WASHINGTON — The Newark Street Community Garden is tucked between Wisconsin and Massachusetts avenues: two of the District’s busiest roads. Just north of the garden is the National Cathedral. “We’re fortunate that they haven’t put high rises here; we were worried,” Susan Akman, a longtime gardener, said. The garden, celebrating its 40th anniversary, features 200 plots of land tended by 190 different gardeners. It is the largest of 26 community gardens in the District. Each plot has its own assortment of flowers and vegetables, telling the stories of its caretakers.
Whether sprawled out or carefully organized, each plot reflects the personality and diversity of the gardener. Louisiana native Elwood Gautier meticulously arranges his produce into square spaces and donates it to a local food bank, Miriam’s Kitchen. Many others also make seasonal donations, and gardeners host a day in which they donate produce to SOME (So Others Might Eat).
Longtime gardener Akman is always looking for new ideas for her garden, and she works behind the scenes, constantly trying to beautify the entire four-acre park. She has been experimenting with “companion planting,” such as planting cucumbers alongside plants that smell like cucumbers to keep pests away and to attract pollinators. Her garden is filled with radishes, tomatoes, beans, carrots, lettuce, chard and garlic. She also works with young aspiring gardeners, usually ages 2 to 4, and teaches little ones the basics.
While she enjoys her work with the young children in the park, she also cherishes time alone when the garden is quiet. Akman finds solace in gardening, especially early in the morning when only the church bells toll. “I love to come at about 5:30 in the morning,” she said.
Another avid gardener is Marguerite Pridgen, a garden association board member . She has tended a plot for four years after being on the waiting list for more than a year. She describes herself as an ”urban farmer” because she primarily plants crops. “I like to have control of my food supply,” she says. She enjoys growing organic food and shares it with her mother. Her biggest tip for other gardeners is to employ the use of raised beds because they help avoid weeds.
Pridgen is in charge of enforcing the garden’s rules. For instance, gardeners are not allowed to grow invasive plants, grow plants too close to the fence, or neglect their gardens. All of these rules were implemented to ensure that the people tending the gardens actually want to be there. This is especially important considering that there is a two-year waiting list for aspiring gardeners. When a member is not complying with the rules, she reports them to the board. “People need to stay on top of them,” she said. Recently, issues have arisen because of infractions that are not written directly in the rules, but need to be addressed. A couple has put a grill in their garden, which has been a point of contention for the board. “We try not to update the rules,” she said. She hates to enforce the rules, but “It’s a lot of common sense things.”
Despite issues, the garden community is finding ways to stretch its roots throughout the neighborhood. The garden caters to everyone, with a playground, dog park and picnic area. “We are a community. We help each other. Everyone pitches in to help,” Akman said.