Permanent Culture Now are proud to present a guest post from Stephen Gerard about the community garden movement in Philadelphia. Amidst the urban personality that Philadelphia so steadily gleans, many tend to overlook the beauty beyond the city streets and nostalgic history of our founding fathers. The City of Brotherly Love features a plethora of active garden movements that promote health and nutrition with an eye on improving the local economy. These gardens allow neighborhoods and community members the capacity to come together for a common interest.
Though Philadelphia may be known for its cheese steaks and historical landmarks, the turn of the season has allowed the sun to shine brightly on the city’s urban gardens, highlighting an exciting movement to push towards a healthier form of living for those that call Philly home. As we know, most city properties are rather tiny, with no capacity to harvest crops, flowers and plants. Through the current movement of Philadelphia’s urban gardens, the city is making it possible to engage with others while employing their love for horticulture and nature. The following gardens are a few in which you can get involved with, and watch your seeds turn to flowers as the seasons continue to change. 
The Spring Gardens
Located a few miles north of Center City lies a very special city block. The Spring Gardens takes up an entire city block, offering 180 neighborhood families the capacity to come together, garden and maintain the vast selection of open green space. The garden was built by community members in 1995 and has maintained its name as one of Philadelphia’s most vast and successful urban gardens. The garden serves as an outlet for community members to harvest a number of crops, plants and flowers in the confines of their own city block.
Temple Community Gardens
Mere miles from the skyscrapers and shadows of the Financial District lies Temple Community Gardens. Specifically focused around supplying the students of Temple University an outlet for horticulture practices and studies, this garden welcomes members of the University who share a passion for gardening. Members of the community garden meet weekly to plan their garden strategies and discuss how to make the community a healthier and safer place.
Schuylkill River Park Community Garden
Just a bit outside the hustle and bustle of the city is one of Philadelphia’s most beautiful community gardens. Situated near the Schukylkill River, these community gardens are a tad more exclusive as they’re only leased to the Center City Residents Association (CCRA), which is in charge of managing the property through a group of dedicated gardeners that consistently upkeep their plots throughout the turns of season. As the garden continues to grow, the members of the CCRA continue to seek avid gardeners who are interested in partaking in one of the country’s oldest and most distinguished community gardens. 
If you happen to step outside the large shadows of William Penn and the founding fathers, taking a peak at some of the aforementioned gardens will help you appreciate the City of Brotherly Love in all its beauty. If Philadelphia is home to you, getting involved with community gardens can allow you to help the community, one seed, stem and plant at a time.
Author Bio
Stephen Gerard is a Freelance Writer for Blooms Today, an online florist specializing in same day flower delivery. Stephen lives just two blocks from The Spring Gardens of Philadelphia. His favorite plants to harvest are vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and carrots.
Steve