Grand Gardens Celebrates Three Years!

Some participants in the Grand Gardens community garden gather to celebrate the garden's enormous sunflowers growing next to the gardens' sweet potato patch.

Now in its third summer, Grand Gardens has over 1,000 square feet of sweet potatoes under cultivation in its community beds. Individual members are growing okra, bell peppers, eggplant, beans, pigeon peas, and various herbs. There are still some tomatoes coming in. The sunflowers are a variety called "Mongolian Giants." Grand Gardens is located at 5721 Grand Boulevard in New Port Richey, at the corner of Grand Boulevard and Georgia Ave. Plots are available for a modest annual fee. Tours and visits are offered to the public by appointment. Instruction on seasonal Florida crops is offered by experienced growers to all who are interested. Later in the year, Grand Gardens and its membership will join with others in the New Port Richey FarmNet to share abundance from the area's urban farms. Mark your calendars for the fifth annual Okra Occasion (early August) and the third annual Sweet Potato Roundup (late September). Grand Gardens is part of New Port Richey FarmNet, a community of individuals, businesses, and civic organizations committed to building and restoring sustainable and resilient natural, economic, and cultural systems. It includes gardeners, farmers, merchants, markets, and a wide variety of individuals committed to healthy living and sustainable food production.