The Eastlake P-Patch is proud to commemorate the completion of its volunteer-led expansion with a Solstice Party at the garden on June 21.  The event will take place at 2900 Fairview Avenue from 4-8 pm and feature music, garden tours, food and a silent auction. 

 The Seattle Departments of Neighborhoods, Parks and Recreation and Transportation were instrumental in this effort.  With an initial seed grant from the Department of Neighborhoods and rights of way, advisory services and approvals from SDOT and Parks and Recreation, a dedicated group of volunteers turned a stranded lot behind an apartment building into stunning water-view terraced gardens over the past two years.  These 20 new plots doubled the size of the existing P-Patch garden, while also providing a plot that will be used as a hands-on learning environment for the kids of TOPS Elementary School and greatly expanding the giving garden which provides produce for local food banks.

Thousands of hours were logged by a couple hundred volunteers that built rubble walls (from chunks of torn up city streets); moved dirt and materials by wheelbarrow; graded walks; and installed plumbing, staircases, benches, handicap-accessible raised beds and granite garden beds (made from granite leftover from Westlake plaza construction).  Professional leadership was also volunteered by local landscape designer, Lisa Hummel and garden coordinators, Barb Donnette and Mary Jones.  Those who put in many hours on the construction project were typically able to gain garden access within less than a year through their “sweat equity,” rather than wait a long time to move through the waitlist of this popular community garden.

Come have fun and witness first-hand what committed local leadership and ingenuity can create in partnership with the City of Seattle!