Garden | In Oella, Garden Helps Cultivate Community
Looking at the tall tomato plants, plentiful zucchini vines and bounty of herbs that now flourish in a corner of land at the Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum in Oella, it’s hard to imagine the land was once waist-high with weeds.
That was before the fenced-in space was taken over neighbors associated with the Greater Oella Community Association and turned into a community garden . After months of laying the groundwork and planting this spring, the last two months have yielded a plentiful harvest that has benefited the whole community.
“It was like a big bush; a jungle,” said Jay Patel, as he gestured around the greenery that surrounded the property on a work day this summer.
The idea was first hatched several years ago by some neighbors, as many lamented that some of their properties in Oella didn’t have enough space for a garden. In the fall of 2009, a group from the community association approached the Friends of the Benjamin Banneker Historical Park with a formal proposal. The community garden group is an affiliate of both organizations. Ilse Munro, Ann Hackeling and Amanda Lauer all worked together on the proposal.
By Earth Day, the groups broke ground on the plots, which are behind a deer fence in a 35-by-60-foot area that has been designated a nursery at the park.
“It’s beautiful,” said Munro. “It’s exceeded everyone’s expectations.”
This year, 12 individual plots are occupied. Members paid $50 for a plot or $25 if
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