Sounds of silence
The Legacy Garden in Charlottetown recently received a grant from Seeds of Change
The sounds of urban life are almost non-existent in the community garden in the heart of Charlottetown.
The sounds of urban life are almost non-existent in the community garden in the heart of Charlottetown.
The Legacy Garden is spread across 10 acres of land behind the Farm Centre on University Avenue and has been a green space provided to the public by the P.E.I. Farm Centre Association since 2014.
Phil Ferraro, general manager of the P.E.I. Farm Centre Association: Legacy Garden, said the space consists of a community garden, a community orchard, a goodwill garden and a children’s garden with hundreds of volunteers helping tend the grounds.
“It’s a place where people are constantly getting to know each other, helping each other and celebrating a part of our heritage which is agriculture,” said Ferraro.
Jean Warren had a big smile on her face as she tended to her fruit and vegetables one recent day.
This is the first time in years Warren has been able to garden since moving from her home to an apartment building in Charlottetown.
She said the area is “beautiful’’ and that she feels like she is out in the country when she is at the Legacy Garden.
“It’s just a joy. People here are so nice. Everybody helps everybody here.”
The garden was one of 12 across the country that received a grant from Seeds of Change, a certified organic rice and ancient grain brand, to help fellow community gardeners across Canada.
The Seeds of Change brand donated one per cent of sales to community gardens in each province and territory with the Legacy Garden receiving $2,000 to assist with their operations.
Matt Hurst, corporate affairs manager for Seeds of Change, said the goal of this grant is to help community gardens grow while educating people where food comes from and the importance of growing fresh and healthy food.
“That is just a passion of Seeds of Change, it’s what we believe in and we do it through our one per cent fund.”
Hurst, who is based in Southern California, said Seeds of Change worked with the national not-for-profit Evergreen to select the community gardens across the country.
“The impact of community gardens is phenomenal and it’s something that Seeds of Change brand truly believes in and that’s the reason-and the success through the grant programis really being able to give back to these community gardens that do so much for their community.”
Ferraro said this grant was used for management, maintenance and to enhance the atmosphere at the garden in Charlottetown.
“Gardening is one of the most popular past times in North America and when people get to get together, they learn from each other,” said Ferraro. “It’s a real community builder to get people of all ages and various ethnic backgrounds into the same space and sharing a common interest.”
The grant helped the Legacy Garden expand its community garden from 110 to 150 allotments.
The accessibility garden was also completed this year with table top height gardens installed for those with mobility challenges.
“It allows a whole other aspect of our community to get involved,” said Ferraro.
In addition helping the community garden, the grant enhanced the biodiversity within the orchard by adding medicinal herbs, flowering shrubs and native species to the area.