Tiny but mighty Alley Garden

Dig deep enough, and every garden comes full circle. The reason for this blog’s lapse in posts is also the reason for its revival. I’m honored to share the story of how this particular Boise kitchen garden came to be.

I installed the very first Gold Feather Garden in a North End alley with Gina at the beginning of 2021. She had just retired from teaching in the Boise school district and wanted to invest in her future with a garden she could grow into. So that’s what we created. Over the last few seasons, Gina’s skills have grown and developed, as has her identity as a gardener. So much so, she even joined our team this season to help with the many maintenance and coaching clients we brought on. More impressively, she launched an effort in her neighborhood to create garden spaces all along her alley.

Gina, Scott and Celinda working in the new Boise Kitchen Garden on O’Farrell Street.

Teresa (my partner in gardening) attended the first neighborhood meeting to discuss the Thatcher-O’Farrell Alley Project, and that’s where she and Gina met Scott and Celinda. They immediately clicked and cultivated a budding friendship as they organized the alley project. Here’s how the garden grew from there, in Teresa’s words.

The first time I met Scott and Celinda was in their neighbor Gina's backyard during the first meeting for the North End Alley Project. Gina, the owner of the “OG” Gold Feather Garden had gathered the members of her alley in the North End for bruschetta and wine to talk about revitalizing the space together. Scott and Celinda immediately jumped on board, organizing community events, getting donations from local partners, and installing an alley garden of their own.

Scott and Celinda know how to maximize a small space. Their gorgeous, existing backyard has a small footprint and a large personality. They knew that they wanted beds that would be both functional and beautiful, which is at the heart of what we do.

A sidelong view at the garden, complete with a locally made trellis designed in collaboration with Celinda and Scott.

I asked them what issues they had with growing in the past. They had some experience, but not a lot of success with getting enough fruit on their plants. They had questions about irrigation and giving plants the nutrients they needed to grow. Their three 1x3 existing beds needed a little T.L.C. and they were looking to add more growing space. Scott and Celinda love to cook and host neighbors and friends. They looked forward to a harvest that could be shared.

We determined that the best use of their yard would be to install an additional three beds - allowing for both a personal and communal space. Overall, we were able to give them 32 square feet of raised beds. Along with setting up a functional garden space with all the necessary ingredients for success, we continue to visit them every month for a personalized coaching session.

We had local companies construct and powder coat their steel beds and design custom trellises in order to encourage vertical growth, which is a great way to maximize space in a small garden. We filled all of their beds (new and existing) with organic soil and plants.

Boise’s newest gardeners with the alley bed they added onto their backyard garden.

At Gold Feather Gardens, our mission is to build Boise’s kitchen garden community. Scott and Celinda are a perfect example of how local, sustainable food brings people together. I had the chance to attend their first North End Alley Project party a few weeks ago and saw this first hand. The entire alley is full of plants - decorative and edible - check them out on Instagram here. The kids made a dinosaur garden. Rain barrels sit along the road next to small art exhibitions. Murals are being painted on sheds and garages. As I wandered along the alley that evening, it was so clear to me that plants bring so much more than just food.

Jamie again. At the same time Teresa was designing and installing this garden, Scott (the gardener mentioned) was caring for my daughter in the St. Luke’s NICU. It was pure coincidence that he hired our team for this project. “Tiny but Mighty” is a common refrain in the NICU world, so it felt so fitting when I saw that they had chosen that for this garden’s theme. I feel so lucky to have met this family when I did, and to be able to cultivate more than just a garden with them.

A meaningful label for this Tiny but Mighty bed.

If you’re interested in learning more about installing your own garden in order to bring your friends, neighbors or family together, click the button below. We are so excited to keep building this kitchen garden community here in Boise and have installation availability for fall.