On a hot Saturday morning in June, gardeners trickled into the new community garden in Brookhaven Park. Cars on Peachtree Road whizzed by the oasis, unaware of the friends sharing gardening tips among tomato plants.
Garden member Genie Stringer showed off her white eggplant, while garden co-managers Dave Siegler and Heather Turney-Navaei looked on.
“I have eggplant envy,” gardener Shivani Bhatia said, laughing.
Stringer is new to vegetable gardening, having only grown herbs in pots on her deck, and the rest of the members have a wide range of experience. But that’s what makes it a community.
Although it is still in its infancy, the Garden at Brookhaven Park is bursting with marigolds to keep bugs away from 13 plots of okra, squash, eggplants, herbs, beans, and other summer veggies. The organic garden opened on June 3 for its first season, and there’s plenty of room to expand.
The Garden at Brookhaven Park has come a long way in a few short months. The land, which was used as a garden years ago, was overgrown when Siegler and Blackburn Community Garden co-manager Luke Kelley started the process of developing the space.
“We came over here thinking, ‘Okay, we can get some volunteers with shovels and axes,’ but it was a forest. It was an absolute jungle. There were trees in here,” Kelley said. “We’re not talking about something you can just take down with a hatchet.”
“There was even a swing set in there,” Siegler added.
The two got to work. They contacted Thad Ellet, the head of Brookhaven Parks Conservancy, and Ida Beth Barner, co-manager of Blackburn Community Garden, to flesh out a plan.
The city of Brookhaven paid to clear the land and put up an 8-foot fence to keep deer out, and DeKalb County brought a load of local compost. Brookhaven Parks and Recreation department is responsible for refilling a large water tank. Eventually, the garden will have water piped in from the building on site.
Park Pride gave the garden a grant and materials were purchased at Lowe’s, which also made some donations. Brookhaven City Council member Madeleine Simmons has been very supportive, Siegler said.
“We’ve got sun, land, and water, so we can grow,” Siegle said. “We’re ready to build another 15 or 20 beds as soon as we raise the funds.”
The Garden at Brookhaven Park needs about $1,000 in donations or sponsorship to build more beds. They’re currently running a waitlist for membership.
Turney-Navaei, who grew up gardening with her family and church in Seattle, WA., manages the garden’s membership by recruiting members, posting articles and tips for gardening in the Facebook group, and organizing work days.
“The goal is to make friends, grow some stuff, and make pantry donations,” said Turney-Navaei, who is growing sweet potatoes and thyme.
Blackburn Park runs seven garden beds that produce vegetables and herbs year-round for the Suthers Center food pantry at St. Martin’s in the Field Episcopal Church. This week, the gardeners delivered 30 lbs. of onions and squash.
Eventually, the Garden at Brookhaven Park will also donate produce to a food pantry. Until then, the Garden at Brookhaven Park members will level more ground, build more beds, and add more gardeners to their oasis in the city.