Residents can grow their own fruits or flowers in College Park West’s Edison Park
If you were to ask the residents of Seal Beach what is the downside of living in Seal Beach they would reply with very little to complain about.
However, living near the beach can limit your yard space for gardening. For some this isn’t much of a problem.
But wouldn’t you like to be able to have your own little garden and grow your own healthy organic fruits and vegetables? If you reside in the city of Seal Beach, you’re in luck because Edison Park and Gardens give you the opportunity to have your very own plot in the community garden that lies within its 10-acre space.
The garden is open between 7 a.m. and dusk.
The garden offers a place for Seal Beach residents to rent their own plots, the average plot being 24 x 12 feet, to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and floral arrangements.
My first trip to the garden brought back childhood memories working on my grandmother’s tomato and olive garden in Carlsbad when I was 7 years old.
With well into a hundred different plots, each plot can be rented at 8 cents per square foot per year.
As one walks through the garden, each plot has its own character, much like their owners, with an array of different arrangements.
Rhubarb is a favorite amongst the green thumbers of Seal Beach Gardens being in almost everyone’s garden.
Artichokes and cabbage are also very popular vegetables grown here.
One may truly be amazed by the variety of crops being grown here.
After speaking with a few of the tenants tending their gardens they were more than happy to show me their gardens.
The strawberries and blackberries looked delicious as I walked through Mr. Jones’ garden. He also had tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce and scallions.
Mrs. Kim’s garden was also full of various herbs and vegetables varying from basil, thyme, cilantro, rosemary, egg plant, and a few other Filipino vegetables giving her garden that ethnic appeal.
Fruit and vegetables were just half of beauty of these gardens.
The flowers that were spread throughout each persons garden were absolutely wonderful.
Bright pink gladiolas, purple and blue iris’, glowing orange dahlias and our state flower, California poppies, flow effortlessly through these wondrous gardens. Having a section for gardening at Edison Park and Gardens is only half of what this park offers.
Other amenities include two picnic tables, four benches, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, play field, water fountain and public parking.
This may come handy when your tending the garden and have the children with you. They can have fun in the park while the garden is being tended to.
Seal Beach Gardens is, to say the least, the perfect place to grow your own organic crops in a world where we don’t know where a lot of what we buy comes from.
It would be nice to know what is going into what we consume, first hand.
So, if you’re with limited space, want your own little piece of heaven, or extend your gardening skills Seal Beach Community Gardens is the place for you.
Edison Park and Gardens is located at 99 College Dr., in College Park West near the 22 freeway and Studebaker exit. For more information, call (562) 431-2527or visit the Web site www.sealbeachca.gov.
