CAUSES Creates Community Gardens of the Senses

Last summer, CAUSES launched a community garden project on Saturday, July 20, 2013. Known collectively as “Gardens of the Senses,” the project created the first of three gardens on the UDC Van Ness Campus: a garden for the sense of vision; a garden for the sense of smell and a garden for the sense of touch.

“Each garden will be labeled and self-explanatory, invigorating the senses and presenting a connection with the stimulation nature offers to inspire our intellect and our emotions,” explained Dr. Sabine O’Hara, Dean of CAUSES.

The gardens will serve as a destination site for D.C. schools. Maintained by University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Student Garden Club with assistance of faculty and staff mentors, UDC students will serve as mentors to area school children from elementary, middle and high schools. The wide variety of plants in the gardens will also serve as research sites to investigate different plant qualities.
“To have so many volunteers come out and help was amazing and shows how strongly people feel about creating space for nature and improving our physical surroundings," said Coy McKinney, the Project Coordinator. “I hope the garden will serve as an invitation for passersby to reconnect with nature--and to appreciate what surrounds us and what we are all part of.”

The project was made possible through a grant from The Verizon Foundation, and is ongoing. Community participation is welcome. To volunteer for this and future gardening projects, contact Coy McKinney at coymckinney@gmail.com.

Pictures of the garden are available on the CAUSES Facebook page.