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| Build A Garden And Build Community = = = = = = = = = = = = = June is an excellent time to be outside greening your property with better environmental practices and building gardens. It is also a great time to get to know your neighbors and build community! If you improve the environment of your neighborhood, you improve the relationships within the community. The simple effort of planting a tree together can build and improve your emotional connections and sense of responsibility to your neighbors. According to the website of The Landscape and Human Health Laboratory (further information on their studies can be found at www.lhhl.uiuc.edu), “When the spaces next to residences are green, they are both more attractive and more comfortable, drawing people to them. Such settings support frequent, friendly interaction among neighbors--the foundation of neighborhood social ties. These ties are the heart of a neighborhood’s strength, encouraging neighbors to help and protect each other.” Proof of this is in my own neighborhood. Behind my back fence, just bordering my property line on the city easement area, I have a long shady garden which touches a public sidewalk and bike path. Every time I walk out behind the fence I have kind neighbors stop to talk to me. Most are walking with family. People bike by when I’m out working as well and shout greetings and encouragement. Sometimes cars squeal to a halt on the road beyond the sidewalk just to say hello and cheer me on. It’s been one of the most heart-warming things I have experienced. Because of that addictive encouragement, I asked my neighbor if I could extend the garden on his easement property as well. He has a behind-the-fence area which is approximately sixty-six feet long by seven feet wide sitting in full sun. He encouragingly said yes. I had no money last fall to support this idea, so called all of my gardening friends and asked if they had plants they would be willing to donate to my new “public” garden. This season I also added several yards of free mulch which came from Winfield Township’s street department. Each plant donated had a heart-warming story to go along with it. While the majority of the planting and detail work in the garden has been my own labor of love, I have spent time with my gardening friends meeting their families, getting to know them, and learning more about the nature surrounding their homes when going to pick up plants. They laughed with me, exercised with me, and told me about where the plants came from. My friends are from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds; Hispanic, African-American, Asian, White, Jewish, Indian-American, Elderly, Children, Hindu, and Christian. We all came together so that more people walking along that public path can enjoy a little bit of beauty and nature. Our backgrounds didn’t make a difference; but the love we felt when building this little spot in our community made an impact. An exciting and unexpected part of this experience has been the dozens of thank you cards and anonymous plant donations I receive every week. The cards are often stuck in the garden gate, or left with plants on my front step. My neighbors, even the ones who did not contribute to this garden personally, have loudly let me know how much they appreciate the effort. It has shown me a beautiful part of our local world; a caring and loving community. This experience has made me feel better about myself too. It has helped to teach me that building a garden is far more than throwing plants in the ground; it is an expression of love for the people in your community. Creating and maintaining something beautiful in nature is healthy and encourages others to come out and do the same thing. It brings people together. Therefore you must model to more than just your family community; if you model “healthy and green” for others in your neighborhood, you will make a difference. Go out and make a difference today! Please send your gardening questions for Shawna Coronado, The Casual Gardener to dearshawna@thecasualgardener.com or The Casual Gardener, P.O. Box 358, Warrenville, IL 60555 |
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