There’s something less tangible blooming among the rows of squash, tomatoes and sprays of colorful perennials growing along the gravel paths of Golden’s newest and biggest public garden.
It’s in the advice one gardener gives the novice in the neighboring plot or the church group that commissions brightly colored garden decor from local children.
It’s a sense of community.
What was a mound of gravel on an acre of city land a month ago has blossomed into a place where more than 150 Golden residents grow vegetables, chat with neighbors and meet new friends.
“It’s really a way in which people can connect and work together,” said Golden Mayor Jacob Smith, who attended the ribbon cutting and shares a plot with a few friends. “A lot of this is about fostering community.”
The Golden Community Garden officially opened Sunday, after months of planning, weeks of labor and collaboration between community organizers, the city and local businesses.
The spot sits between a popular bike path and the holding pools that supply Golden with its water. Organizers hope it will attract butterflies and visitors.
Some of the small, individual plots boast homemade scarecrows or elaborate rock designs; others are fastidiously crafted into tidy planter boxes.
Dexter Hill, 8, uses one of the community hoses to sprinkle a row of nascent strawberries. She hopes that the tall posts topped with decorations she and her brother and sister made will keep away birds.
Her mom, Cy Hill, opted for a plot in the garden in the hope that her 7-year-old son Roman, who has autism, will develop an interest in horticulture.
“He likes being here,” Hill said. “If he learns about plants, he might be able to work in a nursery, where it’s peaceful and he can socialize as much or as little as he wants.”
On the other side of the garden rests a large plot sprouting onions, cherry tomatoes and chard grown by the Together Church of Golden, a group of churches.
Erik Husman and his colleagues surveyed the progress their crop has made in just a few weeks. They hope the plot will yield enough vegetables to feed 100 families throughout the summer.
“What’s nice is that everyone has knowledge to share,” Husman said. “Look around. There’s no one way to do things.”
Many of the gardeners, including Debbie and Steven Wag, had a bit of a rough start.
After they planted around Memorial Day, the heavy bouts of rain drowned some of the Wags’ perennials.
But the couple were out in the sunshine Sunday, replanting some columbines and daisies and filling out their plot with some transplants from their home garden.
“We really wanted to be part of the community energy, to meet and mingle,” Debbie Wag said, a container of pink snapdragons in each hand.
“If it looks pretty, maybe more people will come.”
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com
