Victory Gardens

I went to my school to do some financial aid stuff and on my way home, I took the longer, scenic route and rode my bike through a beautiful park area just before Fenway Park called the Richard D. Parker Memorial Victory Gardens. It was enchanting. I discovered that anyone who is a Boston resident can pay a yearly fee for a plot of earth to garden. This Robin is paid handsomely to sit friendly-like on the entrance marker! Isn't that smart?

Once upon a time a victory garden was a vegetable, fruit or herb garden planted at a private residence in the US and Britain during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. In addition to indirectly aiding the war effort, these gardens were also considered a civil "morale booster" — in that gardeners could feel empowered by their contribution of labor and rewarded by the produce grown.

But in Boston today, it's for anyone who feels the need to garden and can't in the classically cramped living conditions of a city. It's a way to still have the neighbor to chat with on the 'other side of the fence' and have some breathing, napping and sunning room. And truly everyone was so friendly. Can you imagine a criminal gardener? Ridiculous.

This man has more like 9 or 10 plots he pays for. He told me he has manicured it for 22 years! It was my favorite. I could spend all day in these gardens and in fact, has inspired our very own vegetable garden, featured in my next blog....