Community Garden Planned at Long Branch Center

The Long Branch Recreation Community Center will likely be the site of Montgomery County's latest community garden. 

Officials from the county's Parks Department will present plans to residents Thursday, Oct. 25, at the center from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

The community garden program currently maintains 10 sites, most located in Silver Spring or Takoma Park. Gardens are open to county residents and yearly plot rental prices vary depending on the size of the plot, according to Patricia Lynch, coordinator of the program. 

The department began working on plans for a garden in Long Branch a few months ago, she said. 

"The idea came to us from the folks at Montgomery Housing Partners who were interested in some of their residents having an opportunity to do gardening," Lynch said. "We in Parks are sort of on the lookout all the time for possible sites and communities that have an interest."

The garden at Long Branch's rec center would join two other gardens the center hosts—a youth garden and a garden for senior citizens. 

"The idea would be to also offer a community garden that’s open to anyone in the community," Lynch said.

Lynch said this garden would be made up of mostly 200-square-foot plots that would rent for $35 a year. Typically, there is more demand than plots for the county's gardens, she said, so residents who are interested enter their name into a lottery. Would-be gardeners who aren't chosen from the lottery are placed on a waiting list. 

If the weather cooperates, the garden would open in mid to late March 2013, Lynch said. 

Thursday's meeting will offer more information to residents and also answer questions. 

Current community gardens are listed below. If you are interested in plots, head to the gardens website to find out if there is availability:

• Bradley Park Community Garden, 8701 Hartsdale Ave., Bethesda
• Briggs Chaney Community Garden, 2161 Briggs Chaney Rd., Silver Spring
• Emory Grove Center, 18110 Washington Grove Lane, Gaithersburg
• Fenton Street Local Park, 7904 Fenton St, Silver Spring
• King Street Park, 7980 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring
• Maple Avenue, 7620 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park
• Parklawn Community Garden, 12718 Viers Mill Rd, Wheaton
• Rocking Horse Center, 4920 Macon Rd, Rockville
• Sligo Mill Overlook Community Garden, 6400 Orchard Ave., Takoma Park
• South Germantown Recreational Park, 18041 Central Park Circle, Boyds

Do you live near Long Branch? Would you be interested in a community garden? Why or why not?