A productive meeting and site visit with VSU College of Agriculture has fueled exciting possibilities for the Colonial Heights Community Garden Park!

Representatives from VSU College of Agriculture, Colonial Heights Recreation and Parks Department, and Colonial Heights Community Gardens Park brainstormed creative ideas for the garden space, offering valuable advice on planning, communication strategies, and potential terms to consider. The discussions revealed the potential to expand the garden's scope beyond its initial vision, addressing additional community needs.

Among the promising avenues explored were:

• Teaching gardens: fostering educational opportunities for all ages.
• Forest bathing: promoting wellness through nature immersion.
• Managing invasive vs. non-invasive plants: ensuring ecological balance.
• Minimizing ground disturbance: respecting the environment.
• Securing grant funding: supporting project development.

This collaborative session fostered optimism and a strong desire to solidify the partnership between Colonial Heights Recreation & Parks Department and Virginia State University. We look forward to bringing these exciting ideas to fruition!

#colonialheightscommunitygarden #communitygardens #vsuagriculture 

It's Time To Get This Show On The Road

Exciting news! We're thrilled to announce a collaborative effort - a brand new Community Garden Project coming to Colonial Heights, VA! Partnering with Virginia State University and local businesses, we'll transform an 8-acre plot in Dunlop Farms into a vibrant green haven for all. 

Some of our objectives are to build and enhance the following:

• Community: Residents, surrounding communities, people from our community, experienced gardeners, anyone without garden space of their own
• Learning: Offer educational programs on gardening, cooking with fresh produce, and other related topics
• Nature: Plant a variety of native plants and flowers to attract pollinators and other wildlife
• Health: Encourage people to grow and eat healthy foods. You could even partner with a local food bank to donate produce to those in need
• Togetherness: Create a welcoming and inclusive space where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together. You could even have a community garden plot that is specifically for children or new gardeners
• Sustainability: Use sustainable gardening practices, such as composting and rainwater harvesting
• Kindness and love:  Create a space where people can come to relax and enjoy the outdoors. You could even have a community garden plot that is specifically for flowers or ornamental plants

You can see that many of the statements focus on the importance of community, learning, nature, health, togetherness, sustainability, and kindness and love. These are all important values that can be fostered through community gardens.