As spring unfolds into summer, the foot traffic in my neighborhood is rich. I’m learning the names of people who have lived within a block of me for decades. Before now, maybe we’ve just passed each other with a smile and a wave from a car window, or as we walk, run or cycle. But these days, I’ve become a lot more local in all my routines, and that has had some unexpectedly good outcomes.
Not only have I met a lot of great people, but I’ve experienced the joy of seeing a bit of bumper-sticker wisdom coming true. You know the one: an image of the planet Earth along with the phrase “Think globally, act locally.”
As an ever-curious word nerd, I wondered who said that and when. According to Wikipedia, “The original phrase “Think global, act local” has been attributed to Scots town planner and social activist Patrick Geddes. Although the exact phrase does not appear in Geddes’ 1915 book “Cities in Evolution,” the idea (as applied to city planning) is clearly evident: “‘Local character’ is thus no mere accidental old-world quaintness, as its mimics think and say. It is attained only in course of adequate grasp and treatment of the whole environment, and in active sympathy with the essential and characteristic life of the place concerned.”
Patrick Geddes would have applauded SummerHome Garden, a green space in the works at 651 South Vine Street. It’s a small garden, taking shape rapidly and beautifully, thanks to a collaborative effort by Lisa Negri, owner of the space and the home adjacent to it, the Denver Botanic Gardens, and an enthusiastic crew of friends. Lisa, a Washington Park resident for 10 years, purchased the property with the intent to create a natural space as a gift to the neighborhood.
Besides the gift of serenity and beauty, there’s an educational component as well. The plantings are all dry-climate tolerant and native to the region, so the garden is a great showcase for gardeners looking for new ideas, or anyone interested in water and climate issues.
All that on just one residential lot? It’s surprising how spacious it is to walk through. There’s a big crevice garden in the northwest corner with blooming cacti, a half-dozen berms that suggest the rolling prairie, water features and undulating paths. There are 3000 plants in all—and that’s where the “act locally” part of the bumper-sticker wisdom is taking root.
As a part-time amateur gardener for more than 40 years, I was immediately drawn to this neighborhood collaboration as soon as I read the descriptive flyer outside the gate earlier this spring. I’ve been helping there every Friday since the initial major plantings in May, learning something new about gardening every time I show up. I also enjoy the relaxed conversations with other gardeners. Speaking for myself, I show up for the common good and the fun of getting my hands in the dirt, sweating under my mask, finding the smallest and most elusive weeds, and as Lisa puts it, getting to know each of the 3000 new residents personally.
SummerHome Garden is already fulfilling its intent to be a gift to the neighborhood, with passers-by and volunteers getting a taste of nature at its best.
