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July 12, 2010 · 4 Comments

The Power of Gardening in Community

Why We Garden

Who wouldn’t enjoy talking gardening with their neighbor in this setting?

If there is one thing I took away from my weekend in Buffalo with my fellow garden bloggers (other than a serious case of plant envy — which will be discussed at length later), it is the conviction that gardens really do have the power to bring communities together. We toured several gardens in different neighborhoods that will be part of the Buffalo Garden Walk the last weekend in July, when about 350 gardens in the area are opened to visitors. The tour is free, and any homeowner can put his or her garden on the tour.  Nearly 50,000 people take the tour each year, making it the biggest garden tour in the U.S.  The openness of the tour guarantees that the garden walk is not just a tour of show-places, but a tour of neighborhoods and the gardens and homes that give them character.

We spent most of a rainy morning in the Cottage District, an area of former workers’ cottages. It’s not a high-end neighborhood at all, and in fact, was considered something of a problem area with many abandoned or rundown properties. But, the neighbors began organizing, getting to know each other, and part of that involved sharing their gardens—with each other and with the larger community. Some of the gardens such as the one pictured at left are magazine-worthy places; others more modest, but still lovely and obviously a reflection of the homeowners pride in their place.

When you garden, you cannot help but notice your neighbor’s garden, too. That leads to questions, conversations, trading plants, grousing about weeds and critters and exchanging ideas. Before you know it, your neighbors are much more than just the guys or gals who live next door — they’re friends, people you care about. The presence of that sharing was evident in the Cottage District — many gardeners grew the same plants, though each garden reflected the aesthetic and interests of its owners as well as the unique site in which it was located. (Imagine gardening with a brick tower over looking your space.) There was a synergy in their gardens — and in their neighborhood.

In its most basic form, that synergy is the power of gardening in community, a power that residents of Buffalo are clearly harnessing.

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Comments

  1. Blackswampgirl Kim says

    July 13, 2010 at 8:47 am

    I love that idea. Maybe gardening is the answer for bringing communities back together again?

  2. commonweeder says

    July 13, 2010 at 4:25 pm

    I live in a rural area where we can’t share our gardens on a street as they do in the Cottage district, but we gardeners do get together to enjoy being an active part of our community by using our passion and energy to improve local public areas – and grow food for the food pantries.

  3. eliz says

    July 14, 2010 at 2:36 pm

    We do share plants and so on, but, unlike 16th street, no one person actually gardens other properties on the block. That is unusual. I do enjoy planting the containers and public spaces in our neighborhood though.

    Your magazine is really cool! Thanks for sharing it.

  4. Layanee says

    July 15, 2010 at 6:29 am

    As a country gardener, I was also struck by the power of a passion in community. I am lucky to have gardeners around me but these city gardens and gardeners have a sense of closer community. It was good to meet you, Mary. Your magazine is a delightful read and helped with the trip home.

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2 cups sugar
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1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cloves 
1 tsp mace
1 tsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp nutmeg 
1/4 cup or more brandy
1.5 lbs total dried fruit (I use citron, raisins, dates, candied ginger)
 Cream butter and sugar until light, add eggs one at a time and molasses. Beat well. Sift spices and dry ingredients together. Adds dry ingredients to butter mixture alternating with brandy. Add more brandy if needed. Fold in dry fruit and pour into two regular sized loaf pans (or about 6 small ones). Heat oven to 225 and place a large pan of hot water on bottom shelf. Bake at 225 F (yes, 225) for 2.5 hours. After 2.5 hours, remove water pans, increase heat to 300 and bake another 30 to 40 minutes. It should be firm and a little crispy on the edges. Let cool. Slice and enjoy! 
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