Check Out Ishihara Park Learning Garden
August 3, 2017 11:47 AM
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Opened in late February, the Ishihara Park Learning Garden was recently granted a GRO1000 Award from the US Association of Mayors and Scott’s Foundation. The $40,000 multi-year GRO1000 grant will provide resources for the next few years as we develop and implement the programming for the learning garden. The garden is already providing food to local residents. Ripe lemons and limes from the urban fruit orchard were picked and used to make refreshing lemonade at Parks Day and for the Kale Salad served during the GRO1000 Award Celebration. We were honored to recognize Zinnia Weybright, a fifth grader at McKinley Elementary School, with a 2017 Give Back to Grow Youth Garden Award during the celebration.
Kale, lettuce, and sugar snap peas have been harvested, with passerby’s finding themselves the recipient thanks to a generous donation of over 800 seedlings by Bonnie’s Plants. Some of those were sent home with the 70 students who participated in our GRO1000 Celebration. Remaining plants have been handed out to local residents and shared with local schools and gardens, as were all partners in our urban agriculture journey.
“Santa Monicans love our community gardens and programs that programs that provide urban gardening exposure and education,” said Mayor Ted Winterer. “We look forward to watching how the Ishihara Park learning garden quickly becomes a treasured community gathering space in our Pico neighborhood.”
The Learning Garden is the 4th Site in the Santa Monica Community Gardens Program, and is the first which will be grown as a community in lieu of individuals having dedicated beds. We have starting having conversations with the community, looking to build a strong set of leaders that will help identify and implement the management and educational goals best suited for this type of communal garden. Upcoming workshops will include container gardening, composting, drip irrigation. We’re working on identifying volunteers that will help us lead school tours starting in September. With Edison Elementary School right down the street, this is a tremendous resource for nutrition and community service education.
In the meantime, if you’d like to be added to our email list, or you’d like to volunteer, please email us at Gardens@smgov.net. We’ll be installing information boards in the near future for additional reference. Should you see someone in the garden, please stop in and say hello. It’s always a great day to get your hands dirty!