If you've driven around downtown Fort Lauderdale recently, you might think massive building construction projects were erected overnight. With the city's urbanscape growing like a concrete mushroom, questions arise. What will Fort Lauderdale do without any green spaces?
Thankfully, there's an answer. Resident Chad Scott and his crew of garden enthusiasts have been working hard the past two years to launch Flagler Garden, located at 425 NE Third Ave., in the heart of artsy FAT Village.
This community garden is intended to provide denizens with plots to grow their own food and lovely flowers and will also serve as a social venue for eco-friendly themed gatherings. The crew plans to take it a step further and construct a facility to support its educational workshops. Whole Foods is in on it and committed to funding $76,000 to the green-lifestyle educational facility and series during the first five years that the garden is open.
"It's like seeding an idea," says Scott. "How you put your energy and ideas out into the world and see it come back to you," he says.
But to get there, it takes extensive planning and sourcing serious amounts of funds. Luckily, the organizers have completed finding the finances they need to move forward with the construction process.
"We're throwing a groundbreaking party to celebrate that we have raised enough money and begin the construction," says Scott.
The party will offer attendees apple-pie mimosas. That's right, folks, apple-pie mimosas for your sipping pleasure. And to get into the gardening spirit, a make-your-own mini-garden project will occur. Bring your own container to join in on the dirty fun.
Speakers will lecture on the design process behind creating an urban green space, among other eco-friendly topics. And sketches of the future space will be on view. Along with drinky drinks, food trucks and local green markets will serve up food.
It all gets under way at 11 a.m. Sunday and goes on until 4 p.m. at 425 NE Third Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Visit flaglergarden.org, and RSVP to Sunday's garden party via facebook.com/FlaglerGarden. Admission is free.
