Veterans partner with Selby Gardens on new edible garden
Veterans from Green Path Veterans Farm connect with nature at Selby Gardens
Sarasota FLA – Nov. 28, 2018: This past Veteran’s Day at Selby Gardens marked the launch of a new project with Green Path Veterans Farms (Green Path). Green Path provides outreach, education and training to veterans wishing to experience the agricultural industry in their own community. Selby Gardens will be assisting the veterans in this work through the development, installation and up-keep of an on-site edible garden.
The group of veterans, along with students from Easterseals’ VIP Academy, have broken ground on a new permaculture edible garden in the Ann Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden. To hone their agricultural skills, veterans from Green Path will be focusing on building a closed-loop design that will maximize resources. Each plant in the garden will serve one or more purposes, such as food sources, soil-builders, insect-attractors, shade providers, habitat coverings and more.
“Selby Gardens is grateful for the partnership with Green Path where we can support and assist our veterans. Through the growing and cultivation of our new edible garden we can help our veterans feel more connected with their community, nature and our gardens,” explains Jennifer Rominiecki, President and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
Selby Gardens will also welcome the Green Path veterans on a regular basis to change out plants seasonally, while VIP Academy students will visit the Gardens weekly to take care of the maintenance and upkeep of the new display. The project will allow for future educational experiences for Selby Gardens guests, along with serving as a creative outlet and hands-on learning opportunity for current and future veterans of Green Path, as well as VIP Academy students.
“The garden will not be the only thing blossoming through this project. The veterans will ultimately enrich the Selby Gardens guest experience, while reconnecting new and long-time veterans back to nature during the process,” explains Camille Van Sant, Green Path Executive Director and Easterseals Farm Manager
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About Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the display and study of epiphytic plants such as orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads and ferns and other tropical plants, with a focus on botany, horticulture and environmental education. For more information, please visit www.selby.org. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 900 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Christmas. Regular admission is $20 and $10 children ages 4-17; members and children 3 and under enter free. Contact us at (941) 366-5731 or selby.org. Get social with us on Facebook, Instagram and more by searching @selbygardens.
