Our neighborhood has not one but two P-Patch community garden locations: the Brandon Street Orchard and the Hillman City P-Patch.
A map is available at the bottom of this page.
Brandon Street Orchard
The orchard is part of the City's P-Patch program, although it's a different model than most of the other P-Patch gardens.
In 2004, neighbors were awarded a Small and Simple Grant from the City's Neighborhood Matching Program for $8,000 or so. The money funded the City's purchase of the land from King County ($2,000 for back taxes owing since the 1930s). About $2,500 was spent for a water meter hook up, renting some heavy equipment to scrape off the blackberry bramble and assorted junk that had accumulated there over the decades, hauling it to dump, bringing in top soil, planting trees, etc.
A second grant from same source a couple years later helped pay for materials for the garden shed, some more plants, and an apple cider press that was used for the first time in 2007 for a neighborhood cider party.
Keep an eye out in the fall for an invitation to the next cider party.
For more information on the orchard, please contact Dan Eder at 723-9411 (please call before 8pm).
More photos of the orchard are available on Flickr.
Seattle.gov has an official page about the Brandon Street Orchard.
Hillman City P-Patch
Foods grown in the Hillman City P-Patch reflect a multitude of cultural backgrounds. Khmu and Mien farmers from the hilltribes of Laos garden here, as well as gardeners hailing from across the United States. The garden's perennial border provides year-round color and a beautiful weeping willow shades the shed.
There is a flyer available at the gate of the Hillman City P-Patch welcoming neighbors:
Our garden is one of the Seattle P-Patch Community Gardens administered by the Department of Neighborhoods.
We welcome visitors - Please stroll through our garden and enjoy the beauty and peace.
All of our garden plots are tended by gardeners who rent the space from the P-Patch Program for an annual fee. The space is open to the public to visit but please remember that the veggies and flowers belong to the gardeners that tend each individual plot.
We contribute surplus produce regularly to the Food bank.
If you are interested in gardening with us, please contact the P-Patch Program at 206-684-0264.
Seattle.gov has an official page about the Hillman City P-Patch.
Lisa Duangprasaert, one of the first gardeners.
Ashley swings under the willow-tree.
Photos by Jim Bates.
Complete Redesign
According to a flyer available in the summer of 2008 ("A Self-Guided Tour of Community Gardens in Southeast Seattle"), this P-Patch will undergo a complete redesign within the next few years and community input and help will be needed. Call P-Patch program for more details.
Resident and gardener La Menorath.
Photo by Jim Bates.
Press:
- 2008, January 13 MULCH at the P Patch, by Sarah B. Hufbauer of Orca K-8 school. This article displays many photos of the gardener children.
- 2007, September 19 The P-Patch Trust seeks help from the Beacon Hill News & South District Journal
- 2005, June 22 P-Patch focus of fund drive - Several very nice photos of our neighbors are included in this story. From The Seattle Times.
- 2005, March 30 South Seattle group fights to save its P-patch - Hillman City effort gets a major boost when city pledges $190,000. From the Seattle P-I.
