Ground Breaking

On February 2, 2002, under a bright sunny sky, dignitaries and guests assembled at the site of the Magnuson Community Garden for a groundbreaking ceremony.  Following remarks by Seattle officials, guests turned the soil with ribbon festooned shovels and a sprinkling of Interbay P-Patch compost.  The ground breaking formally launched the building of a unique multipurpose community garden.

Non-Profit Status

The Magnuson Community Garden volunteers formed a non-profit corporation under the laws of the state of Washington in September 2001.  In July 2002, the IRS granted  501(c)(3) tax-exempt status to Magnuson Community Garden nonprofit organization.

Funding

The Magnuson Community Garden received a $150,000 Department of Neighborhoods Large Project Award, which is matched by $244,814 in community contributions of time, in-kind services, and cash donations.  The contract with the city runs from August 2002 to July 2003.  During 2002, $118,000 Pro Parks Levy funds have been used to complete the design documents, begin work related to grading, and bring the water system to the garden.  The cost of the total project which includes the gardens, an amphitheater, and a native plant nursery, is estimated to be $735,000.

Donor Acknowledgement

We are grateful to a number of donors who have provided matching dollars and in-kind services.  One donor deserves special recognition.  Through a creative exchange between a Seattle excavating contractor, Fruhling, Inc., and the Sand Point Magnuson Park staff, MCG received a significant in-kind contribution.  Fruhling was a contractor on the new Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center complex being built across the street from Magnuson Park at 70th and Sand Point Way.  

For 17 years, the city leased a portion of Children's property for the Sand Point P-Patch.  In the fall of 2001, with the assistance of Children's Hospital volunteers, the Sand Point P-Patch moved to a temporary site in the park.  Before Children's began construction, Fruhling moved topsoil from the old P-Patch to the new P-Patch site.  In the spring of 2002, Fruhling demolished a large parking lot at the new community garden site, disposed of the debris, then rough graded the site and sculpted the drainage ponds and amphitheater area.  This was a major contribution for which we are enormously grateful.

Other major donors to date have been Sandstrom Properties, McDonald Sullivan and the late Nancy Ann Holman, the MJF Foundation, and Alaska Fish Fertilizer.  Many neighborhood residents have provided cash pledges and volunteer donations.  Very helpful in-kind donations have been received from: Wilson Sign Company for part of the sign kiosk, Hertz Rentals at Lake City for rototiller, Starbucks and the Essential Bread Company for work party refreshments.

Construction Begins

Construction on the garden began in early Spring 2002 with the work of Fruhling.  Barker Landscape completed final construction drawings in late summer.  Water was extended to the site and the irrigation system and installation of hose bibs for the P-Patch portion of the garden was completed.  Garden paths are being prepared for the addition of surface material.  The Children's garden is underway and volunteers have started distributing native plants around the site.  A construction coordinator, Vajra Allan was hired by MCG to coordinate construction and coordinate volunteers.  The Seattle Conservation Corps, a city work training program for homeless persons, installed the irrigation system and has been contracted to complete the paths.

Work in Progress by Garden Committees

Each component  of the garden is represented by a committee that has provided detail to the landscape designs and holds work parties.  The committees include art, children’s garden, native plants, native plant nursery, orchard, P-Patch, tranquil garden, and an overall design committee.  Work parties are listed on the gardens Web site:  www.cityofseattle.net/magnusongarden and on the sign kiosk at the south end of the garden.   Committee accomplishments are noted below.

Art Committee, Krista Heron, Chair - The Art Committee has written an Art Plan defining the intention and goals for art in the Garden.  A design charette was held on October 6, 2002 to collect design ideas for the open space in the center of the P-Patch called the Gathering Place.

Children’s Garden, Cindy Hazard, Chair - A design charette was held in October 2001.  The charette was led by volunteer landscape architects and designers with 28 children from neighboring schools participating.  Ages ranged from 5-13.  Several design themes emerged that were incorporated into the final childern's garden design.  The garden includes a mound with a winding path to the top.  Through work parties that included both children and adults, the mound has been composted, rototilled, fertilized and  trees planted.  The winding path up the mound has received initial grading  

The Children's Garden Committee is networking with the School and Youth committee with Master Gardeners and has received a lot of encouragement and support.  The Committee is currently focusing on a fund raising strategy and outreach to families and children in the neighborhoods.
One of the projects for 2003 will be to develop a curriculum or teaching kits for the garden that could be used by numerous schools and daycares in the area.

