Healing Gardens
September 3, 2010 – 10:10 amCalgary Parks Foundation runs a community garden program at Haultain Park. Haultain Park is the site of Calgary’s first sandstone school. The building which is on the site was completed in 1884 and is now a historic landmark.
The Healing Gardens program provides opportunities for marginalized children, youth and adults to visit the park and grow flowers and vegetables. Each participant gets their own tub of soil on wheels and the results are in bloom this week. The program in supported by Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta, Alpha House Society and the VRRI.
The tubs on wheels are simple and rustic (and the idea is totally transferable to a balcony garden). Most of the plants are easy to grow and although the selection is limited many of the plants are mature and well tended. Borage, kale, tomatoes, zucchini, spaghetti squash, nasturtiums, artichokes, parsley, mint and bok choy and pansy all combine to create a colourful, bee-friendly addition to the park.
And someone has spend some time creating the support structure for the corn. Ambitious and so hopeful.