The sun shines on the growing East Side Garden Walk
WBFO-FM 88.7 | By Jay Moran
Published July 22, 2024 at 1:16 PM EDT
Every location in the East Side Garden Walk, says event Co-Chair Sam White, has a story.
While two days of sunshine were a big part of the story, so was the expanded list of participants. White says over 100 spots — community gardens, urban farms, community spaces, private homes — were open for public view throughout the weekend.
White spoke with WBFO along Box Avenue Saturday at the Good Neighbors Garden, a space with a special story. Five abandoned lots once were full of garbage, tires, and overgrown plant life. Residents were determined to change the narrative.
"We came through as neighbors, cleaned this space out, and began, plot-by-plot, putting plants in," said White. Many plants were donated, some from people outside the City of Buffalo.
"In the gardening community, there was overwhelming support," White said.
The result is a welcoming space that saw many visitors Saturday morning. Organizers from Gardens Buffalo Niagara were giving out 300 backpacks at the site. White says another 200 will be given out during next weekend's Buffalo Garden Walk at the West Side Community Center.
On Emslie Street, Verona L. Moody welcomed visitors to her front yard garden, a popular spot along the tour. Loaded with hostas and hydrangeas, her garden offers ample late-morning shade and a welcome venue for flying creatures.
"There's such a diversity in terms of what is going on: butterflies, bees and hummingbirds," said Moody. This is the first time she has seen a hummingbird in her part of the city.
Moody laughs that she started her garden because she got tired of mowing grass. She kept adding plants and soon a floral paradise emerged.
"So, that's what my garden is: it's a gift to let city dwellers know you can garden in small spaces," said Moody.
"The weekend serves as another sign of growing interest in the East Side," Sam White says, "but we need more than interest. We need connection."
"Jobs, revitalized businesses, and banking investment are needed in the East Side," White said. She points to a nearby example of what is possible. A house has a new roof and paint, financed with help from a recent wave of New York State grants.
"The neighborhood is rising and we need to keep building that community, but we need private entities to step up and do their thing."