Phipps Conservatory’s Homegrown Celebrates 412th Edible Garden
For Immediate Release: Tues., Aug. 20
Contact: Joe Reed | Director of Marketing and Communications
412-622-6915, ext. 3801 | jreed@phipps.conservatory.org
Phipps Conservatory’s Homegrown Celebrates 412th Edible Garden
Phipps Edible Garden Program Reaches Milestone in the Pittsburgh Community
Pittsburgh, PA – Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is excited to announce that Homegrown has installed it's 412th edible garden – not just a number meaningful to Pittsburgh, but a significant milestone for the program. Since its inception in 2013, Homegrown has installed hundreds of raised-bed vegetable gardens at households in neighborhoods that don't have grocery stores and provided mentorship and resources to community members.
Homegrown gardeners have each harvested an average of 35 – 40 pounds of produce each summer. Through their partnership with Homewood-Brushton YMCA, 1,600 pounds of free produce have been harvested since 2021. Over the past ten years, 875 people have gained access to Homegrown gardening resources and over 3,000 community members have received produce shared by a Homegrown gardener.
“Homegrown gardens provide safe, healthy growing spaces for families in our region dealing with contaminated soil and limited fresh food access. Even before the harvest, gardening can support our health and wellbeing by slowing us down, getting us out into the sunshine and helping us connect with the beauty of our natural world,” said Gabe Tilove, Director of Adult Education and Community Outreach.
In addition to raised-bed vegetable gardens, Homegrown also offers a wide variety of free virtual and in-person classes that aim to build gardening skills and knowledge so that participants can keep their gardens growing. Homegrown has hosted over 100 classes that community members have found both enjoyable and greatly beneficial. Homegrown helps families keep their gardens growing by building and honing participants' gardening skills and knowledge. Covering topics from weed and pest management to plant-forward cooking skills, monthly classes and periodical workshops allow new gardeners to realize the full potential of their raised beds while offering opportunities for neighbors to connect.
To learn more, visit phipps.conservatory.org/Homegrown.
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About Phipps: Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA is a globally recognized green leader with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Encompassing 15 acres including a historic 14-room glasshouse, 23 distinct indoor and outdoor gardens and industry-leading sustainable architecture and operations, Phipps attracts more than half a million visitors annually from around the world. Learn more at phipps.conservatory.org.
Phipps is proud to be a 2024 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities.
Watch TEDx: What We Can Learn From an Old Glasshouse: A look at the evolving way we connect people to nature at Phipps, demonstrate how human and environmental health are inextricably connected, and show that to age gracefully, we must continually reinvent ourselves to evolve with the rest of the world.
