Most students have apartments or dorm rooms, but no backyard to call their own. While some knock around the idea of growing their own vegetables or herbs, planters can only bring you so far. Sometimes, you need a plot of dirt to call your own.
There is a garden on campus. In between classes, take a walk past the library and cross Third Street. Take the sidewalk by the Piano Man Building and just beyond the white fence is our very own Bayboro Garden.
Walking up to the garden for my first time in 2011, I expected to see a few rows of plants in the ground, a few bigger plants off to the side and tools laying all over the place. To my surprise, it was more than I expected.
Thanks to Student Government, our Bayboro Garden is fenced-in with two raised beds that have multiple sectioned-off plots. There are ground plots, a shed to hold tools and materials, a work table and a big compost bin.
Students can rent a whole or half section, for free, to grow their own plants.
The plots are sectioned so that it’s easier to grow different types of plants.
“You need no prior gardening experience to join,” said Garden Club Vice President William Nicks. Club member Brandi Murphy is helping to put together workshops so that students have the opportunity to learn more about gardening.
One of the guests from the Civil Engagement Fair went to check out our Bayboro Garden a few weeks ago. Koreen Brennan of the Sustainable Urban Agriculture Coalition was happy to see our garden initiative. She even picked up a handful of soil from a plot and after smelling the soil, determined it had a good amount of nutrients.
“You have good dirt!” she said. Hearing this made me excited to rent a plot this upcoming year.
Having the garden available on campus is such a good opportunity to learn how to grow in more ways than one.
“Learning how to garden is humbling,” Nicks said.
I couldn’t agree more—it takes a lot of work and dedication. Growing a plant from a little seed can be an extremely rewarding and empowering experience.
Even though I care deeply about the environment, I am probably the worst person with plants. My friend gave me a seedling after we took a short vacation together. The little seedling was symbolic and I wanted it to grow and be healthy. It died two weeks later.
But I am not discouraged! This semester I am looking forward to renting a plot with the Department of Sustainable Initiatives to grow herbs, flowers and maybe some vegetables. After having friends in the garden club share plants such as rosemary, basil, eggplants and jalapenos, I am looking forward to growing something to share as well.
Garden club meetings are Mondays and Thursday at 5 p.m. at the garden. To receive e-mails and announcements from the Gardening Club—or any club for that matter, log on to Blackboard. At the top of the homepage, there is a list of options on the dark green bar. Click on “Student Life” to go to the Student Life homepage. In the “Student Organizations” box on the right, click “Search” to search for existing student clubs and organizations. Choose a category or just search all. Look for “The Gardening Club” and “Request to join organization.”
lmreilly@mail.usf.edu
