My Adventures at the Community Garden's Opening Day

Take me out to the garden! On Saturday, April 21, community spirit shows up bright and early at Greenwich Community Gardens' opening day. It's a stunning day in the 50s and 60s, and several dozen women, men and children join forces to rake leaves from the perimeter, haul and spread wood chips over the grounds, maneuver wheelbarrows through the narrow aisles, fill plots with topsoil, repair the perimeter fence and berm the edges to discourage pests and invasive plants.

Gardeners at the Bible Street branch of Greenwich Community Gardens all pitch in!
I take this panoramic view while standing against the north-side fence. The east side of the garden 
is to the left, the gate and shed are in the center and the west side is to the right side of the frame. 

During our breaks, we gather by the shed, meet new people, sip coffees and nibble Munchkins. Five or six people ask me about this blog. Color me thrilled! To them and to you, I say thank you. Make comments and add your own community garden tips and lessons.

Opening day at Greenwich Community Gardens is not a day to work our own plots but rather to get the community garden into shape for the season. There's a hum of energy. In between raking, shoveling, watering and spreading wood chips, I introduce myself to as many people as I can, asking about their plots and learning what they are growing. 

• Jay's plot is filled with early spring rhubarb, garlic and chives. 
• Bob is enjoying a healthy crop of early peas, beans, beets and lettuces. (A protective shroud saved his seedlings from the stinging cold rain we had.)
• Jane's beds, hidden inside big cold frames, are filled with lavender, kale and rosemary. (Do cold frames turn rosemary into a perennial in the northeast?) 
• Gary encloses his garden bed in chicken wire, which discourages the wily chipmunks. 

My own plot -- in which I planted beets, radishes, carrots and cucumbers -- got beat up with the wicked rain last week. I see one itsy-bitsy beet leaf popping through, but no evidence that other seedlings are growing. Either I planted too early or I need more patience. I'll bet on the latter. 

Community gardeners, I'll be back later this week when I revisit the community garden and pack in some of the vegetable seedings and cuttings I am developing at home. Spring has sprung!