Seeds replace weeds in Avenues

Junky lot transformed over 3 years into a conservation garden

Published: Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 10:36 p.m. MDT
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People called the swath of land on the corner of 11th Avenue and Terrace Hills all sorts of things — "weed patch," "eyesore" and "used-car lot," to name a few.

But after nearly three years of work from city and community leaders, the once overrun piece of public utilities land has a name Salt Lake City residents say they can be proud of — the Greater Avenues Water Conservation Demonstration Garden.

"I don't know how many of you purchased cars at this erstwhile used-car lot," City Councilman Eric Jergensen joked during the park's opening Wednesday. "It has turned into a really great gem of this community."

The park, officials hope, will double as an educational tool for the neighborhood.

"As a sustainability advocate, the education piece is very big," said Jim Jenkin, the Greater Avenues Community Council's chairman-elect. "Without that, you have just another group of plants. I'm hoping the neighborhood will take this as an example of how to do water-wise landscaping the correct way."

The park's designers steered clear of traditional grasses and trees, opting instead for vegetation that should reduce the need for watering.

"Too many people think a beautiful yard needs Kentucky bluegrass," said Tom Berggren, who helped spearhead the efforts.

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Instead, the park will feature bearberry, desert olives, dwarf yuccas and rubber rabbitbrush.

And if the park looked brown and bare Wednesday, its creators said it would take just a year or two before the native shrubs and trees fill in the gaps.

"It's what we can and should be doing with a lot of our property," Mayor Ralph Becker said. "It's what we need to do … for us to transform into a fully sustainable community."

e-mail: afalk@desnews.com

Recent comments

Baumgardner- apparently you have a chip on your shoulder for Avenue's...

avenue res | Oct. 26, 2009 at 9:07 p.m.

This is the area of the city that the people keep their credit cards...

Bill Baumgardner sr. | Oct. 26, 2009 at 4:25 p.m.

Anonymous; I doubt there is 100k in landscaping. This project was a...

Resident | Oct. 22, 2009 at 7:07 a.m.

Image
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

The new Greater Avenues Demonstration Garden will showcase water-wise landscaping.

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