Tag Archives: urban gardens

That’s Not Very Green, Orlando!

Jason and Jennifer Helvengston are residents of College Park, a section of Orlando, Florida.  This area is close to downtown and popular among the working age citizens, of which the majority are homeowners.  But, if you are a homeowner, do you have the right to do whatever you want on your land? No, according to College Park officials. See, Jason and Jennifer decided to set up a 25 x 25 foot micro-irrigated vegetable garden in their front yard.  City code says your yard has to look “finished” and kept clean to keep property values up.  Therefore, officials told Jason he … Continue reading →

Detroit: Urban Agriculture Capital of America?

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I was watching some television show about Detroit not long ago and the state of the city saddened me. What was once the bustling, busy Motor City, home to Motown and a thriving auto industry, has now become a ghost town in many areas. It is estimated that there are about 33,000 vacant homes in Detroit, with many city blocks being totally abandoned. Overall, there is approximately 25,000 vacant acres in Detroit. City officials are facing a daunting task – how to revive this once lively city. Detroit seems the perfect place for urban agriculture. After all, there are cheap, … Continue reading →

Would You Share Your Garden?

I’m a great advocate of yard sharing. In the suburban neighborhood where I live, most houses have large yards. Most of these yards are covered in grass and a few selected shrubs, annuals, and the occasional tree. In the spring and summer, people go out and dedicatedly mow this grass, remove the clippings, and fertilize what is left. It seems to be a form of madness to me, but then again I have always been more partial to moss and vegetables than to lawns. Our family lives in a townhouse. Our townhouse has the typical postage-stamp sized garden. On the … Continue reading →