TARPON SPRINGS — A newly elected board is working to grow a fresh crop of gardeners at Tarpon Springs Community Gardens, the decade-old organic plots at 116 N. Ring Ave., where raised beds will soon be available to rent.
The board says it has begun a new chapter for the gardens, also known as Jessie’s Place, with plans to revitalize the site and expand its reach across the city.
“We are committed to revitalizing this treasured community resource and expanding its impact throughout Tarpon Springs,” the board said in a statement. “Whether you are an experienced gardener, a beginner eager to learn or simply someone who appreciates local green spaces, we hope you will join us in cultivating a vibrant, welcoming and sustainable future.”
The 4-by-10-foot beds come filled with soil and rent for $100, with scholarships available for those who cannot afford the fee. The next rental period runs from Aug. 1 through Aug. 31, 2027. Renters grow vegetables, flowers or other crops and agree to use only organic materials to control weeds and insects.
“The goal is that every family can have access to an organic growing space near their home,” the board said.
The garden grew from a gift by Jessie Burke, a longtime presence at City Commission meetings who left her home to the city when she died in 2012.
Treasurer Sharon Landrum said the original board members slowly dropped out as they aged or moved away from Tarpon Springs, prompting the election of new leadership.
The new board wants residents to know the raised beds are available to rent and use year-round, Landrum said. Trees shade the property, a garden shed holds tools to share and a compost bin sits on site. The city provides water to each bed and handles weed control in common areas.
“In Florida you can grow something in all four seasons,” Landrum said. “We want to make the garden self-sustainable, but welcome sponsorships by local businesses that would like to be involved. We want to host garden-related workshops … a place to come together and learn from each other.”
Over the past year, the group has offered members the chance to sponsor beds and has five sponsored so far, Landrum said. One member, Ken Stolte, has built several butterfly stations that have drawn pollinators to the site.
This past spring, beds overflowed with cabbages, peppers, herbs, collard greens, tomatoes and onions, she said. The butterfly beds, planted with milkweed and other flowers, have held up through the summer heat.
Planned improvements include replacing wooden beds worn down by Florida’s heat and moisture and adding a compost bin to produce organic soil for future plantings.
Jacob Dondero, a member of Troop 106, recently completed his Eagle Scout project at the garden, building a large, ADA-accessible picnic table for gardeners and rebuilding two raised beds.
Gardeners are also invited to plant a native pollinator bed — a compact, colorful plot designed to keep bees, butterflies and hummingbirds busy from spring to fall. Garden officials suggest a mix that offers nectar, color and structure, including:
• Lavender, with fragrant purple spikes for bees
• Daisies, whose cheerful white blooms last for months
• Wild blue indigo, for deep blue flowers in early summer
• Blazing star, with vertical purple blooms for late-season color
• Pale purple coneflower, with soft pink, nectar-rich petals
• Joe Pye weed, tall mauve clusters that attract butterflies
• Wild bergamot, fragrant mauve flowers for bees and hummingbirds
• Black-eyed Susan, golden daisies that fill in gaps
• Mountain mint, with silvery leaves and tiny blooms abuzz with life
The gardens describe themselves as a place where people of all abilities, interests and backgrounds can share their knowledge and enthusiasm for organic growing. “Our mission is to enhance the quality of life and strengthen community bonds by creating and sustaining gardens that … foster environmental stewardship, horticultural education and improved health,” the group says in its literature.
“Gardening teaches us that all four seasons have a purpose and that there are always simple miracles happening under the ground,” the group says. “Together, let’s bring them to the surface.”
The new board includes Susan Paley, president; Linda Eisner, vice president for membership; Sharon Landrum, treasurer; and directors Kathy Hallett and Carl Apgar.
The gardens are a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, email TSCommunityGarden@gmail.com.