Oakhurst Garden

About Oakhurst Garden

The Garden is located at 435 Oakview Road, at the corner of South McDonough Street and Oakview Road in Decatur, just southwest of Agnes Scott College. It is open to the public from sunup to sundown. Please see our “Visiting” page for the few rules that we ask you to follow while in The Garden. The Garden is constantly evolving! We are currently working on erecting a new greenhouse and constructing Wylde Woods, dedicated to our founder, Salley Wylde. Here are some of the established garden features: Community Plots The Garden has 24 plots available for people from the community to grow vegetables and flowers. The current beds were built in the spring of 2005. The beds are available for $65 and are for the plot holder to use from March to February of the following year. For more information, please contact Anna Varela [email protected] Cobb Adobe House Coming Soon! Animals in the Garden The Chickens: The chickens have been an attraction at the garden for a long time. During our recent site renovation, our chickens lived at a private residence, but returned once their new home was built. A big thank you to the Fonda Family Foundation, Bob Brennan, and Rob Cleveland for providing the support and building the new chicken house. A chicken committee organized by Katina Pappas-DeLuca sees to the daily needs of our five chickens. The Bees: The bees are a vital component of the garden, providing needed pollination for the plants growing. The bees enjoy the Tulip Poplar pollen in the spring and fly three or four blocks around to gather pollen for their hives. The bees are tended by Annie Sommerville and her Academe de Oaks high school students and Curtis Gentry, a local beekeeper. The bees also serve the focus for several classes at the garden. Garden Pond The pond was built in memory of Liz Chandler, an Agnes Scott College student who devoted many hours to creatures in the garden. Agnes Scott College, EcoWatch volunteers, and Emory students helped build the pond. Frogs have moved into the pond and are a constant source of enjoyment for the children who visit the garden. Peace Pole In 1997, the same year the garden was started, the garden was asked if it would like to plant a Peace Pole on its site. A Native American Shaman and Maori Medicine Man were present to dedicate the Peace Pole. As sage was burned, participants stood in a circle around the pole and were asked to share a thought. As Sally remembers it, the birds were especially loud that day joining in with the blessing of the Peace Pole. Gardens for Peace edicated on May 6, 2000, the designation of the Oakhurst Community Garden as a Garden for Peace marks the first site of its kind in the network. Other gardens in the network are located at the Atlanta History Center, Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Botanical Garden in Madrid, Spain, Lakewold in Tacoma, Washington, Pastoral Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, Columbia Theological Seminary, and on the grounds of the Sarah P. Duke Garden. The Gardens for Peace dedication included the presentation of a special banner made by the neighborhood Girl Scout Troop. Special activities included building scarecrows for the garden beds, listening to a storyteller and an opportunity for the children to write down their wishes for peace and place them on a special tree. Streambank Oak Creek, a tributary to the West Shoal Creek runs through the garden property. The garden plans to restore the streambank using native trees, shrubs, and perennials to stabilize the bank. The Shoal Creek Watershed Alliance is a volunteer group that regularly monitors the water in the creek. In a recent survey of stream life, the group found small fish, salamanders, crayfish, flies, beetle larvae, and damselflie larvae. Wheelchair Beds The handicap accessible beds were designed by Don Hooten, a local landscape architect and built by Randy Lane and Marshall Davis. Carnivorous Bog In February 2005, Catherine Hartman formerly with the Atlanta Botanical Garden led a small group of folks through a bog building class. All the pitcher plants and other bog plants were donated to us from the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Come see the pitcher plants in bloom in late spring.