Rainier Vista Sunrise Garden

Rainier Vista Sunrise Garden
(submitted by a Rainier Vista Sunrise Garden P-Patch community gardener)

Sunrise P-Patch was officially established on a blustery September day in 2013. Twenty-four plots were distributed to a group of neighbors who had devoted a summer's worth of weekends to turning an overgrown lot of weeds (and a few, very hardy, kale volunteers) back into a productive garden.

The .16 acre space at the intersection of 33rd Ave S and S Oregon St has a much smaller footprint than the market garden that once stood on the site. But from the very beginning that humble space felt limitless in its possibilities to serve as a place for members of the newly-developed Rainier Vista community to meet, mingle, and bond over their shared yearning for a little vegetable plot.

The gardeners learned a lot about planning and constructing a community garden during the long summer days, but they learned even more about each other. And long before the first seed was planted, a tight-knit community had already grown. (Though they were all still pretty thrilled about planting those seeds.)

The garden has thrived, acting as a respite not only gardeners but also for an entire neighborhood of bikers, skaters, dog-walkers, and baby-walkers. Our little garden is still growing. Over time, we've added a 3-bin compost station and rebuilt our greenhouse. And we're excited for what future growing seasons will bring.