Volunteers prepping the garden site at the June 2023 Groundbreaking Event. 
Volunteers prepping the garden site at the June 2023 Groundbreaking Event. 
Volunteers planting native plants in July 2023. 
Photo depicting the Poolside Pollinator Garden and various pollinators following planting and completion of Constanza Carballo’s mural. 
Photo depicting the Poolside Pollinator Garden and various pollinators following planting and completion of Constanza Carballo’s mural.
Story
In the Summer of 2023 community members began excavating the garden site located next to the pool shed in Van Cleve Park. Preparing the ground to be home to many native pollinator plants required so much work! The hard work of the many garden volunteers – new and old! – is deeply appreciated. Care for a garden is especially important in its first few years- you’ll often see SECIA volunteers watering, planting, and weeding the site in the spring and summer. All are invited to join regardless of their experience.
For more information about the creation of this garden, check out the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment article featuring the project leaders – George Masson and Abby Daniels.
Mural
The pool shed was coincidentally chosen to be the site of murals as part of a Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board initiative to deter graffiti and promote community resilience. The murals on the pool shed were created by artist, Constanza Carballo, and incorporate values of community health and equity. You may spot a monarch butterfly on the mural! This is in acknowledgment of the artist’s work regarding narratives from the southern border of the US, as well as a nod towards the many monarchs that have been spotted at the garden.