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Who can garden?Priority is given to Alberta Avenue resident members. If there is space, then associate (non-resident) members will be eligible for a plot.
Where is the garden?In the fenced area behind the community centre. It consists of 32 plots along the perimeter of the chain link fence (each section between the fence posts is a garden plot 10 by 12 feet) as well as 12 additional plots in the middle.
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History of our community garden
Alberta Avenue Community League started a community garden in 2011 with 17 plots and 12 gardeners. We took the "build it and they will come" approach by hiring a tractor with rototiller to come and work a 10 foot strip of land along the interior of our chainlink fence compound. We had no problem getting people interested once the garden was a reality instead of just talk in meetings. We added more plots in 2012, 2013 and 2016.
Now in year ten (2020) we have 44 rentable garden plots and 30 gardeners. The garden has flower boxes, a perennial bed with lots of native plants, a pollinator garden, a herb garden box, raspberries, strawberries, saskatoon bushes, a pear tree and an apple tree in community plots.
Over the years, we've beautified our garden with a pergola, fencing to hide our work area, and garden plot borders. We are working on creating a cozy corner and a second pergola. Some gardeners have envisioned having a greenhouse one day. Our garden has become another venue space of the community centre with people booking it for garden parties, weddings, events and festivals.
This year we accepted seven new gardeners and still have a waiting list of four Alberta Avenue residents. We don't generally accepted new gardeners from outside Alberta Avenue because we have enough demand in the neighbourhood, and community gardens should be for the local community.
In 2020, we are getting a bee hive and we are talking about expanding the garden even more.
Our community garden has been running an annual compost sale fundraiser selling Second Nature Compost from the City of Edmonton since 2016. The sale is on Mother's Day weekend at our Bloomin Garden Show. This year Bloomin was cancelled but the compost sale went on. We sold out in less than two hours!
Now in year ten (2020) we have 44 rentable garden plots and 30 gardeners. The garden has flower boxes, a perennial bed with lots of native plants, a pollinator garden, a herb garden box, raspberries, strawberries, saskatoon bushes, a pear tree and an apple tree in community plots.
Over the years, we've beautified our garden with a pergola, fencing to hide our work area, and garden plot borders. We are working on creating a cozy corner and a second pergola. Some gardeners have envisioned having a greenhouse one day. Our garden has become another venue space of the community centre with people booking it for garden parties, weddings, events and festivals.
This year we accepted seven new gardeners and still have a waiting list of four Alberta Avenue residents. We don't generally accepted new gardeners from outside Alberta Avenue because we have enough demand in the neighbourhood, and community gardens should be for the local community.
In 2020, we are getting a bee hive and we are talking about expanding the garden even more.
Our community garden has been running an annual compost sale fundraiser selling Second Nature Compost from the City of Edmonton since 2016. The sale is on Mother's Day weekend at our Bloomin Garden Show. This year Bloomin was cancelled but the compost sale went on. We sold out in less than two hours!