story & photos by Joan Perry | Contributing Writer
Spring has sprung in the Lowcountry and giddy gardeners are drooling over seed and plant catalogs, wandering through nurseries, and exclaiming over their sprouts and blossoms. The Magnolia Community Garden on Magnolia Road is on my regular walking route and I enjoy following the progress of our neighborhood farmers through the seasons.
The Magnolia Community Garden is one of three managed by the Park Conservancy. The other two are the Medway Garden on James Island and Corrine Jones on the peninsula. On Tuesday mornings our West Ashley location is a beehive of activity as volunteers gather to plant, weed, water and maintain the space.
Kayla Huff, Volunteer & Stewardship Manager gave me some of the scoop. The leased beds are so popular that there is a waiting list. Applicants are welcome to add their names to the list but encouraged to volunteer and learn as they lend a hand. Our West Ashley location has 60 leased beds and 28 community beds. Over 500 volunteers participate in the Charleston Parks Conservancy gardens throughout the year. Some loyal volunteers have served for years while others lend a hand for a short time or staff an event. They dig, plant, water, weed, paint, harvest and wash produce.
Volunteers tend the city’s community beds producing 4,000 lbs of produce which is donated to partners, including Amor Healing Kitchen and the Charleston Public Library’s Free & Fresh program. It was all very inspiring and the positive energy and camaraderie of the group was a pleasure to witness. Explore their website www.charlestonparksconservancy.org/volunteer for more information about the programs or to sign up to participate.
