SAN DIEGO — The Mount Hope Community Garden was established in 2011 and was created to provide a place for people to grow their own vegetables. Since then it has also become a gathering place for the neighborhood.
"It's the relationships over time, wonderful people come to garden and share their skills. It's a beautiful place to hang out. We have no staff, so everything is done by volunteers and a majority live around this garden space," explained Diane Moss the cofounder of Project New Village Mt. Hope Community Garden.
Because it is a community garden, more than just plants grow.
"They say this is a magical place, it's a place of healing. It's a special place in our neighborhood that's green, that takes us into consideration and our health," Moss continued.
Anyone can be a part of this garden, which runs the gamut of what can be grown in a garden, including tropical bananas!
"So, I can say I'm here every Tuesday unless it's horrible rain," said Moss. "These are tree collards, so they grow tall, they just get too big."
The garden stays sweet with sugar cane.
"Someone started sugar cane, we've cut it to the ground numerous times, but it comes back. We like it when we have activities," Moss noted.
The Swiss Chard was incredible. The lady bugs were big fans of these leafy greens. And new garden beds will be the home for some new gardeners.
"Let Girls Grow, started by a former gardener, a retired teacher. She's starting this group. She asked if the girls could have a place to learn to grow food and of course I said yes," said Moss.
To make the garden happen it's a community effort.
"The third Saturday in the morning we invite people to come help clean up and be steward of the earth in this particular spot, anybody is welcome to come," said Moss.
Community gardens like Mt. Hope don't happen on its own, it takes volunteers. And Saturday, May 21 they're asking folks to come out and help spruce the place up. Here's where volunteers can head to: 4261 Market St., starting at 9:00 a.m.
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