As I walked into Bustani Plant Farm on my annual spring pilgrimage to find a new native plant for my prairie bed,the owner Steve Owen was potting up some plants and discussing inventory with an assistant. He looked up saw me and immediately looked very concerned. Wow, “what expression do I have on my face?” I wondered! I quickly gave him my best attempt at a smile and explained that last year I bought plants for Cherokee Elementary School and due to the school closing this year I would not be buying plants for Cherokee. I complimented him on some plants I had seen on the way in, made a weak joke and he was reassured and I went back to my shopping.
Grief is not usual at a garden center even though gardens are temporary art. I know gardens never last. I could be casting a statue in bronze or carving marble but I am not, I am a gardener. “My” art is very momentary. A perfect bloom in the perfect light with just the right butterfly landing for a moment, only with a camera can you come close to capturing that moment. But you won’t capture the wind, the bird song in the background, the sun on your shoulders, the fellowship with other gardeners that you find at Cherokee. Gardening is more like a symphony with nature as the conductor, the best I can hope for is first chair. But losing the Cherokee garden is like breaking up the symphony and shutting down the concert hall. I hope we can all continue to enjoy Cherokees garden regardless of what happens next on the site. Like a garden version of a musicians jam session. No matter who uses the building or if it is empty we should hope to be on the grounds watching birds and butterflies, growing food and picnicking. This will keep down despair which will keep down vandalism which will increase the odds that someone will want to put the building to good use and even keep up the gardens.
For now I hope neighbors and former students and those taking advantage of the summer feeding program (which will be at Cherokee again this summer from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm June 8 to August 3rd)will continue to grow food in the vegetable area behind the school. For now we have decided to use the Muhammad Ali Peace Garden materials we received as a grant to start a garden at the Community Center across the street from Cherokee (5920 North Owasso) where I hope students from Cherokee and Greeley and other schools will join us growing food. Many of the plants from this grant will be in the garden at Cherokee but the sign and the presence of the Peace Garden Spirit will also be at the center since it feels like the most “permanent” place right now. It seems unlikely that Greeley will be open for more than one more year. When it seems the elementary students have settled into a "permanent" school we can consider moving the Peace Garden materials (2 raised beds and tools and a sign) at that time.
Building community is also an impermanent ever changing art and a community garden can be a good tool. I hope we can continue to use the Cherokee grounds as a place for family friends and neighbors to gather and celebrate community. I hope the entry garden at Obrien Park Recreation Center will become more and more educational. I hope our Welcome Table Kitchen Garden Park and orchard at 60th and Johnstown will be a bridge for all the neighborhoods surrounding it so they can grow food and community. I hope all the schools can develop a garden as a place to enjoy nature and our neighbors and I hope volunteers from Let Turley Bloom and A Third Place Community Foundation will continue to help students and their families grow food beauty and community together anywhere we can.
Sadly Cherokee and many other Tulsa schools are now closed but happily our community still has many opportunities to help our students and their neighborhoods. I propose this blog widen its scope and become a TNT garden blog for the Tulsa North Turley area. Please email me with garden news and blog ideas at bjashing@aol.com
Thank you all for all you do!
http//www.bustaniplantfarm.com/natives.html?alpha_filter_id=abc&sort=2a
http//www.mypeacegarden.com/
