Seeds being sown for community garden

By Toni Miles

Members of the Long Beach Garden Club and scouts with Troop 205 recently broke ground on a new community garden.

The Long Beach Garden Club is breaking a lot of ground in Long Beach this year, and it has now teamed up with the City of Long Beach, Boy Scout Troop 205 and local volunteers for its latest project – a new community garden at historic Greenvale (the Quarles House).

Garden Club members say the purpose of the project is to supply food to the local food banks in the city. With the help of Long Beach High School Career and Technical Education (CTE) students, garden beds were assembled and placed at the site. Boy Scout Troop 205 helped with loading dirt into the beds and irrigation.

The club’s latest project has taken root less than a month after Garden Club members planted a pecan tree on the grounds of the historic house for Arbor Day back in February.

Long Beach Mayor Tim Pierce (center, white shirt) poses with members of the Long Beach Garden Club and scouts with Troop 205 as these volunteers plant a new community garden at historic Greenvale (the Quarles House).

Garden Club representatives say they are hopeful that other local civic groups and citizens will add additional garden beds at Greenvale. Groups or individuals who are interested in sponsoring a bed are encouraged to contact Long Beach Community Affairs Director Courtney Cuevas-Welch at 228-863-1556.

A new community garden at Greenvale will not only add to the beauty of the city, but will also serve as grounds for learning about gardening.

Local students and scouts helped with some of the work required to assemble and place the beds.