Design Committee, Robert DeLong Chair - The Committee reviewed plans to insure that construction of component gardens are carried out as designed or modified by actions of the Magnuson Community Garden board.  Input was received from the various garden committee participants and incorporated into the final construction specifications as detailed by Barker Landscape.  

Native Plants, Tom Kelly, Chair - During the spring and summer of 2002 the Native Plant Committee detailed the design for the native plant borders that will surround the 4 -acre site. The Native Plant Committee assembled a list of Seattle area plantings and native plant reference materials for the design team.  

The Magnuson Environmental Stewardship Alliance (MESA) successfully applied for a Department of Neighborhoods tree grant and received one hundred trees for the native plant areas of the garden.  The Poplar trees around the perimeter of the garden were removed by parks personnel to enable their replacement with the native trees. Smaller 5 gallon size trees were selected for ease of planting although they will take longer to reach maturity.  The trees include: 26 Vine Maples, 11 Red Alders, 9 Garry Oaks, 9 Pacific Dogwoods, 6 Shore Pines, 18 Hazelnuts, 18 Serviceberries, and 3 Grand Firs.  The trees are being planted October through December by volunteers.

An article on the garden and native plant activities appeared in the October issue of the Central Puget Sound Newsletter of the Washington Native Plant Society.

Native Plant Nursery, Steve Dubiel, Chair - EarthCorps is working to build a native plant nursery as part of the garden.  The plan is to propagate native seed from local parks and open spaces and grow up to 10,000 native plants annually once the nursery is fully operational.  These plants will be used for environmental restoration work in the area.  Funding is currently being sought for this project.

Orchard Committee, John  Curry, Chair - The Orchard Committee prepared 87 trees by grafting scion wood varieties onto rootstock and heeled-in these trees in a nursery plot in the garden.  The trees will be planted in their permanent orchard field locations in the spring of 2003.  The committee is also planning an espalier fence consisting of apples and pears as a boundary between the orchard and the Children's Garden.

P-Patch Committee, Wendy McClure, Chair - The area designated as P-Patch was graded in the spring of 2002.  Topsoil was brought from the Children's construction site.  The Sand Point Parks Division brought in compost from the park's stockpile and spread it over the garden site.  Volunteers spread 2800 lbs of fertilizer, donated by Alaska Fish Fertilizer, over the area.  Park staff rototilled the amendments into the soil.  Paths were surveyed and marked.  The irrigation lines were installed in early September and the paths are being prepared for the addition of surface material.   A cover crop was sown for the winter to add nutrients to the soil.  The design for 125 new P-Patch plots has been completed.  During 2002  thirty-four temporary plots, an herb garden, and food bank gardens were created by former Sand Point P-Patch gardeners on the site.  

The Department of Neighborhoods P-Patch office has a created a waiting list for plots in the new garden.  People interested in gardening at Magnuson can call the P-Patch Office at 684-0264.  The P-Patch program is especially interested in reaching out to communities of color, families who are newly arrived in this country, and low income households to make sure everyone has access to the P-Patch garden. Plot assignments will be take place in the late winter or early spring of 2003.  

Tranquil Garden, Betty Andrews, Chair - The Tranquil Garden Committee recruited two noted horticultural therapists to assist with design components of this special area of the garden.  Activities have focused on detailing the design to ensure that the garden meets the requirements of persons with special needs.  An article about the Accessible Tranquil Garden appeared in the Summer 2002 issue of the Contact, the newsletter of the Multiple Sclerosis Association of King County.

Where to Obtain Additional Information

Courtesy of the city, the garden has a web site that provides details about the development of the garden and current activities.  The address is www.cityofseattle.net/magnusongarden.  Thanks to the Magnuson Sand Point Parks Division and the Department of Neighborhoods, an information kiosk was placed at the south end of the garden site.  A plot plan covers the south side of the kiosk and an information board exists on the north side of the kiosk for posting of notices and other information.

Anyone who would like to help with the building project is welcome -- whether it be a contribution of ideas, volunteer hours, professional expertise, or in-kind or dollar donations.