Driving by Vic Coppinger Family YMCA, a large prospering garden area can be seen adjacent to the complex. The beautiful garden area is the Pearland Community Gardens.
Planning for the PCG began in 2009 with founder Cassie Mitchel-Johnson and a few like-minded volunteers. After searching for space, they found a home on 1.5 acres donated for use by the Vic Coppinger Family YMCA.
The first beds were built in the Spring of 2010 and have been growing each year since. The gardens are now a program under Keep Pearland Beautiful.
The gardeners who volunteer there work towards building a better community by raising gardens throughout the area bringing neighbors together to create beautiful landscapes, raise food for those in the area who are hungry, and educate people about gardening, green practices, and self-sufficiency. This is the PCG mission.
Avid gardener and KPB volunteer Teresa Hull is now managing the gardens after Mitchel-Johnson passed away last October. Hull started working in the Community Gardens as a YMCA volunteer, joined KPB, and rented two beds in the gardens. She added hours to her volunteer time by helping in the PCG’s Production Gardens. In these garden beds, vegetables are grown and then donated to the Pearland Community Center and other local food pantries.
Hull reports that the beds in the Production area donate approximately 500 lbs. of food to the PNC and local food pantries each year. By the end of July 2022 the garden had donated 250 lbs. so far.
“When the garden leads for the “Production” beds decided to take a break after 12 years of managing the gardens, I decided to take the lead and, with the help from a few energetic volunteers that include Kashe and Danny Madrigal; Martha Richeson; Rick Keniston; Ethan Gish; Amber Lucas and Ruth and August Aimone,” Hull said. “I have been able to keep the gardens going by coordinating a crop rotation plan and preparing, planting, maintaining, and harvesting the crops. I work with the dedicated team to schedule work days and have coordinated two projects that were completed by Eagle Scout candidates.”
Hull has scheduled another project weekend in September when the Guide Right organization will rebuild some garden bed frames and complete other needed tasks in the PCG.
PCG has approximately 15 members who rent garden beds and most of them are volunteers who help with the Production beds, pollinator gardens, citrus trees, rose garden, native wildflower gardens, and the surrounding gardens for wildlife.
“On any scheduled work day, we have up to six volunteers who show up regularly and others join in as their schedules allow,” Hull said. “PCG volunteers can grow whatever they want in one or two beds each for as long as they maintain their KPB membership and pay yearly dues of $50 per bed. Anyone who volunteers in the Production beds or surrounding grounds for 50 hours or more can get a bed for no charge (in gratitude) for the following year. Currently we have nearly all beds rented with only two or three available.”
Recently, two Eagle Scout candidates have proposed lead projects to rebuild old garden frames, clear weeds, trim overgrowth, and do some general cleanup.
To get involved, get a bed or find out more information about the PCG, join Keep Pearland Beautiful or visit their website KeepPearlandBeautiful.org and request information about the community gardens.
KPB will let Hull know if someone is interested in the community gardens then she will contact the person with helpful information, schedule a welcome tour of the gardens, and suggest volunteer opportunities.
Hull is also an active member and treasurer of Heritage Gardeners Garden Club in Friendswood.
