Homegrown: Habitat Gardens

Carol Vermeer Neel, director of a new group called Habitat Gardens, is helping to brighten the lives of new Habitat for Humanity homeowners.

Carol notes that becoming a homeowner is a dream come true for many families, made possible through the dedication and vision of  Habitat For Humanity. Habitat Gardens is dedicated to helping Habitat For Humanity recipients discover the joy and satisfaction of  gardening as a rewarding facet of home ownership.

“We provide small, manageable gardens to get the ball rolling for these families.  Through hands on help, as well as education, we are able to teach garden basics.  Equipped with this knowledge, these families will have the tools they need to plant easy-to-care-for flowers and vegetables year after year, adding beauty to their homes and neighborhoods and healthy food to their tables.”

Habitat Gardens will have its first planting day this Saturday, July 9, at 9 a.m.

 They are slated to start seven flower gardens and seven vegetable gardens. Earlier this spring, over 400 Cedar Rapids elementary school children participated in their marigold seed planting program. The seeds they planted and nurtured in their classrooms will be going into the Habitat families' flower gardens, along with canna bulbs and stella d'oro daylily plants. All gardens will be planted in full sun. They also plan on putting in tomato plants and pepper plants in every vegetable garden this year.

   Carol asks if you'd like to help, and have any of the following tools, please feel free to bring them on Saturday:

    Flat shovel  to remove grass

    Garden fork  to loosen the soil

     Garden rake  to break up the clods and smooth the soil

     Trowel  for planting

 There is no sod in the back yards where they will be planting; only sparse grass from seed. 

      Location:  Winchell Drive NE, Cedar Rapids, 52402

      Directions:  Ten Habitat Homes are located in a row on Winchell Drive NE, which runs east to west, right off of Council Street NE, north of Boyson Road, next to a soybean field. 

      It is easiest to access the properties by taking Stratton Drive, the main access to a new housing development located just  north of the houses. Habitat Gardens will have a tent set up in the back of the row of homes.

       No gardening experience is necessary.  Families are welcome. 

     Questions?  E-mail:  habitatgardensiowa@aol.com

     Or call (319)331-6792

Sponsors

      Thank you to Hy-Vee, Earl-May, and the Cedar Rapids Downtown District for helping to make this important community project possible.