project leader
Justin M
location
3002 Park Avenue
(Mapleton - Fall Creek / North Midtown)
latest update rss
Your donation in action!

the project

The Urban Patch Park Garden is a new and vital green space for the Mapleton - Fall Creek neighborhood on Indianapolis’ north side. It will be a 5,200 square foot urban permacutlure garden with fruit trees and bushes, as well as native plant species. The garden will provide a more naturalized and informal setting while also providing for food and beautification in the community.  While most of the garden will be planted with upper-story fruit trees, lower-story bushes and vines, and ground cover and native plants, there will also be a "yard" space for passive use and gatherings.

The garden will be primarily an educational garden; we will encourage our friends and neighbors to use this garden as a learning tool for growing healthy food and also as a forum for community interaction. Those with the interest can take what they learn to their own yards (patches) or other larger-scale community gardens in the city to produce food for their families and neighbors.

​The Park Garden is also a living memorial to the late Albert Allen Moore, a "pioneer" of community-scale urban agriculture in Indianapolis.  The Urban Patch is the legacy of his work serving, educating, and growing urban communities dating back to the 1940's.

the steps

1. We will close on the property acquisition from MFCDC on or before May 15th.  We will solicit for donations and volunteers throughout the project.  Our funding goal deadline is June 15th.   

2. We will do a full site assessment (soils, water hook-up, etc.) and finalize the schematic design and planting plan by May 30th.  

3. In June of 2012 we will do the necessary site preparation and plantings; throughout the summer we will ensure that the garden and new plantings are maintained.  

4. In the fall of 2012 we will do any additional seasonally appropriate planting of plants and trees, and coordinate with stewards and volunteers an annual/seasonal maintenance schedule.    

why we're doing it

The Urban Patch's goal is to make the American inner city better.

America's inner cities have had years of disinvestment and neglect.  This resulted in a high incidence of vacant property, depressed property values and foreclosures, and numerous other issues. As communities like these in Indianapolis (and nationally) move forward and revitalize, we believe it is important that they do so with a careful balance of economic, social and environmental considerations.

The Urban Patch takes an incremental and resourceful approach to neighborhood development and urban design.  Each step includes an aspect that takes on the built fabric of the city (the urban) and in parallel an aspect that addresses the environmental fabric of the city (the patch) while incorporating both into the social, economic and cultural dynamics and considerations that are necessary for a successful and resilient urban community.

​The Park Garden is part of an effort by the Urban Patch to complement multiple groups' initiatives in the Mapleton - Fall Creek area. This includes the MFCDC's Pocket Parks network and the Fall Creek Gardens Urban Growers' Resource Center.  These projects will all work together to help make the neighborhood greener and greater.  

Conversation

We already met out original fundraising goal after just one week! The project has room to grow, and we can do even more with your help. We have increased the goal by 30%, this will allow for us to buy even more plants for the 5,200 square foot site. Most of the site today turf grass and weeds. Over time we will plant more and more perennial food-producing and native plants. Thanks again for all of your support!
We closed on the property May 15th, and our landscape designer is putting together the planting plan. Thanks for your interest and support! Your donantions will help us move the project forward, and begin planting soon.

budget

 

1. Fruit trees (2 cherry, 2 apricot) - $400

​2. Fruit bushes/vines (cranberries, blueberries, grapes) - $200

​3. Shade and ornamental trees (honey locust, redbud, dogwood) - $300

​4. Native/perennial plants - $200

5. Mulch and (organic) soil enhancers – 153.40

Project total = $1253.40

 

Third party credit card processing (3%) - $39.75

7. ioby materials and labor - $35

8. Total raised = 1326.00

 

updates

Your donation in action!

Thanks to our generous donors!

Next week a fence will go up, and we are having a large sign printed to announce the site!  

It doesn't look so lush because Indianapolis is in the midst of a drought!  We have a solid watering routine, so we're sure our new plants will make it.  The other plants and fence, etc. will go in a few weeks. 

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Saundra G.
  • Jennifer P.
  • Anonymous
  • Fatou D.
  • Sylvia W.
  • Claudia H.
  • Jessica D.
  • Kim D.
  • Michael M.
  • Joyce M.
  • Jason M.
  • Darlene M.
  • Jamie C.
  • Pei Pei C.
  • Betsy M.
  • Matt W.
  • Monica W.
  • Lashana L.
  • Dara R.
  • Adenike C.
  • Cecilia K.
  • Nuala G.
  • Morana S.
  • Kameelah D.
  • Beth D.
  • Mabel W.
  • Doressa B.
  • Erin B.