Latest news with #communitygardens
CBS News
23-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Denver Urban Gardens slows plans for expansion following federal cuts
Denver Urban Gardens, a nonprofit that has built hundreds of gardens across seven counties in the Denver metro area, is having to revisit its plans for expansion after its federal grants were pulled back. CBS DUG received a combined $1.2 million in federal funding that they planned on using to increase food access for six West Denver neighborhoods, but now those plans have been uprooted. "This is my plot right here, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, anything for a salad," said Joe Milia, showing off his garden in downtown Denver. DUG is celebrating 40 years as a nonprofit, and although its plans for expansion have slowed with federal funding drying up, its impact in the city is still being felt. "If you saw this area, this whole garden, a few years ago, there was nothing here," said Milia. "It was kind of torn apart and run down. DUG, taking this over has not only allowed people to take these 30 plus plots and grow food, but it also has beautified a section of downtown." CBS Milia has gardened here for two years, and although he may not be dependent on the garden to put food on the table, it brings him a sense of accomplishment and community. "When you take something from a seed or a small plant to growing it, nurturing it, cleaning the whole park around it," said Milia. "Then eventually bringing it home and having a salad, it's getting your hands dirty and accomplishing something." "These gardens are incredible ways to bring people from all ages, all walks of life, all demographics together to grow food," said the organization's executive director, Linda Appel Lipsius. "And it's so simple and beautiful, and something that you know, Denver can use more of." Appel Lipsius has been working for years to make a deeper impact in the community, while bringing fresh produce to areas where it's hard to get. "The community came together and said, we need food," said Appel Lipsius. "Access to this affordable, fresh, healthy food is either going to go away entirely or be dramatically reduced." CBS The West Area Plan included community gardens and food forests, which are more like public orchards where anyone can stop in and take the food. But, that dream may now take years to bear fruit because of a drastic cut to the program's funding. "So far we have lost two thirds of the $1.2 million that we received from the federal government," said Appel Lipsius. "Now we're still doing it, but it's just going to be a lot slower, and it's really pretty heartbreaking because it was something that was going to be truly transformational for the community."
RNZ News
17-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Grow your own 'Forage Garden' with Hannah Zwartz
Kōkihi, nasturtium and flatleaf parsley in a 'forage garden' Photo: Hannah Zwartz So, you like the idea of gardening but can't bring yourself to spend hours toiling away in the outdoors, making a self-sowing 'Forage Garden' might be the answer. With minimum effort you can utilise a wild corner of your patch, relinquishing control and letting the garden do the hard work for you. When done right it creates dense growth where you can go and forage for greens - so you've always got a salad or stirfry to hand. It comes down to two things - choosing the right plants that will self-seed, and giving them a good start. Gardening expert Hannah Zwartz shows us how, and will answer your listener questions. Hannah has over 30 years' experience gardening professionally, including looking after the herb and succulent gardens at Wellington Botanic Garden and running community market gardens in the Hutt Valley.
Associated Press
07-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening Announce the 2025 GroMoreGood Grassroots Grantees
MARYSVILLE, Ohio, MAy 7, 2025 /3BL/ - To connect more children to gardens and outdoor play, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening awarded grants to 170 community-level programs under the annual GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant initiative. From spring through fall, the programs will start or expand youth gardens and green spaces. Selections for the 2025 GroMoreGood grant recipients were based upon the learning impact, including factors such as individual program participants, prior funding and socioeconomic reach, among others. 'We are grateful to partner with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation to support the GroMoreGood Grassroots Grants and bring the transformative power of gardens to communities nationwide,' says Em Shipman, KidsGardening executive director. 'This year's recipients are truly inspiring—restoring gardens after natural disasters, creating inclusive spaces for youth with disabilities and revitalizing community gardens for after-school programs.' The 2025 recipients span 44 states across the country and anticipate connecting more than 38,000 youth with garden-based learning opportunities. For a full list of GroMoreGood Grassroots grantees, visit GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant Winners. 'This year was notable with the number of unique proposals that reflected the challenges and opportunities many communities are facing,' said Brian Herrington, president of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation. 'We're confident these grantees not only will help foster a growing appreciation for gardens and green spaces, but also create positive experiences grounded in their many environmental, health and wellness benefits.' Awards were distributed to the winners at the end of March 2025. About The Scotts Miracle-Gro FoundationThe mission of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is to inspire, connect and cultivate a community of purpose. The Foundation is deeply rooted in helping create healthier communities, empower the next generation, and preserve our planet. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds non-profit entities that support its core initiatives in the form of grants, endowments and multi-year capital gifts. For more information, visit About KidsGardeningKidsGardening is a national nonprofit organization creating opportunities for kids to play, learn, and grow through gardening. They provide grants and original educational materials to more than 2.7 million kids across the country. For more information and to support their work, visit For media inquiries: Katherine Dickens Director, ESG and Social Impact [email protected] Beth Saunders KidsGardening Marketing and Communications Director [email protected] View original content here. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from ScottsMiracle-Gro
