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2021 Tour Brochure Wilkinsburg Garden Sunday Tour July 25 1-4 pm featuring Tour sponsored by We welcome all to join our group! We meet monthly Visit sustainablewilkinsburg.org for details 1 Background of Wilkinsburg Pollinator Garden Group Why do we need Pollinator gardens? In addition to serving as beautification projects, creating pollinator In March of 2017, the Allegheny Group of the Sierra Club met with about gardens is truly an act of environmental responsibility. The gardens can a dozen Wilkinsburg residents. A great deal of enthusiasm was generated be adapted to a variety of lots, soils and terrains. By using many types to transform vacant lots and landscaping into pollinator habitats. In 2017 of flowering plants that are indigenous to the region, the gardens attract and 2018, the group received grants from the Sierra Club’s Huplits Wildlife birds and a wide variety of insect pollinators whose activities benefit the Foundation for a total of $16,000, allowing projects to flourish. We publish area’s ecosystem. calendars and greeting cards showcasing the beautiful flowers and pollina- tors that visit our gardens. Worldwide evidence shows that pollinator populations (e.g., bees, wasps, beetles, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds) are declining. Although many The ultimate aim of our group is to: factors contribute to the decline, the destruction of and lack of habitat is certainly one, especially in urban settings. Pollinators are critical parts of • Create an inviting habitat for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other the natural environment and are essential for the production of the fruits wildlife in an urban setting. and vegetables that humans eat. Creating those friendly environments • Transform vacant lots into green spaces where people can rest, relax, will encourage the growth and sustainability of these important pollinator and enjoy observing nature in action. populations. In addition, educating young people about the significance • Educate residents, especially young people, about the importance of of pollinators to ecological systems and the dependence of humans on pollinators in ecosystems. them for their food is an important contribution to any society. • Provide opportunities for residents to identify specific plants that attract pollinators so they can add those plants to their own gardens. PUBLIC or PRIVATE PLEASE NOTE: Some of the gardens are open to the public year round. Anyone can walk through them, visit for awhile, and enjoy the beauty of nature. These are designated PUBLIC. Some of the gardens are PRIVATE and open to the public ONLY during the tour. PLEASE respect the pri- vacy of the owners and do not attempt to visit them at other times of the year without contacting the owners to request a visit at their convenience. 2 3 The Sleeping Octopus The North Avenue Bird Habitat Pollinator Garden and and Pollinator Garden (PUBLIC) 1 718 North Avenue, Wilkinsburg 2 Orchard (PRIVATE) Jerry Gaudi, Owner 1300 Wood Street, Wilkinsburg Nicole Santella, Owner In the summer of 2017, the This garden graces a grand Allegheny Group of the Sierra old home, the former Yingling Club partnered with Wilkins- Mansion. The mansion’s interior and burg residents to plan, design exterior were completely restored and install a Pollinator garden in 2017 and 2018. The mansion on this vacant lot. Jerry had and its grounds are now a place already started to clean up the where community members can lot and install a bird habitat so gather, spend time in the gardens adding pollinator plant beds for rest, relaxation, meditation, to the design was a wonderful and participate in educational complement. Local youth helped workshops. The landscaping remove trash that had accumu- includes potted and inground lated over the years, painted and plantings to attract pollinators, installed birdhouses, a firepit, several fruit-bearing trees and and a gazebo. Community resi- vegetables. The garden’s many native dents prepared the beds, planted plant species, along with practices lovely pollinator plants, weeded, that help to conserve water and and mulched the beds. In 2020, provide habitat for birds and wildlife the garden space was doubled have earned it Certified Backyard as a non-rehabilitated house on Habitat status from Audubon. the adjacent property was razed. Two beehives add to the ability to Now this ‘one-time eye-sore’ pollinate and grow food. Unique is a thriving certified backyard stone sculptures heighten the interest in the gardens. Nicole hopes that habitat for birds, bees, and every person will personally care for at least one plant, and buy food that butterflies as well as a respite for is grown locally as much as possible. residents to relax, reflect and enjoy nature. 