lone Mountain, right beneath the two main sophomore dorm buildings, but there has been no entrance from that direction in recent memory. There used to be a door in this exact location, encouraging access to the garden and facilitating movement between LoMo and the Education building.

This door was removed many years ago, and instead there is a slatted black fence that obscures not only the view but also the mere knowledge that the community gardens are even there! Katrina addressed this issue by working with facilities management to create a new door in the community garden at the base of the hill. This door will increase access to the garden and also beautify the space even further through Katrina’s artistic vision; the door mirrors the beauty of the garden with a bright blue sky, a wood chip path, and beautiful flowers blooming all along the ground. This project has been in the works for the entire semester, and will be picked up in the following academic year by more students who will supervise the implementation of the door. In the meantime, see the vision by checking out the spot for the door behind the revitalized beehive, and spot the painted wood doors that are stored in the garden itching to be installed!

As the semester gears up for the final stretch, make sure to take a restful break to see all of the innovation happening right on campus. Take a break to explore the artwork in the garden with the sun on your back, the smell of the rosemary bush wafting over the garden, and the sounds of mourning doves, blue jays, finches, and sparrows singing in the garden. Study on the big tables in the community garden or in the chairs right by the aromatic lemon tree. Either way, enjoy the new breath of life in the community garden!