Audio by artist jeanie_and_drew_simmons

Jeanie and Drew Simmons cutting old t-shirts for tying cherry tomato plants to their stakes. Coarser materials such as twine can cause cuts in the plants as they grow.

As for someone buying the property and likely ending the garden here, Simmons said , “I definitely think we’ll look for some alternative since it’s been such a good experience, but until then, we’ll just enjoy what we have.”

Simmons said getting to know you’re neighbors is important if you want to have a community garden near your home.

Her husband Drew suggests that people simply jump into gardening.
“Just do it. I’m not much of a green thumb. Some stuff comes up every year. Some stuff doesn’t, but it’s great to see what you can do.”

The city leases properties to community gardeners for a low yearly fee. But Drew Simmons said it might be worthwhile to approach private owners about using lots they have for sale. Using someone else’s property while they try to sell it seems more of an option than a group of community gardeners buying it for that purpose. A property for sale near this garden is listed at about $70,000. The property where neighbors here currently garden is listed at $130,000.

Simmons said letting people have a community garden on properties for sale might appeal to at least some of the current owners and prospective buyers.

“About the pros and cons , there might be some people who look at the property and say ‘wow, I wouldn’t want to buy that property and then have neighbors who are upset because I’m the one who bought the garden property.’