Shaw Neighborhood Garden Club: How Dorothy Park/Loretta Garden Began; How You Can Help It Continue

By: Gwendolyn Moore, coordinator Shaw Neighborhood Garden Club

During the 1990's, the Southeast corner of Shenandoah and Thurman was a terrible eyesore. Bicycle Works (on the Southwest corner) had boarded up windows, other nearby buildings needed major work, and the housing stock was almost all poorly maintained rental units with high tenant turn over. There was no gathering place for neighbors to meet, no sidewalk cafe and no garden.

After the city took ownership and tore down the dilapidated building at the Southeast corner, trees and grass were planted and Dorothy Park/Loretta Garden was born. It is owned by the City and we use it with permission from Alderman Steve Conway. Since 2000, The Garden Club has worked to develop and maintain the lot and turned it into the attractive garden that you see now. We put in the decorative fence, benches, shrubs, trees and flowers. We built a tool shed and had water service installed (which we pay for). Every year we buy new mulch and spend time weeding and trimming the plants.

There is no question that the improvements the club did helped turn that part of the neighborhood around. Reaction to the improvements became obvious as Contractors stopped by to tell us that our efforts induced them to invest in the area. Real estate agents told us the garden helped them sell houses. The original owner of the Thurman Cafe decided to open because of our garden across the street. People driving by honked their horns, gave us thumbs up, and waved.

We've done a lot in the last 10 years, but we've reached a point where we need more neighborhood support. Our membership has been reduced to only a few workers. Last year for the first time we had to hire help to keep the garden up, depleting our available funds. Along with hiring help, we need to purchase mulch, would like to purchase low maintenance shrubs and add lights similar to those installed in the Shaw Dog Park

If you would like to help keep this garden looking great, there are at least two ways to help. Join us in taking care of the garden. A little weeding now and then? (We can tell you what to pull). Or pitch in with a little financial help.

Cash donations can be dropped into our specially marked container at the Thurman Grill. If you want to send us a checks make it payable to our treasurer, Sharon Bocklage (use the memo line to write in “Garden Club”) and mail or drop it off at 3850 Botanical.

Editor’s Note: those interested in volunteering can contact Gwendolyn Moore, at shovelady@gmail.com or call 664-0119. You can also make a secure online donation through SNIA’s PayPal account by clicking on the link below.