The Garden at 485 Elm
People growing together:
a collaborative community garden in Montpelier, Vermont

A Visit from Budding Gardeners

At a children’s center garden, woodchucks ate the vegetables they’d planted. Only the watermelon was spared.

So Irina Markova, who has been gardening here for three years, brought children to the Garden at 485 Elm for a midsummer visit.

Irina said they would cook and bake with the veggies they harvested, though the children wanted to eat the carrots and beans raw. Still, they spent most of their time among the flowers.

Afterward, our visitors asked when they could return to the garden.

Picking a beet that’s ready to eat.

Zucchini appreciation.

Sampling a tasty purple pea.

Flowers may have been the most popular area. Liz, our flower goddess, talked about care and respect for plants, their health, and their feelings. Happy plants reward us with flowers and food.

On the way home, one boy reminded the others that plants have feelings, just like people.