Shingle Creek Neighborhood Association (SCNA), partnered with MPRB Teen Teamworks this summer and had nine Shingle Creek youth assisting with maintaining community gardens. SCNA’s Secretary, MarLynn Schleeter helped coordinate the youth and calendars.
Meg Allen, another SCNA Board member, was hard at work this summer with three large garden projects as part of her Embracing the Northside project with a U of M Action Seed Learning Grant.
Since 1995, the Shingle Creek Common Ground Garden has been a unique garden comprised of a corner lot and the adjoining lot abutting the north side of Shingle Creek. These two properties, at 52nd and Newton, had never been built on due partially to a high water table. Now this unique garden, designed by Douglas Owens Pike of Energyscapes, was instrumental in changing this unkempt neighborhood area into a landscaped demonstration garden for native plants.
The garden’s east side near the street is a seeded prairie, the south area a planted prairie. The west side has wetland prairie plantings, the north and center a shade garden. The southwest area also has raised vegetable beds.
This garden has been lucky to have former lead gardener volunteer Linda Eriksson helping new volunteers learn the difference between a weed and a flower since the garden began. Her replacement is SCNA Create Community Committee member Jan Zimdars as the new lead garden volunteer extraordinaire. Jan has been gardening at the site for many years and loves sharing her knowledge about plants and keeping this wonderful community garden asset.
Want to learn more? Gardeners meet at Common Ground Garden on Tuesday mornings from 9-10 a.m. Stop by or contact mpls.scna@gmail.com or 612-597-9464. Get involved now and get a head start on the next growing season!