Seattle Tilth has received a $15,000 grant from the City of Seattle’s Neighborhood Matching Fund to launch a Community Planning Process to guide program development and improvements of the teaching gardens, including the Urban Agriculture Center, in use since 1978, and the Children’s Garden, in use since 1988. As the organization celebrates its 30^th Anniversary in 2008, Tilth pledges to reinvest in the garden spaces to ensure they are at their best in terms of program functionality, safety and attractiveness. 

Funding supports a process in 2007 through 2008 of engaging the community in the planning process as well as demarcating the garden spaces under consideration with temporary signs. The planning process will involved neighbors, P-Patch gardeners, park users, and tenants of the Good Shepherd Center. Staff researched the original plans in order to gather all of the best ideas into a master plan for the gardens to be implemented over time.

Improvements under consideration will include covered gathering areas, improved storage, signs, paths, raised beds and other elements to improve the educational function of these popular teaching spaces.

 For more information contact Karen Luetjen, karenluetjen@seattletilth.org, 206-632-1999, or visit  www.seattletilth.org.