A front yard vegetable garden in North Delta that started as a food experiment has turned into so much more.
Dino and Tara Piovesan planted a vegetable garden for traditional reasons – fresh produce and the importance of growing your own food, but according to Dino, being out in their front yard garden did something he would have never of guessed.
“We now know most people in our neighborhood. Seems it was just as big of a social experiment as a food experiment,” he said. “Amazing what happens when you spend a lot of your time in your front garden and not your backyard.”
Tara said they have had the garden for about five years now.
“Our whole front yard is now covered in flowers, plants and vegetables in raised boxes,” she said. “When we are out there people will comment. Living in the city can be really lonely and I find it really hard to connect, yet people will be walking by with their dogs or their kids and say I love looking at your garden, I love looking to see what happens next or I love looking at your garden all year.”
Tara said they also contribute to the community as well.
“Often a couple times a year we will either put up a sign or rope off an area and we have lots of people come over and pick strawberries and take what they want,” she said. “Another thing that my husband did is that he talked with the neighbours and the grandmother came over and brought the kids and showed them how to pick strawberries and they come over whenever they want.
“Some kids just see the strawberries in plastic containers from Wal-Mart, so it’s so great for them to be eating beautiful strawberries and understand what it’s like to grow.”
Tara said as she has walked around her neighbourhood she is seeing others put their front yards to better use.
“I’m seeing boxes and vegetables all over the place. Quite a number of neighbours in this neighbourhood have started to convert over,” she said. “I just think it is amazing. It’s better use of urban space.”