4 5 Mulberry Community Church Roof Garden 3 Biblical Garden (PUBLIC) @ 1009 Wood Street (PRIVATE) 4 601 Wallace Avenue 1009 Wood Street Pastor Lawrence Smith and Danielle Lee, Stewards Come see this revitalized building come to life as it helps to address issues This small area at the back of vacant storefronts, stormwater infrastructure, climate change and of the church is featured more. Not only is this retail space being revitalized with local business in our tour to show that and community spaces, but the roof will be a Blue/Green design that anyone can take an area of grows food plants for people and for pollinators, while it captures and their backyard and provide uses valuable rainwater. This unique and innovative design will help a lovely habitat for birds and Wilkinsburg meet stormwater challenges that can cause flooding, erosion, pollinators. In addition, it is and pollution in our waterways. And the garden will help to offset the a Biblical Garden containing heat island effect that warms our cities in summer. The Roof Garden will many plants mentioned serve as a model for development in our community. in the Bible. In 2019, the Sleeping Octopus through Religious Architecture Heritage originally engaged with Pastor Smith and the Mulberry Community Church congregation to help designate and design an area for a community garden. The Pittsburgh Psychedelic Club coordinated a group of volunteers to help remediate the area using the existing stones as the perimeter of the garden space to be. In the fall of 2020, the weeds that had grown in the designated area were removed and mulch put down to prepare this area for planting in spring 2021. Many of the other gardens on the tour are more mature and it is important to be aware of how a garden looks at the beginning and how it will look in a few years. We are sure you have a small space in your back yard to BEGIN!! To learn more about the Church, and its preaching and teaching, visit their Facebook page or view their services on YouTube. 6 7 Wilkinsburg Community Center for Civic Arts 5 Ministry Pantry Garden (PUBLIC) George Floyd 6 Community Garden (PUBLIC) 707 Franklin Avenue Ruth Kittner Steward 710 Mulberry Street Center for Civic Arts, Steward WCM has been operating a food pantry in Wilkinsburg since In memory of George Floyd, whose 1968. Our first garden planted in death changed the path for civic rights 2020 was moved to 707 Franklin, in America and across the globe in behind our pantry office. The use 2020, Center for Civic Arts planted of the lot was donated by Wackem a garden. Transforming a vacant lot Custom Tackle. While it won’t on Mulberry Street in Wilkinsburg, support our entire fresh food we civically activated an empty lot in needs, it is a visible reminder of front of a vacant church undergoing what can be grown in a small foot renovations. With the assistance of 20 print using reclaimed urban items. volunteers and 3 summer apprentices, over 50 tomato and 30 basil plants The building that occupied this were donated and planted. Once the lot was demolished in the early produce was harvested, tomatoes were 1960s. To re-utilize the lot to grow given to anyone walking by who wanted food we used pallets, chicken fresh tomatoes during the height of the wire, “fertilized” straw bales and pandemic. The remainder of the harvest was preserved as tomato jam, packaged garden soil to make “instant” raised beds. A lot of garden sauce and green tomato salsa and given away. The mission of Center material was donated to us by Lowes in Monroeville. for Civic Arts is to foster civic engagement through arts and culture Plants are watered with run off from the roofs; refuse is composted enterprises, as a human centric community development strategy. The in our composting center; solar powers the pumps needed for the George Floyd Community Garden will continue to build community, greenhouse. A 9-foot deer fence from DeerBusters, Inc. surrounds literally from the ground up. the lot. Beehives and birds help to pollinate. Some of our plants came The George Floyd Community Garden is supported by Grow Pittsburgh from Bonnie Plants, Inc., and others from Grow Pittsburgh. View the and the Wilkinsburg Sanctuary Project. full story of the garden at our website: wcm15221.org 8 9 Grow Pittsburgh Grace and Fruit 7 (Garden Dreams) (PUBLIC) Pollinator Gardens 8 and Orchard (PUBLIC) 806 Holland Avenue Hanna Mosca, Steward Covenant Fellowship Reformed Presbyterian Church 1300 Swissvale Avenue Garden Dreams is Grow Pitts- Christine Welsh, Steward burgh’s fourth and newest pro- duction site, located at 806 Hol- In the summer of 2016, a raised vegetable land Ave in Wilkinsburg. This bed project was started by Tim and Lynette urban farm and plant nursery, Bloedow of Covenant Fellowship church previously owned and operated to teach people in the neighborhood how as a private business by Grow to grow food. Grow Pittsburgh and Nine Pittsburgh co-founder Mindy Mile Run supported the project. In the fall Schwartz, has been a treasure talk began of putting in an orchard on a in the local urban agriculture piece of land next to the church building, community for nearly 20 years.
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