What’s Growing On
Fulton Place’s Sunshine Garden aims to cultivate community by growing a garden together. It is a community gathering place where neighbours of all ages can come together to learn, grow and make new friendships. We also aim to demonstrate what a vibrant food garden looks like, to promote local food and urban agriculture.
Built on land generously made available by St. Augustine's Anglican Church, the Garden is located at 6110 Fulton Road NW. Located at the centre of the Fulton Place community, across the street from the community league hall, splash park, playground, two seniors complexes and down the street from the nearby Hardisty K-9 School, this location helps to make the Sunshine Garden a community gathering place, for gardeners and community members alike.
We grow community by growing a garden, together.
The Garden is intended to provide a safe, inviting location in the community where neighbours will have the opportunity to grow their own food and make new friendships. We especially want to focus on seniors and children, as we have so many seniors and young families in our neighbourhood. As such, we have designed the garden to accommodate those with reduced mobility, including 25" raised beds, an accessible shed and specialized garden tools for those gardening from a seated position. We want to make sure all community members have an opportunity to be involved. For children we have made exciting partnerships with Fulton Place Childcare Association, Capilano Playschool Association, and Hardisty K-9 School to further involve children and teach them how food is grown. Over the last couple of years, hundreds of students have planted seeds and seedlings in the garden, and have received a garden tour, and hopefully a new appreciation for gardening and how to grow food.
Inspired by the rays of the sun, the design features 38 raised garden plots arranged in lines radiating outwards from the steeple of the Church. There are 27 - 8’x 4’ plots, 10 - 4’ x 4’ plots and one triangular plot. The plots closest to the centre are 25” high to accommodate seniors and those with reduced mobility (eight plots). Going outwards from the centre the plots are 17” high (11 plots) and the outer ring of plots are 11” high (eight plots).
Between the garden plots the paths are laid with wood mulch, as well as with limestone crush near the 25” plots to improve mobility with a wheelchair or walker. In the centre of the garden are two garden benches, set in front of a triangular garden plot filled with communal herbs and flowers, and behind this is a cherry tree. This forms the focal point of the garden. We also have an apple tree, crab apple tree, plum tree, cherry shrubs, raspberries, saskatoon tree, chokecherry shrub and strawberries. The garden includes a composter, rainwater harvesting system, two picnic tables and garden shed.
