A place for healing through gardening

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This article was published 29/07/2021 (1629 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Unofficially, the Hummingbird Community Garden just off 26th Street in Brandon is known as the healing garden, says volunteer garden co-ordinator Brian Fowell.

Fowell injured himself in 2007 and was looking for a low-key way to get better.

There was an advertisement in the newspaper looking for people to garden 14 plots within the city.

Fowell is a farmer and had been gardening his entire life. A small, manageable garden plot seemed to be what the doctor ordered, and he found himself on the other side of a hoe, gardening, offering tips or just keeping an eye on the place while healing from his injury.

At the same time, Health Brandon identified community gardening as a key way to reduce rates of chronic disease. Hummingbird Garden was created through a partnership with Samaritan House Ministries, the City of Brandon and Prairie Mountain Health as part of chronic disease prevention by providing low-impact, beneficial exercise.

Since then, not only have people with chronic diseases used the Hummingbird community garden as a way to rehabilitate and heal from an illness or injury, it appears people from all backgrounds have converged at the garden as a way to navigate through the pandemic.

The garden’s popularity exploded and Melanie Hellyer, garden co-ordinator and community liaison for Prairie Mountain Health as the Healthy Living facilitator, found herself helping 100 gardeners this past year, with 10 gardeners placed on a waiting list should one become open. Plots are $15 for the season.

Today, the biggest community garden in Brandon has gardeners from India, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Africa, China, Poland and the Philippines.

The gardens are chemical and insecticide-free.

“The garden is a mosaic,” Fowell said. “We learn from each other. It’s a happy place. People talk. Visit. Trade vegetables. Everyone looks out for each other here.”

The City of Brandon supports the garden by providing garbage and composting bins and their emptying, grass-cutting and water supply, while Prairie Mountain Health supports the garden through gardening videos posted on their YouTube channel. Pre-registration is required at the City of Brandon Parks and Recreation department if planning to attend.

“We have a great relationship with the city,” Hellyer said.

The land belongs to the Brandon School Division. Users of the garden understand if a school needs to be built on the prime piece of property, they’ll have a year to find another spot, said Hellyer.

Hummingbird Community Garden is part of the Brandon in Bloom tour as well. Fowell pointed out that the gardens in the tour belong to individuals and should not be seen as an opportunity to pick vegetables, something which has happened in the past, he pointed out.

For more information on how to obtain a garden plot at the Hummingbird Community garden, email Melanie Hellyer at mhellyer@pmh-mb.ca. Or phone 204-578-2196.

» kkielley@brandonsun.com