A Community Garden for Umatilla
Planting Roots in Umatilla: A Vision for Our Community Garden
Ten years ago, we lived in Seminole Heights, just north of downtown Tampa. On an empty double lot down the street, someone had created the most charming, lush community garden. We didn’t even have a plot there, but it was open to anyone in the neighborhood to wander through. It felt like a little oasis in the middle of the busy city, my secret garden that offered peace and calm amid all the hustle and bustle of urban living.
More than 15 years later, I still haven’t lived in one place long enough to let my own gardens truly take root. So when our family recently moved to Umatilla and mentioned the idea of a community garden to a friend, she encouraged me to ask the city if they’d consider it. I reached out to the assistant city manager, who was receptive and reminded him that Umatilla’s deep agricultural history - from truck farming to citrus and cattle - makes a garden a meaningful way to honor that heritage and he was in agreement.
A community garden gives people who don’t have space or resources at home the chance to grow food, learn gardening skills, and enjoy fresh organic produce. It’s also a place to connect the next generation with where their food comes from through hands-on learning: building, planting, nurturing, and harvesting together. I imagine a welcoming space where neighbors gather, where the town’s beauty is celebrated, and where monthly workshops offer learning opportunities by bringing in master gardeners, local citrus growers, beekeepers, sustainable organic farmers, and even florists hosting wildflower arranging classes.
One of my daughters sketched a design for the garden. It’s only an idea, but I’m sharing it here as a small preview and a spark of inspiration for what a beautiful, useful place this could be for our community 😊
Joanna Gaines, founder of Magnolia, wrote in We Are the Gardeners about her family’s experience planting a garden. One line that has stayed with me long after reading it to my girls:
“Turns out, trying something new isn’t easy, but sometimes, it’s the hardest work that leads to the greatest reward.”
If you live in Umatilla or a nearby town and would support a community garden, I’d love to hear from you! If just five families support the idea, then the city will consider building the garden. There will be opportunities in the near future to donate resources to developing the garden as well as consider leasing a plot for growing seasons. Please fill out this form so I can show the city that our community supports making this little dream a reality.
Show your support of the Umatilla Community Garden by filling out the form below…