Built Environment Descriptions

Okahurst Community Garden

Oakhurst Community Garden

1.The Oakhurst community garden is located within the city of Decatur. This garden serves as green space to provide the resident of this community with a haven to grow an array of vegetation ranging from seasonal fruits and vegetables to decorative flowers. The Oakhurst garden provides the community with true sense of locally grown produce while, still contributing the environmental benefits while living in an urban neighborhood.

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Nature graffiti Mural

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Upon walking into the garden, on the left side of the garden’s main office building is a graffiti mural. The mural displays a bee in it’s natural function of pollinating a flower. Throughout the duration of the mural, the primary colors yellow and green are produced in many shades of greens ranging from a pastel to a deep rich olive color likewise, to the yellow conforming from the shade of a bee to the golden color of the water pumps. This mural is a representation of a artwork form that usually contains the negative stereotype of vandalism when associated in an urban environment. Instead the art form of graffiti is repurposed so solidify the garden is urbanized while simultaneously capturing the importance of this green space within this community.

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Garden Plot

3. The Oakhurst Garden is set up into individual plots. These plot are managed by community residents who pay annual dues and contribute their time throughout the year to maintain the garden’s upkeep and vegetation. As a result, the community residents are allocated their own individual plots to grow any kind of produce, fruits, or other vegetation on their choosing.

Lettuce

Kale 

4. While in the garden, I was able to experience on the plots at work. This particular plot is growing a Kale. The Kale held an appetizing green that demonstrated pure freshness. The Oakhurst garden’s diversity in vegetation throughout the year allows for hardy green like lettuce to prosper despite it being one Georgia’s coldest winter months- January.

 

Saint

Saint

5. In the garden off to side sits this mural of praying saint. The saint’s positioning is adjacent to the community growing plots. While I stood gazing back and forth between the saint and the garden plots a purpose of saint in the was now understood. The saint is the watcher of the garden. This creates a peaceful feeling within the entire garden and a safe place.

 

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