In a garden, transformation takes place on many levels –a seed, planted in the soil, transforms the energy from the sun, the moisture form the rain and the nutrients in the soil to produce a ripe tomato.
Likewise, as they steward this process, the people who collectively tend the Phoenix Garden are transformed – they find new relationship to the earth, and with each other.
So, too, the people who pass by day to day, who stop and express their appreciation. Indeed this garden has prompted many a conversation and friendly “hello,” “bonjour” which the gravel lot did not.
How did this wonderful transformation from gravel to garden come about?
In 2001, the members of our Unitarian congregation voted in favour of committing $20,000 from existing funds (The Phoenix Fund and the Memorial Fund) to implement a garden plan to include a collective vegetable garden in partnership with Action Communiterre (formally Éco-initiatives) and for it to be surrounded by trees and shrubs, a seating area, and a path for passers-by.
We made a conscious choice to create a green space for the community, rather than a back yard for the church. And we backed it up with the money needed, including a five-year financial commitment to Communiterre to sustain their work here. With the money in place, then came the people.
We were very fortunate to work with landscape architect Charlotte Gaudette and landscape contractors Pouce Vert who went above and beyond their contracts in their enthusiasm for the project.
Charlotte devised a plan that put the precautionary principle into practice. The gravely ground was not suitable for growing food, and so she designed the huge in-ground container filled with healthy soil, and in the surrounding areas a barrier of mulch around plants chosen for their ability to tolerate the tough conditions and poor soil.
Following a suggestion from our then minister, Ray Drennan, a white pine was included in the plan – chosen for its symbolism among First Nations peoples as a Tree of Peace. It was sponsored by the UCM children. Other individual members sponsored the Serviceberry trees.
The City of Montreal gave us 30 shrubs which were planted in 2002 by an energetic team from the congregation. In June, 2003, through a grant from the Evergreen Foundation, employees from Intria held a planting day to add indigenous perennials to the landscape.
In its first summer, the Action Communiterre vegetable garden produced an abundant harvest for its 18 collective gardeners and the NDG Food Depot.
So it will continue… from season to season, from year to year, as we tend and nurture and live with this garden… the trees will grow taller, the native plants will blossom, vegetables will be harvested and shared, and in the process we are all enriched.
