Original article appeared in The Lockeland Springs Neighborhood Association April/May 2011 Newsletter on page 4 and continued on page 9
The Shelby Park Discovery Garden Needs Your Assistance
Are you a beginner, intermediate, or advanced gardener? Do you want to learn ecological gardening tips and techniques? Do you want to educate yourself or share your gardening knowledge with your family, friends, neighbors, and others in the local area? If you have answered yes to any of those questions, then please consider volunteering at the Shelby Park Discovery Organic (Community) Garden. The following questions and answers will provide more information about ways that you can become more involved in this great effort.
Where is the garden located?
The Shelby Park Discovery Garden is located near the intersection of South 20th Street and Lillian Street in the Lockeland Springs Neighborhood. More specifically, the Garden is located between the Shelby Park Community Center parking lot and the Shelby Dog Park within a fenced area.
Who do I contact to become a volunteer?
If you wish to volunteer in the Garden in any capacity, then please feel free to contact the Metro Parks Shelby Park Discovery Garden Coordinator/Shelby Bottoms Nature Center Naturalist, Christie Wiser, via e-mail at Christie.Wiser [at] nashville.gov.
When is the May planting day?
The Annual May Planting Day will take place on Saturday, May 14, 2011, from 9 AM until 12 PM at the Discovery Garden.
What volunteer efforts are needed?
- We need people to use the Garden: harvest flowers, fruits, herbs, and vegetables.
- We need people to water the plants and pull out weeds on a regular basis.
- We need people to pick up trash in the garden and surrounding area.
- We need someone to let Christie Wiser know when work days are needed so that there can be an organized, group effort to accomplish tasks.
- Please contact Christie Wiser
- to let her know what and where you plan to plant so that perennials do not get planted over.
- to let her know when you are coming and what you plan to do so that she can direct you to the best place to plant or where to pull out weeds, etc.
- to let her know your hours each time that you volunteer in the park so that future grants can be obtained for the community garden.
- to let her know that you would be interested in teaching a program on any of the following topics:
- Biological Intensive Gardening Methods
- Companion Planting
- Composting
- Crop Harvesting
- Plant/Seed Types (Biodynamic, Domesticated, Exotic, Family Heirloom, Genetically Modified/Transgenic, Heirloom, Hybrid, Invasive, Medicinal, Native/Indigenous, Open Pollinated, Certified Organic, Rare, Sprouted, Traditional, Wild, etc.)
- Polycultures (Horticultural Biological Diversity)
- Seed Exchange & Preservation (Seed saving, Seed sharing/swapping)
- Soil Life/Ecology
- Vegetation Identification
- Sustainable Gardening Methods (Biodynamic, Certified Organic, etc.)
- Vermiculture (Using Worms), etc.
Thank-you and remember that it’s our garden!
Irucka Embry is the Principal of EcoC²S, https://www.ecoccs.com, and is a proud supporter of the Shelby Park Discovery Organic (Community) Garden through his volunteer efforts.
