Spring is upon us, it’s time to plant! Gilman Gardens, Queen Anne’s self-sufficient community gardens, has three garden plots available, two large and one small.  Gilman Gardens has expanded to include a second 20-plot garden adjacent to the original plot along Gilman Drive W and 13th Ave W.

For more information about the Gilman Gardens, to get involved or get a plot, kindly contact founder Charlie Hoselton.

U.S. Representative Jim McDermott & Charlie Hoselton

King County Councilman Larry Phillips

Photos courtesy Gilman Gardens

Back in April we reported that the community built and run Gilman Gardens would be expanding to include a second 20-plot garden adjacent to the original along Gilman Drive W and 13th Ave W. Over two dozen volunteers from Queen Anne’s local scouts, Troop 72, spent all day transforming the abandoned media into the second garden site on Saturday, June 11,  completing the project ahead of schedule. The volunteer-based event was organized by Lucien Wulsin as his Eagle Scout project. Take a look at the before and after pics.

In addition to doubling the number of plots available at the community garden, the second branch of the Gilman Gardens will also include a native plant restoration area (with existing blackberry bushes and Apple trees), a grape arbor, compost and wood chip bins, rain collection and/or flower and vine areas, and five parking stalls.

For more information about the Gilman Gardens, to get involved or get a plot, contact founder Charlie Hoselton at friendsofgilman.urbangardens@hotmail.com.

* Photos courtesy of William Wulsin

We’ve been following the growth of the Gilman Gardens since its inception, through the planning stages and ground breaking, to work parties and the planting of the first seeds at 20-plot the community garden. This week Gilman Gardens has another bit of news–SDOT has granted the group a permit to begin work on a garden expansion.

The existing garden was constructed out of a median along Gilman Drive W. and 13th Ave. W. The expansion will allow the group to construct a second garden along another median adjacent to the current site. The expanded garden space will include a native plant restoration area where existing blackberry bushes and Apple trees will remain, a grape arbor, another 20 terraced garden plots, space for compost and wood chip bins, rain collection and/or flower and vine areas, and five parking stalls.

Gilman Gardens founder Charlie Hoselton says that a construction schedule has not yet been set, but those interested in snagging a garden plot in the expanded space should meet at the garden this Sunday, May 1 at 11 a.m., or the following Saturday, May 7 at 10 a.m.

For more information on the Gilman Gardens expansion, view the design plan here (.pdf). For news and updates on the garden check the Gilman Gardens blog.

Just a few weeks ago we got wind that one Queen Anne resident, Charlie Hoselton, was working to turn two large medians along Gilman Drive W. and 13th Ave. W. into a 20-plot community built urban garden. Yesterday, Wednesday, March 24, Charlie got the necessary permits from the city to build what will soon become the FRIENDS of Gilman Urban Gardens, and eager to get planting, plans to break ground this weekend!

There will be work parties on both Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28 beginning at 9 a.m. to however long volunteers choose to stay. On Saturday Charlie envisions two work parties, one tackling tree removal and chipping, the other working on tilling and removing grass and other growth. On Sunday he plans to cut the garden pathways and spread mulch, which we be delivered directly to the site.

And if you’re interested in getting a plot at the new garden, it might behoove you to put in an few volunteer hours this weekend. Charlie writes,

Out of fairness, when it comes to site selection, those who are able to put in the most time in helping to prep the site will move higher up the list for picking the site that they want for their garden. Once the pathways are all cut in, we can start working out site selection, and gardeners can get busy on their own hunk of dirt.

Volunteers should bring a set of gloves and whatever tools they can carry over (rakes, shovels, wheel barrow if possible, etc.).

Truly a community built and tended garden, Charlie is working hard to develop a garden user agreement over the next few days (we’ll keep you posted). And due to the high cost of building the gardens, he will also be accepting donations this weekend from anyone who can (all donations, he says, will be applied to the site fee, which hasn’t been set yet but ranges from $50 each for a plot up to 50 sq. ft. and $150 for 150+ sq. ft. Charlie envisions these initial plot purchases to be a one-time fee for the funding of the building of the garden).

Charlie is also looking for donations of landscape rock, boulders, brick, non-chemically treated lumber (preferably Cedar or Redwood), retaining wall blocks and anything else that could be fit into the garden landscape.

Anyone interested in volunteering and having a plot at the Gilman Gardens should take a look at the garden site plan (.pdf). For questions or to coordinate for the work party this weekend, email Charlie at friendsofgilman.urbangardens@hotmail.com.