🌻 A NeighborSpace-protected community garden in the East Village neighborhood, open to all. 🌻
If you wish to volunteer at the garden, email us for the monthly workday schedule One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Greenhouse Garden is that it lacks any sort of fence or barrier around its perimeter, giving the message that the garden is open to anyone who wishes to enjoy its refuge. It i
s a fitting testament to the garden’s origins. “About 20 years ago the lot was basically a garage – neighbors parked and repaired their cars there,” says community leader James (JW) Glass. “The City owned it, then one day they installed some railroad ties around the perimeter to keep the cars out. Once the cars were gone some unknown neighbor ventured out there and planted some tomatoes and tended them in the weeds and trash.” The efforts of that unknown individual eventually evolved into a neighborhood-wide endeavor to clean up the lot and establish a “real” community garden, open to anyone. NeighborSpace became involved in 1998 when the City put the lot up for sale and an alert neighbor saw the listing and contacted the organization about purchasing the land. The garden is as diverse as the West Town residents who gather every Sunday afternoon to work in it – literally every available space is occupied by something growing, from vegetables and fruit trees and bushes to flowers, herbs and towering prairie grasses.
