Grow Regina Community Garden has residents blossoming

The first day of summer in Regina saw residents out and about in some of the city’s community gardens.

The sun was brightly shining on Grow Regina Community Garden in McLeod Park, where Donna Holmes was tending to her crops on Thursday afternoon.

She was trying to remove weeds.

“It’s kind of long overdue because we’ve had so much rain that the weeds never stop growing rain or shine. I’m out here in muddy soil trying to get control of the weeds,” she said.

Donna Holmes said there is a long wait-list for people to sign up for the Grow Regina Community Garden in McLeod Park. (Daniel Reech/980 CJME)

Holmes has been gardening for about 20 years and grows beans, carrots, peas, tomatoes, lettuce, squash, beets, swiss chard and potatoes.

Her family often likes to give away the extra produce they don’t eat and this year they’re making an effort to give extra produce to the food bank.

Holmes has appreciated the rain, especially given how dry it’s been the past few years. However, her crops aren’t progressing as quickly as they have in previous years due to the cold weather.

Holmes said dealing with pests is the most troubling part of the process especially since pesticides aren’t allowed.
“If one garden gets potato bugs, everybody gets potato bugs,” she laughed.

She said gardening is a very fun and rewarding hobby.

“Just getting out and getting your hands in the dirt – it’s a little piece of nature and it’s nice to be outside,” Holmes said.

Irene Auger said gardening is therapeutic. (Daniel Reech/980 CJME)

Irene Auger also gardens at Grow Regina Community Garden and has been for seven years.

She grows crops like corn, carrots, cucumbers, beets, potatoes, tomatoes and pumpkins.

“It’s very therapeutic to be working in the garden and then you get produce. I generally give a lot of it away because I have a big plot,” Auger said. “It’s nice to give it to other people. I know what poverty is like. It’s nice to give it back to those who really need it.”

Auger said community gardening provides a chance to visit with other people. She’s made a lot of friends throughout her time gardening.

Both Auger and Holmes have said that Grow Regina’s garden has a very long waiting list.

“All we need is sunshine now, and the farmers will need sunshine too,” Auger said. “It would be nice if they could spread (the rain) out but that’s not the way it works.”