Bed A19 Tended by Jill
Jill has been a faithful Gardener since ECG’s 2nd year. She is an active member of the Gardeneers, regularly attending meetings and offering all kinds of suggestions and advice. A veteran gardener of over 30 years–having grown up working in her grandfather’s huge garden and her uncle’s flower beds–Jill came to us after moving into the Blue Point Apartments, and realizing there was no place there for a garden!
Most notably, Jill is a faithful steward of ECG, spending hours and hours during the season, weeding—not only her own beds–but the common areas (such as the mulched areas between beds, the Food Bank garden, and the wildflower borders around the fence.) She is also responsible for the sparkling clean rest room we are able to offer to our gardeners. Thank you SOOO much, Jill! You really are an example of a COMMUNITY member!
In addition, Jill has volunteered to help other gardeners in fulfilling their monthly obligation to ECG, offering to coach which plants are weeds, and which are the new flowers coming up. Sometimes, it’s SO hard to tell the difference, and learning from an expert like Jill can make spending the requested 2 hours per month helping the garden a lot easier.
The highlight of Jill’s bed is her dahlias. A variety of them grace A19, adding beauty to the veggies that also grow there. The dahlias tend toward shades of pink, with a variety of types from “pompon” to “semi-cactus.” Because her dahlias grow so tall, Jill has used sturdy bamboo canes for support. Dahlias make great cut flowers for vases and displays. She gives credit to her friend who stores the dahlia tubers over the winter: Jill just doesn’t have a cool, dry place to do that in her apartment.
Jill’s Dahlias are supported by bamboo stakes. 
A wide border of Marigolds surrounds the other plants, as well, adding a bright burst of orange and yellow, with a shy purple petunia peeking from within. What great color contrasts!
Being a veggie lover, Jill also grows tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, basil, beets, carrots and, this year, Japanese Eggplant. She finds myriad ways of preparing her harvest, making zoodles, pesto, soup, relish, borscht and enjoying them fresh! (See her Pesto in our Recipe Blog!)
When not tending her garden, Jill enjoys the outdoors, fresh foods and flowers. Other hobbies are quilting, knitting, reading, and training her dog Charlie for obedience trialing and scent work trialing. She is a retired artist/teacher.
Because of her careful efforts, Jill’s bed, A19, brings positive attention to Eden Community Gardens, turning heads of all who pass by, and bringing beauty to the area and food for the pollinators.
For more info on Dahlias, check out: Dahlia Types (gardenia.net) or The American Dahlia Society